Superman/Batman Public Enemies Review

(I am not a comic otaku, but I will do my best to reflect the connections of the adaptation to the comics, as I do for any other film based on a comic or literature.)

The premise of this film confuses me a bit and sifting through it at a random point in the film does make the pairing a bit odd, though Batman and Superman are decent friends. The difficulty is that they are somewhat on opposite sides of at least one fence: the issue of how to advance justice. Batman’s much more of a vigilante, while Superman follows the law to the letter, not killing and especially not using dirty tactics (as he would accuse Batman of doing). But only a minute into the film and I can see why the two would eventually ally with each other: Lex Luthor has become president. So onto plot synopsis.

We’re introduced to a series of scenes with news commentary in the background showing the world spiraling into chaos with economic depression as a major cause. Lex Luthor is running for president on a third party campaign and people are understandably skeptical, not to mention suggesting he’s buying the election. Lex suggests otherwise on what appears to be the Larry King Show and insists he’s the best man for the job. He makes defending America from aliens and vigilante superheroes the main thrust of his campaign. He recruits Captain Atom, Black Lightning, Power Girl, Katana and Major Force (the last one’s esp. ironic, since Major Force is Captain Atom’s nemesis in the comics, so their teaming up makes me think he’s gonna change sides eventually) for the side of America, against Superman and such, it seems. Superman stops a guy from causing a major traffic accident, reprimanded by Luthor’s goons (the two nuclear men and Power Girl) that he’s not doing the best he could, Superman replying that he helps where he’s needed. But his former “friends” insist that he should admit that Luthor is actually in the right for trying to get metahumans on the side of the government. Not to mention Power Girl observing that the world is actually stable for once. Superman doesn’t buy it though, but Captain Atom insists that at this point Superman’s just jealous that Lex is putting his intellect to work helping people, while Superman can only throw around his power. Superman refuses their offer a second time and flies away, Captain Atom suggesting Superman is being selfish. Elsewhere, Lex finds out through his scientists that a meteor of pure kryptonite is due to hit earth in 7 days. Lex replies that there won’t be an impact, Amanda Waller (fat blob of lard she’s depicted as here) asking what he means. Lex suggests missiles, Amanda a bit skeptical, mentioning that he could use the superhumans under his influence, but Lex denies this plan, thinking it needs to be done by him, not “freaks and monsters”. Superman and Batman convene as Lex requests to meet with Superman about the meteor, Batman saying that even if Superman went up with a lead suit he couldn’t smash it without destroying the suit. Batman has a plan of his own he’s working on, but it’s pushed to the side as the two part ways and say that they won’t help each other or expect help if things go bad. Superman meets with Lex, who provokes him by suggesting that his backup plan is to use Superman as his soldier, the representative of the country that Superman has sworn to protect. It is then revealed that Lex has Metallo as a failsafe to stop Superman. Lex escapes while Superman and Metallo fight, the balance shifting back and forth for a while until Batman manages to save Superman, but nearly gets killed himself. Metallo takes a shard of the kryptonite in his chest and shoots it at Superman. Batman disrupts Metallo’s constitution again and tries to help Superman with the kryptonite bullet. Metallo buries them, but Batman has a plan of escape, getting into the sewers under the graveyard. The two exchange friendly banter as they retreat to the Batcave, where Alfred fixes up Superman and the pair finds that Lex has now accused Superman of murdering Metallo (which would be impossible, since there’s one suspect that could’ve killed him that we saw in the background). Lex supplants his accusation with the hypothesis from his scientists that the Kryptonite meteor is affecting Superman psychologically, making everyone more paranoid of him than they were before, not to mention he puts a bounty of a billion dollars on Superman’s head. Power Girl argues with Lex that Superman didn’t murder Metallo, but Lex twists her mind with the idea of Superman and him not being so different in being able to change drastically. At S.T.A.R. Labs, Batman is breaking in, Superman coming back from a fight with Lois (I guess). Superman smells something odd as Batman is hacking the computers, and they discover Metallo’s corpse. They are forced to escape, but are separated by Silver Banshee. Superman fights against her, while Batman is confronted by Captain Cold, Icicle, Killer Frost and Mr. Freeze. Superman takes out Silver Banshee and then the other ice themed villains, Batman disabling Banshee for the moment as they continue to be pursued. Superman fights off Mongul, while Batman is nearly drowned by a surprisingly talkative Solomon Grundy, but takes him out with gas from his mask. But Batman is suddenly assaulted by Lady Shiva of all people. He beats her off, as Superman does Mongul and Nightshade attacks them, but then it turns out that Gorilla Grodd has been controlling all three and they subsequently kick his butt. But then an even larger group of villains out for the bounty attack, the battle stopped by Captain Atom’s group (plus Starfire) blasting into the center. Elsewhere on a helicopter, Lex seems to be having a migraine, but he gets over it as he is eager to put his plan into action. Captain Atom directs a tirade against Superman, saying he doesn’t have a choice, that he’s just doing his job as a soldier. Batman and Superman fend off the group, Superman summoning a huge tornado with his speed and escaping with Power Girl who he senses is on their side. Lex is decidedly frustrated and Captain Atom responds to Major Force’s suggestion that they kill them that the military doesn’t kill (without need), which Major Force laughs at. Superman talks with Power Girl about trusting her instincts about Lex when Captain Atom’s group finds them again. Batman, fighting off Major Force, inquires whether Metallo was surprised, indicating he knows Major Force killed him. He insists he was doing what was right for his country, Batman responding that he was just looking for an excuse to kill. Power Girl punches Major Force so hard his containment suit starts to leak and Captain Atom manages to seal it, likely absorbing all of Major Force’s power in the process, killing the nuclear counterpart and knocking him out. Lex’s missile plan fails, as the radiation detonated the warheads before they impacted. Superman and Batman try to sneak into the facility nearby, thwarted by Hawkman and Captain Marvel, who they beat back by eventually switching enemies, but are thwarted by tricks pulled on both of them. Lex is predictably unpopular with the failure of his supposed research plan (that’s the line he gives on the big screen anyway).But it’s revealed he’s been taking steroid cocktails and liquid Kryptonite injections and doesn’t care if the meteorite hits, since he plans to use the chaos of the aftermath to take over the remaining population. Superman and Batman appear disguised as Captain Marvel and Hawkman and force Lex to give them the data they need, but he deletes all the files. Amanda Waller expectedly switches sides and gives them the info they need. Lex runs away from the government attempting to arrest him, gets into a huge power-suit and kicks the army’s ass. Elsewhere in Japan, a different version of Toyman is pissing off Powergirl with X-ray goggles and reveals he has made a huge mecha of Superman and Batman fused together. Lex attacks the facility and eventually Batman is forced to pilot the mecha himself, since Toyman’s calculations weren’t quite finished when Lex smashed his computer. Superman and Lex continue fighting with Lex at a significant advantage for a while, but after Batman leaves, Superman gets serious, convinced Batman will die piloting the ship to the meteorite. Batman is nearly to the Krypto-meteor, while Lex is chased by Superman across the world (practically) and Superman finally hands Lex his ass, while Batman impacts the mecha. Superman imagines Batman is dead and even with Lex’s threat that he’s the president, Superman knocks his lights out. Superman is told that Batman might have survived, flying into space while Lex’s previous servants now proceed to beat him up more off screen (I imagine). Superman saves Batman, Lex still raving on about being the president in his less than sane state after all those injections. Batman leaves Superman for the Batcave and Clark hugs Lois as the film concludes, the world saved for another day.

