Just saw The Punisher Movie -- NO SPOILERS

[mitol]

I thought it was by far, better than Hellboy. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that he was a little sick and enjoyed causing suffering rather than just blowing everyone away. Definitely some Garth Ennis influence.

[FFB]

That reviewer was full of horse [!@#%^&^]. Punisher was overall a good movie, if a bit gratuitously violent, that had two or three parts I could have done without. But Thomas Jane NAILED the role and John Travolta was awesome. All three neighbors (Bumpo, Spacker Dave, and Joan) added a lot to the movie and portrayed their characters beautifully.

 

The fight scene with the Russian was worth the price of admission all by itself. Every single person in the theater was howling and clapping during that scene. The final assault on Saint's club was brilliantly shot. And the way that Castle destroyed Saint's family from within was a refreshing change from the typical "I'm just going to put a bullet in each of them" formula. All in all, a good and entertaining action movie that I plan to see again in the theater. It's not "great film," but it's a good time and that's all I ever expect from a movie.

 

From a guy who seems to know a thing or two about the character no less.

 

Well, as I said - reviews are just opinions - but that review was, in my opinion, pretty poorly done. The reviewer seemed to have this 8th Amendment idea s/he felt was clever. Well and good but it really didn't tell me a hell of a lot! Much of the prose is colorful when the film is not being talked specifically about. When the film IS talked specifically about the review is often pretty banal.

[PovertyRow]

All in all, a good and entertaining action movie that I plan to see again in the theater. It's not "great film," but it's a good time and that's all I ever expect from a movie.

 

I look forward to seeing it. Just have to decide to see it in theater or wait for dvd.

[FFB]

It is definitely a movie that needs the big screen to be appreciated. Lots of explosions, etc. Worth every bit of the $9.50 ticket price.

 

All in all, a good and entertaining action movie that I plan to see again in the theater. It's not "great film," but it's a good time and that's all I ever expect from a movie.

 

I look forward to seeing it. Just have to decide to see it in theater or wait for dvd.

[Mister_Comics]

Don't forget to get your FREE ASM #129 comic. I went and seen the film. Not bad. The one thing though, when your buying your ticket, the teller doesn't just give you the FREE COMIC. You have to ask for it. After I asked for mine others in line started to ask about the comic. From what I heard only 2000 were given to each theater and they were told to make sure they last for a while. Thats why they don't volenter the info on the comic. You have to be in the know.

[FFB]

I asked about 8 different people and no one knew what I was talking about.

 

Don't forget to get your FREE ASM #129 comic. I went and seen the film. Not bad. The one thing though, when your buying your ticket, the teller doesn't just give you the FREE COMIC. You have to ask for it. After I asked for mine others in line started to ask about the comic. From what I heard only 2000 were given to each theater and they were told to make sure they last for a while. Thats why they don't volenter the info on the comic. You have to be in the know.

[supapimp]

they're hoarding them up to send to CGC.

[Mister_Comics]

And then they tryied to rip me off. I bought two tickets (wife & myself) and they wanted to just give me one comic. After they seen the look on my face they gave me 2.

[RS]

The movie was GREAT!!!!! This makes up for that 80's [!@#%^&^] . The first show was 3/4 full. People reading the free comic before the movie. I liked the way he killed. Can't wait for Punisher 2

[mitol]

Don't forget to get your FREE ASM #129 comic.

 

I asked, but no one knew about it. I guess Canadians got shafted again. Anybody up here who's seen the movie receive the free comic?

[NewtSamson]

I gotta tell ya it started out slow and they messed with the origin and the location a bit, but by the middle and espechially the end I gotta say.....THEY GOT IT RIGHT!!!!

This was the Punisher!!!!!

Before the middle I was sitting there shifting in my seat thinking they ruined it. Once the middle arrived, I consider the middle when the guy from the trailer who sings to Frank Castle in the diner. From that point on it was a freaking awesome movie.

TOM JANE IS THE PUNISHER!!!! He just doesnt play a good Frank Castle.

I LOVED THIS MOVIE....any fan of Garth Ennis's Writing on PUNISHER will love this movie from the middle to the end.

Make sure you get your free first apperance punisher comic if ya go. I already got one when the 1200 of em came in to my theater, but I picked one up for my friend today!

I CANT WAIT FOR THE SEQUEL!!!! I HOPE THERE IS ONE! This was more a year one punisher story. IT ROCKED!

[Lockjaw]

I noticed that too (critics hate/viewers are okay with the film). I suspect the film will over-come some seriously negative reviews to make $13-16 million this weekend (and I am sure the film can eke out some money on DVD and overseas, but it will not see anywhere near DDs opening numbers, or for that matter, the first Blade film, which I believed opened in the low 20s).

 

I thought it was a bit slow in parts, but some of the ways in which people were killed were brutal yet entertaining. I would have liked to see longer gun battles, and been a bit more emotionally invested in Frank Castles character. I also agree with Harry at AICNs that the neighbors are not given much to do in the film (you only really start to care for them when Spacker Dave is tortured).

 

Parts of the movie deserved only a 5/10, others at least a 7/10.

 

Certainly not deserving of some of the hate thrown at it by Harry Knowles (c'mon, just how high can your expectations be for this type of film?!?).

