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Punisher: War Zone

Play trailer Poster for Punisher: War Zone R Released Dec 5, 2008 1h 47m Action Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
29% Tomatometer 112 Reviews 42% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Frank Castle, aka The Punisher (Ray Stevenson), turns the streets of New York City red as he wages a one man war against the crime syndicate responsible for the death of his wife and two kids. Aided by his trusted sidekick, Microchip (Wayne Knight), he almost kills Billy Russoti (Dominic West) and leaves him horribly disfigured. Billy renames himself Jigsaw and with the help of his crazed brother Loony Bin Jim, recruits criminals from every corner of the city to do battle with Frank.
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Punisher: War Zone

Punisher: War Zone

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Critics Consensus

Punisher: War Zone recalls the excessively violent, dialogue-challenged actioners of the 1980s, and coincidentally feels two decades out of date.

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Critics Reviews

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Stephen Garrett Time Out Rated: 1/5 Nov 17, 2011 Full Review Cole Haddon Film.com Rated: D- May 6, 2011 Full Review Andrew Pulver Guardian You couldn't call it shoddy, exactly, and the actors take it painfully seriously; it's just dispiriting to see all this endeavour in the service of something so humourless and disgusting. Rated: 1/5 Feb 6, 2009 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review This movie has its moments, and most of them involve cheap thrills. Rated: 2.5/4 Mar 7, 2024 Full Review Joseph Garcia Dynamic Duel Podcast The film adapts the fun violence and dark humor of the comics but neglects the nuance, making it more of a guilty pleasure than a satisfying experience. Rated: 2.5/5 Jul 11, 2023 Full Review Emilie Black Cinema Crazed Punisher: War Zone is a colorful, violent, almost perfect comic book adaptation which seems to be forgotten by some fans of the genre. Rated: 4.5/5 Jul 26, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Kevin D It;s a pretyy good comic book movie with overstated characters. Basically 1960's Batman gone Dark. The Baddies are Baddies and the goodies well not all good. I don't think I could ever criticise something with Ray Stevenson in it. It is what it is, love it or hate it. If you watch this with the right mindset then you can enjoy. Some of the acting is over the top. I think that is deliberate Just like 60's Batman. Think of a modern Batman vs an outrageous Dark sixties Egghead. One last thing if you think about the whole premise and how real it is. Why do people count bullets er it is fiction Rated 3 out of 5 stars 08/23/24 Full Review James B i agree with roger eberts review one of the best bad films ever made but its disgusting…. i personally thought it was a cheesy movie the 2004 one was better this is a cheesy B movie worth watching for over the too gore and cheesy dialogue Rated 3 out of 5 stars 08/02/24 Full Review Austin S Was meant to be a sequel but changed to be a reboot but it still seems like a sequel than a reboot Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 07/21/24 Full Review Vitoria F Shallow and forced script. Very exaggerated action scenes and several illogical moments, such as: putting a fist into a skull without the internal organs coming out, as if it were hollow; holding a girl in his arms before killing a man instead of handing her over to her mother who was leaving the room; warm color palette while everyone is wearing winter clothes. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 07/17/24 Full Review matthias s **Title: The Punisher: Warzone – A Grim Misfire** As a die-hard fan of The Punisher comics and an admirer of Ray Stevenson, I had high hopes for *The Punisher: Warzone*. Stevenson brings his trademark intensity to Frank Castle, embodying the grim vigilante with a physicality that honors the source material. Unfortunately, even his solid performance can’t save this movie from its own pitfalls. The film starts with promise, featuring explosive action and a dark tone true to the comics. However, it quickly loses steam, devolving into a series of disjointed and monotonous scenes. The villains, who should be compelling and complex, come off as cartoonish and one-dimensional. The script is patchy at best, lacking the depth and narrative drive needed to keep viewers engaged. In the end, *The Punisher: Warzone* is a disappointment. Despite Stevenson's best efforts, the film fails to capture the gritty essence of Frank Castle, leaving fans bored and underwhelmed. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 07/01/24 Full Review Korra N Wildly over-the-top, cheesy, and ridiculously bloody, Punisher: War Zone is a violent action-thriller reminiscent of 80s and 90s action movies from Steven Segal and Sylvester Stallone, with clunky dialogue and a bizarre assortment of characters, but a game Ray Stevenson keeps it grounded enough to make the movie enjoyable. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 06/20/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Punisher: War Zone

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Frank Castle, aka The Punisher (Ray Stevenson), turns the streets of New York City red as he wages a one man war against the crime syndicate responsible for the death of his wife and two kids. Aided by his trusted sidekick, Microchip (Wayne Knight), he almost kills Billy Russoti (Dominic West) and leaves him horribly disfigured. Billy renames himself Jigsaw and with the help of his crazed brother Loony Bin Jim, recruits criminals from every corner of the city to do battle with Frank.
Director
Lexi Alexander
Producer
Gale Anne Hurd
Screenwriter
Matt Holloway, Art Marcum, Nick Santora
Distributor
Lionsgate Films
Production Co
MHF Zweite Academy Film, Marvel Studios Inc., Valhalla Motion Pictures, Lionsgate Films
Rating
R (Pervasive Strong Brutal Violen|Language|Some Drug Use)
Genre
Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 5, 2008, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$7.9M
Runtime
1h 47m
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