Superman and Batman, the most important characters, are depicted well. Superman has the characteristic individuality without being as rebellious as Batman, but he also fights for what’s right alongside his pointy eared partner. His appearance seems more youthful than usual, not to mention his demonstrably ripped physique, usually suppressed. Batman is the no nonsense and reasonable side of the team, dependent on his wits and his technology, unlike Superman with his raw power. Lex Luthor is portrayed well, a charismatic but egomaniacal person who insists that his genius intellect gives him the right to do whatever he feels is necessary to advance whatever agenda he has. His descent into madness is classic of many plots in the DC animated universe involving him (Justice League Unlimited had about 3 I think) and in this case, the use of liquid Kryptonite and steroids was a nice touch. Amanda Waller is a key foil for Luthor, but her depiction would have made me spit take if I was drinking anything. She looks like a freaking toad bulging out of a suit. Her Justice League Unlimited counterpart was heavyset, but the animation style was more gracious to her, whereas this version is just ugly on purpose. Her contrast with Luthor is only evident as he is driven mad by his lust for power and she takes a more practical approach to save America. Power Girl, Captain Atom, Black Lightning, Katana and Major Force are all somewhat critical to the conflict between Lex and Superman as well as that between the previous friends of the Man of Steel against him by duty to America (though Black Lightning and Katana are minor players). Major Force is predictably a wolf in sheep’s clothing and Power Girl is one of the only women in the film to play an important role (though I question how she’s to be taken seriously when her cleavage is out there for all to see). Captain Atom is a neutral party for a time until Lex is revealed to be truly evil.

The primary theme is emphasized with the conflicts of the two groups of superheroes, Power Girl changing sides as well. On the one hand there are those that don’t trust someone like Lex Luthor, however much he may insist he has changed. And there are those that think that a sacrifice of values, such as serving under Lex Luthor as President, is for the betterment of the United States, while realizing eventually that they’re being manipulated to serve the ends of his egomania. The conflict between Batman and Superman is resolved rather quickly since they both see where they agree even if Batman is not so much a people person and prefers the dark and less than legal methods sometimes, whereas Superman is very much a social hero and tries to follow the law, not killing anyone or threatening them. In short, the themes are better reduced to character relationships more than abstract ideas represented by the characters.

In conclusion, this film is excellent, adapting the first part of the Superman/Batman comic series well and not confusing one too much. The length is only several minutes over an hour, shortest I’ve watched so far and the plot progresses well enough without excessive distractions from the main narrative. The fights between heroes as well as the unexpected involvement of various villains seeking out Superman’s bounty keep one’s eyes glued on the action. I rate this film a definite 5 out of 5, with a 60% recommendation due to issues of animation style for Amanda Waller especially, not to mention the sexualized issue surrounding Power Girl. Until next time, Namaste and Aloha.

Batman: Gotham Knight Review Pt 2

Disclaimer (I am not a comic otaku, but I will try my best to do research into as much Batman related lore as I can, since Batman is by far my favorite DC character)

In Darkness Dwells (Madhouse)
This begins with an investigation by Gotham P.D. of a group hallucination in a church, and the abduction of the Cardinal into the crypts and sewers associated with it. Batman gets involved as they track the criminal and gives Gordon a way to communicate with him while he’s tracking the abductor. But it’s protected by quantum cryptology so they can’t trace him it seems (Bouncing off satellites and whatnot). Batman’s already targeted the main villain, Scarecrow, the psychologist obsessed with fear. And the backstory of Killer Croc, the other villain involved, is changed somewhat, though he still has the skin condition and such. The lore about him being flushed down the toilet by his mom for being so ugly is thrown around once. But now he is noted as being part of an experiment by Scarecrow of fear aversion therapy while in Arkham. And Killer Croc’s phobia is identical to Scarecrow’s: bats. Eventually Batman encounters Killer Croc, getting bit in the shoulder in the process, saying he works through such pain (which will connect to the next episode) and eventually throwing what appears to be a grenade in his mouth, scaring him off. The Scarecrow’s fear toxin was in Killer Croc, so now Batman is seeing things, but he gets over it as he moves through the sewers. Eventually he traces Scarecrow to a place near where they used to store corpses, now flowing with methane gas. The Scarecrow has a “cult” of escaped Arkham inmates and is threatening to kill the Cardinal for helping the weak, since he wants to drive them down into insanity very likely. This Scarecrow’s look is very cool, probably even cooler than the version from Batman: The Animated Series. Batman manages to escape with the Cardinal by exploding methane above. He has a moment where he Matrix-style dodges a scythe thrown by Scarecrow and as they’re escaping out a pipe, they almost get cut up by a ship propeller. Batman leaves the Cardinal with the police and he leaves, not accepting their help, saying, “Maybe next time” as he runs away into the shadows again, to nurse what is probably still a bad wound from a 7 foot mutant with teeth sharpened to nails. This one introduces the most Batman villains, but I shouldn’t complain overall when the real message is Batman in a sort of day to day thing, looking deeper into his psyche, not unlike the new Batman film series.





