The Punisher

R

Released Apr 16, 2004

2 hr. 4 min.

Action

List

29%

173 Reviews

Tomatometer

63%

250,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

This dark action film, based on the comic book series, follows FBI agent Frank Castle (Thomas Jane) as he transforms into the vengeful Punisher after criminals murder his family, including his wife and son. Castle is gravely injured in the attack and believed to be dead by Howard Saint (John Travolta), the crime lord who ordered the hit. Following his recovery, Castle becomes a heavily armed vigilante who will stop at nothing to exact revenge on Saint and dismantle his underworld empire.

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Critics Consensus

A good cast fails to elevate this overly violent and by-the-numbers revenge flick.

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James A

Very much a mixed bag. Thomas Jane is okay in the role. The action scenes are well-handled. Despite the grim storyline, there's actually a decent amount of humor. The score is pretty weak. Most the supporting characters are forgettable, while bad guys John Travolta & Will Patton are both let down by the writing.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/16/24

Full Review

Phantaki

My first experience with the Marvel character Punisher a brutal and in some moments a funny film. With a great supporting cast and main cast including film locations this superhero film showed what real vengeance is.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/27/24

Full Review

Estuard F

Punisher es brutal y tiene todo para una película de acción y venganza

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/18/24

Full Review

ADjustinG2013

Understands the character but budget and studio interferences prevent it from being as great as it intended. Still, you can see it's vision behind the flaws.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/20/24

Full Review

Elijah S

It was good, could have been better, a little too cheesy with some of the minor characters.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/09/24

Full Review

Dick C

It's a extra ordinary Punishing Film...by Marvel Entertainment...

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/02/24

Full Review

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Jonathan Hensleigh

Director

Thomas Jane

Frank Castle

John Travolta

Howard Saint

Will Patton

Quentin Glass

Roy Scheider

Frank Castle Sr.

Laura Harring

Livia Saint

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20%

49%

Made Men

0%

35%

Desert Heat

0%

20%

Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever

29%

35%

Riders

17%

33%

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Bad big screen adaptation of comic book.

Rated: 2/5

Dec 28, 2010

Full Review

J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

There's something to be said for letting a comic book adaptation operate at the level of a comic book, dispensing cheap laughs and ice-cold sadism.

Apr 25, 2007

Full Review

Time Out

Ultimately, Frank's victim -to-vigilante transformation is so morally unexplored it's emotionally alienating.

Feb 9, 2006

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

The Punisher’s anti-hero status is ignored altogether in this unchallenging movie; he’s reduced to being a homemade Good Guy without special powers, just a munitions store and a souped-up car.

Rated: 2/4

Mar 7, 2024

Full Review

Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

For anyone ignorant of its pulpy pedigree... The Punisher presents itself as little more than a rather cheap and nasty actioner lifted wholesale from the they-killed-his-wife-and-child-and-now-they're-gonna-pay files.

Rated: 1.5/5

Nov 17, 2020

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

For a movie about brutal eye-for-an-eye reprisal, there really isn't much savagery (or ferocity) taking place during the majority of the film.

Rated: 3/10

Nov 9, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

This dark action film, based on the comic book series, follows FBI agent Frank Castle (Thomas Jane) as he transforms into the vengeful Punisher after criminals murder his family, including his wife and son. Castle is gravely injured in the attack and believed to be dead by Howard Saint (John Travolta), the crime lord who ordered the hit. Following his recovery, Castle becomes a heavily armed vigilante who will stop at nothing to exact revenge on Saint and dismantle his underworld empire.

Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Executive Producer: Stan Lee, Kevin Feige, John H. Starke, Amir Jacob Malin
Screenwriter: Gerry Conway, Jonathan Hensleigh, Michael France
Distributor: Lionsgate Films, Summit Entertainment
Production Co: Partnership Films, Artisan Entertainment, Marvel Enterprises, Punisher Productions
Rating: R (Language|Brief Nudity|Pervasive Brutal Violence)
Genre: Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 16, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 19, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $33.7M
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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