Watch The Punisher
- R
- 2004
- 2 hr 3 min
-
6.4 (171,228)
The Punisher from 2004 is an action-packed, superhero movie directed by Jonathan Hensleigh. The film stars Thomas Jane in the lead role as Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, who is a former FBI agent turned vigilante after his family is brutally murdered by a group of organized criminals. The film also stars John Travolta as Howard Saint, the ruthless leader of the criminal organization that killed Castle's family, and Samantha Mathis as Joan, Castle's neighbor who is unwittingly caught up in his quest for revenge.
The movie opens with Frank Castle, a decorated FBI agent, leading a raid on a family of criminals who are attempting to sell weapons-grade arms to terrorists. Castle successfully apprehends the criminals, but his success is short-lived. Howard Saint, a prominent businessman and criminal leader, is angry that his arms deal has been interrupted and vows revenge on Castle and his family.
Later, Castle retires from his job and moves with his wife and son to a peaceful, secluded home in Puerto Rico. Shortly after their arrival, Saint's men track him down and launch a brutal attack on Castle's family, killing his wife and son in front of him. Devastated and filled with rage, Castle survives the attack and vows to take revenge on Saint.
The rest of the movie follows Castle's journey as he transforms into The Punisher and begins to systematically take down Saint's organization. He enlists the help of Joan, his neighbor, who helps him obtain information about Saint's criminal activities. Castle also receives help from a trio of outcasts - Bumpo, Spacker Dave, and Joan's friend Mr. Bumpo - who offer comic relief and support throughout his mission.
As Castle continues his mission, he discovers that Saint's wife, Livia, played by Laura Harring, is having an affair with Castle's best friend and former colleague Jimmy Weeks, played by Will Patton. Castle uses this information to his advantage, manipulating both Livia and Weeks, to further his plan of revenge. Meanwhile, Saint becomes increasingly paranoid and violent as Castle closes in on him, leading to a climactic final showdown between the two.
Overall, The Punisher is a gritty, violent superhero movie that showcases Thomas Jane's acting chops as he transforms from a mild-mannered FBI agent to a cold-blooded vigilante. John Travolta is also superb as the villainous Howard Saint, and Samantha Mathis provides a strong supporting role as Castle's neighbor and confidant. The movie combines elements of revenge, justice, and morality to create a complex story that leaves the audience rooting for Castle, despite his violent actions.
The Punisher is a 2004 action movie with a runtime of 2 hours and 3 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.4 and a MetaScore of 33.