Working Through Pain (Studio 4ºC)
The episode begins with Batman stumbling through the sewers, deeply wounded. He manages to cauterize the wound, making you see the theme of the obviously titled work. The scene then shifts to India (as evidenced by the cows sitting around and people in sarongs by the river), Bruce watching a mongoose and cobra fight it out. He is notified by an informant that he has been rejected by the fakirs (Indian mystics, essentially) for training. The training is still unrevealed, but the fakirs apparently knew he was not seeking enlightenment or truth, and was dishonest with them, which they were able to see through somehow. The informant suggests one more source, a mysterious woman living outside the main village. It is revealed that Bruce is looking for a way to deal with his pain. The woman, called Cassandra, clarifies later that there are two types of pain: exterior and interior, Bruce’s pain manifesting as both in his line of work. The line that pain always scars is interesting and relevant to Batman’s own past as Cassandra stands on hot coals. The theme becomes Bruce learning from her that you don’t make pain work for you, you work through the pain. Cassandra reveals that she was outcast because she deceived the fakirs into thinking she was a boy. But they apparently knew that already and tried to mess with her. But she completed the training and was then revealed to be doing something she shouldn’t, so she was outcast by her village and family (So women can’t do fakir training in India…still sexist a bit I see). They try to indicate Bruce might be romantically involved with Cassandra, which is possible, but not likely, since Bruce seems rarely to get involved with teachers, as opposed to villains or adversaries like Catwoman, Talia al Ghul and Zatanna to my memory. Eventually Bruce tries to defend Cassandra from what appear to be just teen boys threatening her. Bruce takes a stick to the head without reaction as well as a bottle and then fights off the 6 guys. But Cassandra brings him his things and tells him to leave, since he didn’t understand that she didn’t need his help, since they would’ve gotten tired in the end. She reflects that Bruce’s pain is beyond her help and possibly even beyond Bruce’s attempts as well. Prior to this, we see another flashback where Batman waits for Alfred to pick him up and finds a bunch of guns tossed aside in a storm drain along with garbage. As Alfred pulls the drain off the street, he offers his help, but Bruce with all the guns in his hand says he can’t since he appears to be in emotional pain as well, unable to give up the guns that he wants to get rid of from the street and take the help that he needs to heal his physical wound. This one is probably the most revealing of the tragedy manifest in Batman’s life, since it doesn’t explicitly involve his parents’ death, but suggests that it still affects him by his desire to get rid of guns, even those thrown into the sewers.




Deadshot (Madhouse)
The final episode begins with Bruce flashbacking to his parents’ murder, splicing together with Deadshot (a relatively little known Batman villain) putting together his sniper rifle. The next day, still shifting scenes between Batman and Deadshot, we see Bruce working out (like Bruce Lee with one armed pushups) and Alfred bringing the gun collection from the last episode into the room. Bruce reflects that while he doesn’t use guns, he can appreciate why his enemies like to use them, in the way Batman understands his enemies so well (Joker in particular). He even says guns hold the power of “God”; in the loosest sense I’m sure. Deadshot then shoots from probably 2000 meters away and splits a wine glass off at the stem, lodging the bullet in his target’s head. He is then seen speaking to his informant about another mission and as he leaves, he throws a little martini sword and impales a bee on it, making me see a parallel that probably wasn’t completely intended between this villain and Marvel Comics’ Bullseye, the adversary of Daredevil and the Punisher. It’s revealed that Ronald Marshall from “Field Test” hired Deadshot to kill the protestor that he had so graciously named the building after. Commissioner Gordon is the next target for Deadshot and he tries his best to keep safe, wearing a helmet while outside and not wanting to wear it in the car. Batman tries to find where Deadshot is shooting from and with Alfred’s help, finds that he is not only trying to shoot a car from a train going 60 miles an hour, but in between a second train going the opposite direction. Batman stops him and chases Deadshot into a tunnel where they continue to fight. Batman eventually gets the edge and nearly pushes Deadshot into getting his face ripped off by the protrusions from the sides of the tunnel, getting part of his mask torn off. Deadshot is beaten and afterwards, we see Alfred patching up Batman again from a shot that he got in running towards the assault from Deadshot’s hand-mounted machine gun. After remembering that he is fighting so that nothing like what happened to his parents and him will ever happen again, the Bat Signal appears outside the window in the sky and we end with Batman leaving to jump into the fray yet again.

Overall, this series of animations is a good introduction to Batman for newcomers born in the 2000s era. Although admittedly the film is probably for a teenage audience or so with the violence and cursing associated with it, it’s a good follow-up to your kids watching the Batman animated series from the 90s. Not to mention the varied animation styles of 4 different studios well known for series such as Noir and Dot Hack Sign (Bee Train), Ghost in the Shell: SAC and FLCL (Production I.G.), Trigun and Chobits (Madhouse) as well as the involvement of the directors and writers from the Batman Begins film. All in all, a 5 out of 5, and 100% recommended from me, a rarity indeed. Until next time, Namaste and Aloha

Hulk 2008 Review

After putting in time to watch the 2 hour and 15 minute epic called titled Hulk, I watched The Incredible Hulk (movie, not the show) the next day. It was made 5 years or so after the 2003 film by Ang Lee, this time directed by Louis Leterrier. The more important thing I find with comic book films is the writer and this time it was Zak Penn and Edward Norton (not credited commonly), main star of the film. Penn wrote drafts for both this and the earlier Hulk film as well as a future release featuring the Avengers and Hulk along with them hopefully. This version not only feels more like an action film with drama inserted in to ease the tension, but it feels more like an authentic Hulk comic book experience. The rating will wait until the end, but it is no surprise that more people enjoy this much more than Ang Lee’s version. A primary reason is probably because of the resonance of the backstory with that of the 70s TV series and I’ll explain why later. Stan Lee’s appearance is brief, but more amusing, apparently getting gamma poisoning from a soda that had a bit of Bruce Banner’s blood in it (though I dunno how they missed it, it was a big enough stain on the bottle in the plant)