 

Got the free comic (in at least 9.2/9.4 condition...not like I would ever waste my money grading the book, but still nice that it was not all banged up), and I like to think that the freebie is worth at least $2.00 of ticket price, which means most people end up paying $4.25-5 for a matinee showing, so for that price you are not being ripped-off.

 

And speaking of the freebie, why is it that this free comic was as nice as some of the 2.95/99 books Marvel puts out...nice crisp colors that pop-out on the cover, and glossy pages. This comic really is well put together, considering I was expecting an extremely cheap paper-stock to be used to save on costs, but what I got was a nice comic.

 

Anyway, worth seeing at least once if you are a fan of The Punisher (if you are not a fan, unlike SM or the X films, this movie will probably not encourage people in the audience to try and check out Frank's adventures in his monthly comic).

 

Enjoy Your Weekend

Christopher Hillen

[FFB]

I noticed that too (critics hate/viewers are okay with the film). I suspect the film will over-come some seriously negative reviews to make $13-16 million this weekend (and I am sure the film can eke out some money on DVD and overseas, but it will not see anywhere near DDs opening numbers, or for that matter, the first Blade film, which I believed opened in the low 20s).

 

It is lower budget than DD by less than half. Also, Marvel has an equity stake in the film, which means that once Lions Gate gets its production costs back, Marvel and LGF split all remaining profits 50/50. Marvel probably won't make anything off of the box office (unless it does $120 mm worldwide, which it actually might), but will make a killing off of DVD/PPV even if it only winds up with a domestic box office of $40 to $50 million.

 

If Kill Bill 2 hadn't jumped into the same weekend, Punisher would have opened with at least $25 million.

 

And speaking of the freebie, why is it that this free comic was as nice as some of the 2.95/99 books Marvel puts out...nice crisp colors that pop-out on the cover, and glossy pages. This comic really is well put together, considering I was expecting an extremely cheap paper-stock to be used to save on costs, but what I got was a nice comic.

 

Most of the production costs of a comic book are the amounts paid to the creative team and editorial staff. Because the book is a reprint of a book that was created before Marvel had a royalty policy, there are virtually no creative costs associated with the book. The printing costs of the comic itself are negligible by comparison. And here's the best part -- they were paid for by LGF, NOT MARVEL.

[Lockjaw]

Like I already mentioned in my first response on this thread...the free comic really is nice, surprisingly so. Well worth making sure you get, as the production values equals a comic with a $2.99 price tag (you get a regular cover stock, and glossy paper---this free comic had better paper stock than most of DCs tpbs, granted their inexpensive tpbs, but still...).

 

Regards

Christopher H

[Lockjaw]

Yeah, if KBII was not siphoning away some of Punisher's audience, I could easily see this movie having been able to easily gross 17-23+ on the opening weekend. I just think that since critics seem to like KBII, and are being pretty brutal in their Punisher reviews, that the The Punisher is going to have to rely on good word of mouth to be anything but a faint memory in Hollywood by this time next week.

 

Regards

Christopher H

[jimjim-migration]

I saw both movies today. (Kill Bill Vol.2 and The Punisher) I enjoyed Punisher more than Kill Bill. I thought it was going to be on the same level as Vin Diesel's last movie, A Man Apart, but it distinguished itself with more of a comic book feel.

One thing that bothers me about reviewers: Where does it say that there has to be a hero in a story? I'm not trying to compare this to Shakespeare, but his best stories were driven by revenge. I wonder if reviewers during his time said, "Hamlet would be a better character if he didn't sink to the level of his step father." The name of the movie and character explains itself.

 

I saw Punisher first and didn't get a comic. I went outside to purchase my ticket for the second movie and saw an usher pass one out to one of her friends. My brother and I asked how we could get one. I showed her my ticket and then she gave us each one. I was a little miffed that I had to ask. Not that I would have it graded, but I think it would grade a 9.2-9.4.

[kryptonitecomics]

I saw the Punisher today as well, got the free comics which was very cool. I have to say that I had low expectations for the movie and only went to see it since a friend of mine was already going. I was like most pleasntly surprised and found the movie quite enjoyable.

 

I would be shocked if it ended up bombing at the box office.

 

 

Here is a scan of the free comic for those of you interested:

 

[xrcst]

Spoilers:

 

Absolutely hated the movie. First they butchard the origin, maybe forgiveble because the change of medium (although I dont see why) Then the stupid saccharin sweet look Ill give you this tshirt dad...and Im the punisher so Ill wear this tshirt to honor my son. I almost walked out right there. Then the part that made it go off the deep end of rediculousness was when Kevin Nash showed up as a giant Where's Waldo (was he supposed to be someone?) Then it went from a movie to a bad episode of Monday Night Raw. The whole slam his head in the refrigerator door, Ive seen that in rasslin enough. The at the end...

One of the bad guys is two feet from him and delivers 2 or three shots to the Punishers chest...for CHRIST sake, take the head shot!!!!

[Mephisto]

PUNNY REVIEWS, DD's reviews were slightly better.

 

The guy who rates movies for Albany's news station gave it a B+ which is pretty high for him and specifically said it was better than Daredevil in his review.

[RS]

Ennis Punisher is right on the money I will see this movie again