The plot presents a formula that’s pretty easy to follow. We begin with Bruce in Brazil and some exposition before that of the backstory, which I have a slight complaint to interject about. The accident is more an unexpected one in this version, Bruce experimenting on himself with the gamma radiation treatment of some sort involving a crosshair going over his body it seems. This is in line with how the transformation begins in the TV show starring Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno. Not to mention Bruce is deceived by Betty’s dad about the nature of the project, which only makes the accident less unexpected. It’s still a compelling story to make Bruce admirable and able to be related to as a person. He took a risk and took the results of that risk. He begins to learn to control this power through breathing exercises and Brazilian jujutsu (seriously) and eventually we shift to the other part of the formula, military scenes involving General Ross and Emil Blonsky, the two main antagonists. Then we shift to Bruce and the military together in a synthesis scene where they seek him out. And after the incident, transformation and all, we start the process over with a new Bruce scene, new military scene and then another fusion. This is a good way to keep the flow between Bruce and Betty’s relationship and subsequent quest to cure himself of the Hulk and the military’s crusade to hunt Banner down and get the secrets he holds in his irradiated/mutated DNA. The progression takes less time, but the film is still nearly 2 hours long overall, so both of these movies do require a commitment of more time than shorter films like Daredevil and Elektra (though only by 10-20 minutes admittedly). You don’t get bored so much though and this is due to a more concise method. There’s a simple flow of the plot that progressively reveals secrets and details that one inquires about initially. And it definitely maintains the action genre over the more dramatic and less action oriented film that Ang Lee presented. There’s only one complaint I’d bring up in terms of believable actions. Banner swallows a flash drive with data about his experiments with the gamma radiation on his blood and later (don’t ask me how) regurgitates it. I dunno if it’s like Jigsaw in Saw and he wrapped it in a condom or something or it’s just his Hulk anatomy, but it just made me incredulous. Everything else could be ignored by virtue of comic book context, but not Bruce Banner transforming into the Hulk and not destroying the flash drive with the Hulk’s digestive acids. This is balanced out somewhat by the presence of Lou Ferrigno in a scene as a security guard (which he played in Hulk 2003 but in a scene that was deleted), who played the Hulk persona of Bruce Banner in the 70s TV show. He even gets a free pizza from Bruce, so it’s not a big problem.
There are some good lines that come in the film, ranging from Banner fudging up the line “You’re making me angry...you won’t like me when I’m angry” in Portuguese to the classic “Hulk smash!” line near the conclusion. Not to mention Blonksy’s progression to his monstrous form and the lines leading up to it, including one stating that after receiving another treatment of bio-enhancing serum, he feels “Like a monster”. There is another funny line in the final battle between Hulk and Abomination where General Ross tells the soldier at the helicopter chain gun to “Protect the green one!” making me think it’s a subtle joke about military colors. Moving on to the cast.

There are four main characters, with two supporting characters I’ll bring in when they’re relevant. Bruce Banner, portrayed by Edward Norton, is similar to Eric Bana’s version in the other version. There is a sense this time around that he has had experience and is not new to the idea of the Hulk. This is written 5 years after the fact of what might be the original backstory of the Hulk that Ang Lee attempted to put together in the last film. But all things considered, Bruce Banner is distinguished from other Marvel characters presented in film that are of a similar ilk. Peter Parker, Tony Stark and Bruce Banner are all men with female issues and general complexes about their powers. Banner is distinguished from Tony Stark in that he is a professional scientist and from Peter Parker in that he is more experienced and less immature. His romantic relationship with Betty Ross is still present in this film, subdued in some ways and complicated by the involvement of Doc Samson, though you’d almost never realize he was the same character from the comics. Betty Ross, portrayed by Liv Tyler, is Jennifer Connelly’s equal in her attachment to Bruce and her desire to aid him. Her relationship with Bruce and her father serves as a distinct triangle, not complicated by a secondary love interest so much, as Doc Samson seems quite willing to let Bruce and Betty get back together. General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross is portrayed by William Hurt this time around and does an equally superb job as the hot blooded patriot. I would complain in some effect that he is presented as a less sympathetic character than in the Ang Lee version, though in that plot he was less interested in the weapon applications the Hulk offered and more in protecting the U.S.A. from danger, so he was almost flatter. As I already explained he deceived Bruce about the gamma radiation experiments’ application and hid the truth from his own daughter as well. But frankly he is only so unlikeable compared to the main villain. The main antagonist is the Hulk’s first real enemy portrayed in a film so far as their true identity (unlike Absorbing Man and Zzzax in Hulk 2003). Emil Blonsky, a combination Russian/British special ops type agent is introduced early on and progressively becomes the Abomination as he is tentatively referred to as. Initially he is an ambitious soldier wanting to keep fighting on, despite being nearly 40. In a deal with General Ross, he gets involved in an enhancement project that is interconnected to the accident that gave Bruce his condition of changing into the Hulk. Though it’s unclear as to whether Banner and Blonsky are involved with the same serum or just interconnected by Bruce’s idea to create resistance to gamma radiation. It’s likely that it’s the latter since there’s not an indication that Bruce injected himself with anything. Blonsky can be characterized as especially ambitious and daring, taking the shots of the super soldier serum (Captain America’s serum?) into his muscles and his bone marrow. Not to mention he later gets the hell beaten out of him and regenerates almost overnight. His progression eventually comes to getting an infusion of Bruce’s blood and his transformation into what I’d definitely say is a better look than the original version, which was like the Creature from the Black Lagoon on steroids. I won’t spoil details, but suffice it to say, he serves as a good replacement for David Banner in the other film and also serves as a parallel of sorts to General Ross, though even more ambitious, and not as patriotic. The other minor character I found to be relevant, more in the upcoming Avengers film, is Dr. Samuel Sterns, otherwise called Leader in comic canon (though he wasn’t a doctor in the comics). His involvement is earlier than we think and his later appearance closes with an exposure to Bruce Banner’s irradiated and mutated blood as well, demonstrating some effects that already give us a taste of what will be in the future film. He serves as a definite contrast and comparison to Bruce as well. They’re both scientists, but Bruce seems to have his head on straight and realizes the risks involved, while Sterns seems to care little for the consequences or dangers that may occur with unleashing the Hulk in his laboratory and possibly getting crushed by either him or the Abomination later on. Makes you wonder where Doc Samson’s gamma hair and such will come in with the possible Hulk trilogy.

The Hulk effects are the primary concern with any fan and in this case it’s what was best with the 2003 version and taking away the brighter green. This shade is darker and the details with the Hulk’s body are raw and almost grotesque with veins bulging from his chest and muscles. Though this compares nothing to the Abomination’s state which I’ll say is definitely connected to the injections in his bones in particular. They have odd sound wave guns to disable the Hulk and the effects of their warping the air are well done. The transformations are probably intentionally kept hidden or at least obscured by smoke, shadow or a camera angle. Banner transforms 4 times, once that’s short lived and 3 times that are obscured by one or more environmental conditions. Which only makes you appreciate seeing the one change with some detail of the metamorphosis into the green behemoth on Bruce all the more. At least the effects don’t confuse us as to the size of the Hulk. He keeps a consistent 7 or 8 feet, which is one of three sizes he had in the other film, the tallest at 15 feet officially. And Abomination by going through more treatment and just being the bad guy is necessarily a larger and more imposing figure to fight the Hulk. But he talks much more than the Hulk, which offers more contrast between the two mutates, since Hulk speaks maybe 3-4 times in the whole film. Can’t say there’s much else that comes to mind for effects besides the warping on Dr. Stern’s head after being affected by Banner’s blood on a wound on his forehead. Very squirmy and creepy to boot.

In concluding this series, I hate to say I’m divided and ambivalent on the two movies, but I guess I try to think from the director’s point of view or a general audience. If you reduce any comic book series to certain parts and say the whole movie falls apart because the story isn’t 100% how you want it or characters are changed in some way (usually minor) then you’re setting the standards too high and should probably continue to appreciate the comics for what they are. Either that or work your way into show business and see if you can direct a superior comic book film to your liking and make a profit. But that tends to be the difficult thing to do if pandering to a crowd beyond the comic book fans. With Ang Lee we see more drama and more investigation of the Hulk in the start, an earlier Bruce Banner and his confrontation of the monster within. With Zak Penn and Edward Norton’s script we get something quite similar to Punisher Warzone, depicting the Hulk years after the fact and yet still dealing with his past. With this in mind, I give the film a solid 5, though again not 100%, but that’s virtually impossible to attain by movie standards (No Citizen Kane or The Godfather?). This is only to say that Hulk 2008 puts the Hulk’s figure in a movie that uses all the talents he has in the right genre. Ang Lee may have tried too hard to make a film that humanized the Hulk and failed the comic fans’ expectations. But this one is hardly consistent either, considering that there are unanswered questions regarding the serum and pulling people from the comics and attempting to almost haphazardly inject them into the plot. In the interest of a retcon, however, this film does well and reorients the series in a new generation of fans, not unlike what was attempted with Ultimate Marvel. I can only hope the Avengers film or possible Hulk trilogy continuation will be as great. So until next time, Namaste and aloha.

The Wolfman (2010) Review

(This isn't what the Wolfman in the movie looks like btw, that's at the end of this review)

I recently watched The Wolfman, based on the 1941 film by the same name. It was a good experience, even if it deviates from the original source in some regards. This is based on Wikipedia research though, so I don’t know how much is actually different. The similarities lie with the characters, even some minor ones. The plots are similar as well, though the conclusion becomes particularly changed in terms of the wolfman’s demise and even the potential left open for a sequel or a reflection on the cyclical nature of the werewolf curse.

The same events occur to a certain extent, such as the obvious one of the main character getting bitten by a werewolf. One primary difference comes in the form of the involvement of the Roma/Gypsies, of which there is some racism in the film. It really is only emphasized in the two scenes with the group mentioned, one in a pub and the other in their settlement outside the town.

The main character Lawrence Talbot is only slightly different from the original film’s Larry Talbot (although the names might be related anyway). He is, of course, bitten by the werewolf, suffers hallucinations (one that looks remarkably like Gollum), is eventually committed to an asylum where he has even odder hallucinations, and just like his original form as Lon Chaney Jr, he is killed, though I won’t say by whom, since that’s an important twist that makes this almost more poignant than the original. He’s a Shakespearean actor as well, though I’m not sure if that is different or just makes him more of a respectable gentleman that is turned in a brutish lycanthrope.

Maleva, a somewhat minor Gypsy character, has almost the same role as her twin in the original version. Apparently a fortuneteller, she serves as an introduction to some general werewolf lore as well as a sympathetic character for the theme that persists in the film of the interrelation between man and beast. In the original film the werewolf that bites the titular character is her son, but not so in this one (I won’t spoil who it is). Maleva is the first to state that, “it is not a sin to kill a beast, only to kill a man. But where does one end and the other begin?” This theme is probably the closest to controversy that the film gets to, along with the other religious idea elaborated in one scene. Maleva shows the most mercy and compassion in terms of every other character, except Gwen, since she insists that they should not kill Lawrence even though they know he was bitten by a werewolf. She also brings up the rhyme from the original film, “Even a man who is pure in heart, and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolfsbane blooms, and the autumn moon is bright,” This is one of three themes I really see, though the third is minor at best, though not subtle at all.

Gwen is the romantic interest of Lawrence. She was betrothed to his brother, who is killed early in the film (and thus is not a significant spoiler, since it’s revealed probably 10 minutes in and is a basic motivation for the rest of the film). Her romantic involvement continues, though Lawrence is initially motivated by his brother’s death to find out how he died. Later on, she becomes more involved, protecting him and of course, wanting to save him from his werewolf curse. Her original form in the 1941 film was a village girl who gives the popularly referenced cane with a silver wolf’s head on it. This time, the cane is referenced, but not used as it was in the film, which is a nice change. Someone gets beaten up with it, that’s all I’ll tell you.

Lawrence’s father, John Talbot, is probably one of the most interesting characters, aside from a fourth character I found compelling. His introduction comes with him pointing a rifle at his son, because he’s such a recluse I guess and only has his big dog Samson to keep him company. He is quite protective of both his family and his property, which comes up many times in the film. One point he even damages some property, though I won’t reveal what, since the moment itself is quite funny. Oh, I almost forgot his “servant” Singh, who is a Southern Asian man who reminds me of the actor who played Nemo in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. He is a minor character at best, though he drops hints about the identity of the werewolf and is another example of people making those pesky silver bullets.

Inspecter Francis Aberline of Scotland Yard is introduced late in the second half of the film, but serves an important role in counter to Gwen. Aberline, in contrast to Gwen as Lawrence’s love interest, is the one seeking justice, which inevitably leads him to call for the werewolf’s death. He initially seems innocent enough, interviewing Lawrence after his incident of nearly dying from a “werewolf’ bite. Though admittedly there are two werewolves in this one, three if you count the original one, which is probably the best thing they could’ve done with the movie. I will spoil this much, there is a werewolf vs. werewolf fight, but I won’t spoil who our second werewolf is. I will say there is a big hint dropped, but at the same time, they keep you guessing.

A third theme I had to check on (alongside the poetry and the notion of men as beasts) as to its complete accuracy was a little sermon by the local preacher in the town that suggests the werewolves are a combination of a curse of Satan and God’s punishment for such dealings with Satan, I suppose. He references the story of Daniel and the king Nebuchadnezzar, who he says was turned into the form of a wolf and made to wander. This is based on apparently one interpretation of his behavior of going into the wild and behaving in a feral manner. This behavior could be more generally said to be that he was cursed by God to wander the wild as a beast, but I guess they wanted to make a more explicit connection, however suspect it was to me, who has some familiarity with Biblical stories as a religion major.

There is another interesting connection I found and that was the constant emphasis and use of the word lunatic and a connection to the actual culprit, the werewolf. Lunatic, as you could probably guess, is derived in part from the Latin, luna, which represents the moon. There is a common folkloric association between madness/insanity and the phases of the moon. In this case, it is the transformation to a raging man-beast that comes across with the changing of the moon, which only happens 3 times in the film btw.

I wouldn’t call this a horror film per se, since the scares are shock based and predictable after a while. Not to mention the use of fog makes the whole atmosphere more ambient and eerie than actually fear inducing. At best, it’s a combination of action, mystery and suspense that would be the genre I’d attempt to classify this film in.

The progress of Lawrence to a werewolf is predictable, as his senses are enhanced, his body heals faster and Samson the dog is even more suspicious of him than he initially was. The father’s involvement has much more bite to it in this film, as opposed to a more subtle involvement in the 1941 classic. Sir John Talbot was merely the excuse for the main character to return to his home in the original. This time he has much more relevance to the plot, especially as we start learning more about Lawrence’s past with his father.

The environs are appropriately British, though the story apparently takes place in Wales in the original version and probably in this version as well. There’s an odd waterfall that comes up near the end, which was probably the only complaint I could muster in terms of inaccuracy or general suspicious incidents that I couldn’t suspend my disbelief for the sake of the film.

Overall, this film was quite good. Not a lot of things really made me step out of the filmgoer mode and say, “Wait, why did that happen?” except the waterfall scene. I don’t consider myself a film buff, but after a while, you start to see very predictable themes and general ways a script progresses and unfortunately this one suffered from that. I was already guessing accurately who the second werewolf was and other incidents, though at the later 1/3rd of the film, there is a significant amount of violence that rekindles the interest in the film’s possibilities, so I will give it props for that. If I had to rate it on a scale of 1-5, it would be a 5, though not 100%. That rating I’d give to few films overall. Until next time, Namaste and aloha.

(Here's the actual Wolfman in the film, classic 1941 style)

Part 3, Dolph Lundgren Is...the Punisher!

After having watched both the 2004 and 2008 renditions of The Punisher in film by Marvel Studios and Marvel Knights respectively, I finally got a copy of the oldest version of The Punisher in cinema. This features Dolph Lundgren, known better as Ivan Drago in Rocky 4 and featured in many other movies alongside Sylvester Stallone and John Van Damme. Part of my perception of this last film, though first chronologically in the series, is no doubt derived from my previously watching two better films in terms of canon and general experience with the Punisher. There are lots of moments in this version that make me feel like I’m watching a 80s film. There are comedic moments (kids trying to pull a yakuza off a bus window with their little hands for instance) and then there are moments that make you realize this is also for adults (kids being held hostage by yakuza for child slavery). If anything, this version of the Punisher shows its age as a late 80s film in that it seems both corny and tries to portray a very dark story of the dark character from Marvel.

Dolph Lundgren is a good Frank Castle for all intents and purposes, especially considering he has the height and weight down. But the backstory is raped the most in this version. Not only is Frank Castle a former cop in this version, but he has two daughters. I don’t know where they got this idea. At least their death is somewhat relevant with a car bomb meant for Frank from the mafia. If anything, it’s better than the backstory for Thomas Jane’s Frank Castle with a single son and a massacre at a family reunion. But the Punisher’s previous career seems implausible in comparison to the other Punishers, since I inquire where a police officer would learn how to operate heavy arms and explosives of the caliber the Punisher works with. Not to mention the hand to hand combat that involves Solid Snake-esque moves. The appearance of the Punisher’s classic death’s head symbol is lacking on the Punisher’s outfit, the only appearance of a skull coming in the form of a dagger that Dolph uses on the baddies as a calling card. It works as an attempt to spice up the use of the skull imagery, but it makes the Punisher out to be some villain, when he’s supposed to be an anti hero by any standard.

The setting would appear to be New York, though it’s debatable on that point. If anything, this film doesn’t suffer from what many would call a comic book movie killer, warped backstory narrative, which Jane’s Punisher suffered from in some regards. This film is told 5 years after Frank Castle’s tragic loss of his family, so there’s no need for any development of Frank as a character, which had to be done with Thomas Jane’s portrayal. This gives the film some similarity with Punisher Warzone in that they both take place after the fact and emphasize the Punisher’s present conflicts with others and how his past connects indirectly. The Punisher also seems too reckless as a character in this version, not taking the body armor offered to him, though any other portrayal has the Punisher recognizing his limits and not being a complete maniac. The only involvement with the Punisher’s divided religious background in seminary is in the last seconds of the film where he says he sometimes still asks God if what he does is right or wrong. He notes that he’s still waiting and until he gets an answer he will continue to fight crime as the Punisher. Even the 2004 version emphasizes Castle’s religiosity a bit more in some manners, while Warzone puts the character in a church at one point.

There is another large issue I find with this film and that is the involvement of a character known as “Shake”. He’s what I would call a washed up Shakespearean actor turned alcoholic drifter, but even that wouldn’t justify the amount of suck this guy manifests on screen. His first appearance involves him begging a guy for money in a bar and confusing him by using the word thespian, making an obvious gay joke which barely got a chuckle from me. Not to mention the guy is an informant for the Punisher as he seems to have connections to the mafia and such. Later, he attempts to convince Frank that he should save the children held hostage, and for all we know, he didn’t affect Frank’s decision to save them at all. He serves a similar purpose to Mickey Duka in Thomas Jane’s version of the Punisher. He’s a goofy comic relief character that has connections to the antagonists. These two are no Microchip, but heck, even Microchip’s appearance in Warzone makes me suspect that the directors didn’t want to end with any ideas of the Punisher having a sidekick, since they are either written off or in Warzone, killed off as a sacrifice to save other lives.

There’s also the involvement of Frank’s past partner, which I think might be an indirect reference to Jimmy Weeks, if he’s canon at all, in that we have someone connected to Frank’s past. In this version, there is a definite conflict, since Lou Gosset Jr.’s character thinks that his partner is identical with the Punisher figure who he has tracked for the last 5 years since the incident that he thought killed his partner. But when he finds him alive, Frank brushes him off, stating that “I don’t need your help. You don’t understand,” “I’m better off on my own,” “I don’t need a partner,” and of course, “Frank Castle is dead,” which was the one line that made me think that I was actually watching a Punisher movie instead of a cheap attempt to pass off the name into what was a film based on the popular Rambo series in some form or fashion. Overall, the importance of the character is only clear at the end when the fate of Frank Castle is unknown, though apparently he survives. But the angle and the scene with the detective on top of the roof screaming “Frank!” made me think that this movie had suggested Frank committed suicide, though his line before to the son of the mafia boss would imply he was going to continue his one man war on crime, so the odd shot with the partner screaming Frank’s name like he was gone confused me.

The villains in this film are good Punisher fodder. Many times his villains are one-shots and in this case, the primary villain is a female, which makes me think of Ma Gnucci from Welcome Back Frank. Lady Tanaka, who made me remember ironically that the name of the Yakuza leader in the Punisher game was also Tanaka, is a brutal and malicious character. The oddity in this gang is not her as the leader of the yakuza, but her daughter, who is both American and mute, adopted at some unknown age and for some unknown purpose; probably to train an heir that couldn’t speak against her and couldn’t be traced to her family. She uses all manner of hidden weapons, including her earrings, but is killed with some difficulty as she is too weak to fight against the Punisher. The backstory told by the other antagonist indicates Tanaka takes the yakuza code of loyalty seriously, to the point of killing her twin brother after serving him a nice meal at home. Her two main henchmen near the end of the film die amusingly. One gets impaled against a wall with a spear and the other falls over after a kick from Frank onto a spiky helmet (accident?) But the other antagonist, introduced roughly 20 or so minutes into the film, is also interesting, considering he’s the second to die, not the first. Gianni Franco’s involvement is that he is attempting to pull all the struggling mafia families together under one banner, his own. They attempt to do a protection mission with lots of marijuana or something and then Lady Tanaka’s scuba ninjas (with spiky ball shurikens) come in and kill the guys controlling the boat and most of the mafia families’ henchmen as well. Franco, along with four other mafia heads, is offered an alliance with the yakuza in exchange for money, but Franco doesn’t take it. He is lucky, as those four guys are later killed by Lady Tanaka with poisoned wine glasses (no joke). But the yakuza have taken the children of the mafia heads hostage to make them give the money that Tanaka uses for renovations or something, I guess. Onto deaths of the villains; Lady Tanaka takes a shard of glass to the forehead and falls over dead, almost having forced Franco to commit suicide to save his son. Gianni Franco takes Tommy from her and as they’re leaving, Frank sits up attempting to kill the last member of the mafia in the city. After an extended struggle, Frank manages to shoot Gianni at close range through his bulletproof vest and kill him. His son vows revenge, but after a tragic moment involving Frank pressuring the kid to kill him, little Tommy cannot bring himself to pull the trigger. And then Frank leaves to pray to God naked in a little shrine that he made in the sewers (I’m not kidding, you see it twice).

I’m not saying the movie sucks. Many people may actually find it likeable, even apart from all the complaints I’ve voiced. But the issue is how it lines up with one’s experience with the Punisher as a comic series and also whether it gives you the feel that the other two films gave you. So in all fairness, this is a comparison that might have gone better if I had watched the films in order, but I probably still would’ve found the later era films superior to this rip off of Stallone era films. Overall, the film makes me feel too young to have appreciated it as a teenager, but even so there’s the feeling that this isn’t the Punisher I experienced when I played the video game from 2005 which was my first real exposure to authentic Punisher lore and canon. I feel like I watched a movie based on the trope of a bad cop who doesn’t play by the rules. And they put the Punisher trademark in because Marvel needed more money. Avi Arad didn’t seem to be involved with this one, only Stan Lee serving as a creative consultant. The best I can say is that the movie makes a good attempt to keep the theme and general emotional response one wants from watching a film about Marvel’s most famous non-superpowered anti-hero. And if it succeeds at that, then I can only say that this is at the bottom of my list of Punisher films in terms of experience, but it didn’t kill the franchise as many claim. I may very well find that with my Hulk reviews in the future. We’ll see. Until next time, Namaste and aloha.

Part 2, Ray Stevenson is the Punisher!

Punisher Warzone is deemed by most Punisher fans to be the best in the series of three, and I agree (in part). The backstory is the most consistent after two mishaps. Frank Castle now has a son and daughter with his wife. And a larger point of contention for many fans is fixed as well. Instead of the family massacre that happened in the 2004 version or the car bomb that occurs in the 1989 version, Castle’s family stumbled upon a mafia hanging of an informant and to keep them quiet, the family was murdered in the park during what was supposed to be a happy picnic. The location is also canonically in New York, contrasting with the 2004 locale of Tampa, Florida, though this by no means makes the film more or less enjoyable, since location is only part of how one appreciates and is absorbed into the film’s narrative. Ray Stevenson’s portrayal is spot on to the Punisher’s divided psyche, desiring retribution for his family’s murders and yet also showing a human side that isn’t manifest as much with Dolph Lundgren’s Punisher. And it is only so much with Thomas Jane’s Punisher described as a work on progress in the 2004 film. That Frank Castle is not the complex figure having already suffered the tragedy and worked through it in some way that the other two films present. The best part of Warzone, many would say, is the brutality and violence that appears throughout the film. Frank Castle cuts off an old geriatric’s head, breaks his wife’s neck, headbutts a guy once, apparently incapacitating him and kicks a chair attempted to be used to strike him into the assailant’s face, lodging it in his eye. There are many other points that I could elaborate on, but suffice it to say, this film is not for the squeamish. Even I (who am not weak of constitution or squeamish by nature) grimaced at the targets of the Punisher’s more physical attacks, including a guy getting his face literally punched in. I’m guessing all the gun violence has been desensitized out of me.

In terms of supporting characters to the Punisher, Microchip, portrayed by Wayne Knight, best known in Jurassic Park as the hacker Dennis Nedry, is probably the best, seconded by Martin Soap, another comic book canon figure. Microchip’s identity is consistently portrayed as someone sympathetic to the Punisher’s cause, but also in disagreement with some choices he makes. In this version, Microchip is the one that is persevering with Frank to continue his quest for justice after having already avenged his family and feeling content. But in the comic, as I recall, he eventually started to question the Punisher’s methods as too extreme and was killed off in a confrontation. But Microchip’s fate in the film is not much better. First, his invalid mother, who serves as a point to capturing Microchip for the villains, gets her head blown off and then Microchip accepts his fate to be shot and taking the bullet as Frank takes out the other captor. Soap’s involvement is similar to his role in the comic as a police informant for Frank, also manifesting his support in the film by letting Frank out of his handcuffs and out of the squad car after his capture by what appears to be Lawrence Fishburne (but he’s not). He serves a similar role that Lou Gossett Jr. does in the 1989 film as one who pursues the Punisher as a reality, though most view him as a myth. His devotion to seeking out the Punisher is only seen more clearly in his supporting Frank however he can. Though it is debatable if he agrees because he sees it as the right way or if he himself admits he is too cowardly to take the Punisher’s ways on himself. Whereas the Punisher, who lives in what appears to be somewhere near the subway, contrasting with the sewer hideout in Dolph Lundgren’s portrayal and with the crumbling apartment complex in the 2004 film, connects with few people except Microchip and Soap.

This notion of the Punisher’s detached character is tested by the involvement of a subplot where Frank accidentally kills an undercover FBI agent, widowing his wife and daughter. He later comes to make amends and befriends the little girl, while her mother is less than enthusiastic to see him. After a confrontation where Frank reflects that she is much like his late wife, knowing how to use a gun, however much she didn’t want to confront the danger of being the wife of an FBI agent, he leaves. The two are taken to Frank’s hideout and then are kidnapped after Frank seeks out his enemies. They are then used as part of a dichotomy between Frank’s desire to protect the innocent and his loyalty to his friends, Microchip in particular. Soap would’ve been an interesting replacement, but Microchip is more invested in Punisher’s cause than Soap, so his eventual death is not as much of a blow as it would be for Soap. This is because we’ve established that Microchip only had his mother left, so with her death by Jigsaw, all ties have been severed. This seems to contrast strongly with Dolph Lundgren’s willingness to partner up with Franco after Budiansky was held ransom, though there was no dilemma of choosing between two victims, so the choice was more forced and quick than in the conclusion of Warzone.

The villains in Warzone are also interesting, though it’s a balance between the added in characters and the one canon villain, Punisher’s nemesis, Jigsaw. First, consider the added in characters. Jigsaw’s brother, not canon from what I can tell, is still an interesting addition. He seems to be completely insane, being restrained in the asylum and fed by orderlies, since he is catatonic as well. But when his shackles are removed, he speaks in an oddly childish manner. He then proceeds to attack the orderly, ripping out his organs to get his applesauce back (I’m not kidding). The involvement of the character is more important later as he kidnaps the widowed FBI agent and daughter, “axing” their guardian, a reformed Mexican gangbanger who is a friend of Microchip (yes, that’s his backstory) to get through to them. And in the final confrontation, he fights Frank in the upper levels of Jigsaw’s hideout, using a very erratic and wall-jumping style to overwhelm the Punisher. But eventually he is beaten and bruised and like many Punisher villains, killed by snapping his neck in a headlock. If anything, he gave one of the better Punisher fights in the films, besides Kevin Nash as the Russian. He takes the Punisher’s beatings and keeps getting up, almost enjoying the pain as was demonstrated when he smashed the mirrors in the first floor of the building so that Jigsaw didn’t have to look at his mutilated face. The guy jumped headfirst into a mirror, so suffice it to say, he takes even Frank Castle’s beatings easily. There’s also a subgroup of villains that seem to stand out. There’s the Italian mafia, Japanese yakuza and…the African American gangs… Really? Just seems a bit beyond stereotypical to me. Even the Eastern Europeans we see are less racist a subtype of criminal.

Jigsaw’s backstory is both consistent and inconsistent, which can be bad if done wrong, though this is effective nonetheless. Jigsaw, unlike his equivalent in the Punisher video game, is Billy Russoti, and not John Saint, which lines up with the comics. His mannerisms and general behavior are near identical to Jigsaw in the comics, concerned with his looks and after the surgery, becoming a maniacal crime boss, killing his plastic surgeon after being revealed that he was pieced together, not unlike his namesake. The way he gets his face destroyed differs from the comics, where he was thrown face-first through a plate glass window, cutting up his face, but not destroying it. I will warn you, the movie portrayal is far more disturbing. He is thrown into a glass crusher that spins the glass around a center point and smashes it all up, and the ensuing activity of the machine tears virtually all his face off and supposedly even damages his facial muscles and bones to some extent. The resulting face reminds me to some extent of Mason Verger from Hannibal with his sewn together face, though at least Verger didn’t have to feel the pain as much as Jigsaw did. Jigsaw’s end in the film didn’t leave open the door for a return. This disappointed me in some respect, since Jigsaw is well known to be the Punisher’s greatest adversary and if anything, his supposed death could’ve been more ambivalent than getting impaled with a spear and burned to death. But it still ends on a nice note of Punisher violence, going beyond what is necessary and being almost torture to the villain. This is both a gain and a loss to me. A sequel to this film could’ve had Jigsaw come back, albeit not necessarily as the main villain. But who knows if the sequel with Ray Stevenson will come to be with Barracuda…

I like to say this movie is tied with Thomas Jane’s Punisher, since Thomas Jane to me is the best Punisher appearance, voice and behavior wise, though Ray Stevenson is a close tie since his brutality is very similar, even resetting his nose with a pencil near the beginning of the film after his headbutt in the opening, which made me squirm and watch it a second time. The film is the most consistent with canon as well and even portrays Castle’s backstory a bit with relation to his previous priest training, speaking to a priest in the sanctuary as if they were old friends. Microchip, Soap and Jigsaw’s appearances all make this the favorite by die hard comic fans and I would agree in that regard. But I feel Thomas Jane’s version even with the retconned backstory and other changes, still keeps the same dark atmosphere that this version gives you in spades. So until next time, Namaste and aloha.

Part 1, Thomas Jane is the Punisher!

Thomas Jane Is The Punisher (The Punisher 2004)



This was my most eagerly awaited project and the second comic book film I watched with a serious eye. The first was Daredevil, which gives you some idea of my next comic book film review, though I would need to watch it again to get reacquainted with it and the sequel Elektra. Thomas Jane’s version of the Punisher was one I looked forward to primarily because I was exposed to his voice initially in my first real exposure to the Punisher as a fleshed out character. I had read a single comic of the Punisher that I think had Warzone in the title, but I only remember that he stopped a terrorist with a fiberglass gun or something. The point is, Thomas Jane’s voice talent influenced me and probably still influences me in my enjoyment of this film, though it is still tied with Punisher Warzone in terms of overall enjoyment. Even Avi Arad and Stan Lee state in the documentary included in both versions of the DVD (theatrical and extended cut) that Thomas Jane was the only actor they had in mind when they were planning a Punisher film. Why they ignored their own judgment and hired Dolph Lundgren for the first Punisher film is beyond me, but it wasn’t Marvel Studios, so we have that much to be thankful for, I suppose.

Moving away from my apparent man crush on Thomas Jane (this is the only film I’ve seen him in btw) the backstory for the Punisher is flawed in some manner. First off, Frank Castle only has a son this time around, and the name isn’t even Frank Jr., it’s Will (though he calls him Buck for a nickname, which still confuses me). He is a Navy SEAL turned undercover agent and this background is somewhat consistent with his original backstory. And the massacre of his family is now literally all his immediate relatives and not simply his wife and kid(s). Parents, wife, son, cousins, aunts/uncles, they are all at a family reunion in Puerto Rico of all places. And due to a confusing initial plot where Frank Castle (undercover as a German arms dealer) caused the death of one of Howard Saint’s twin sons, the wife of the mafia lord wants his entire family dead. This lady is a temperamental bitch, considering all he did was kill one of her sons. I guess she doesn’t like the idea of her twins being separated, literally. The setting of the movie is also odd, as it’s explicitly said to be Tampa, Florida, completely on the south end of the eastern side of the U.S., whereas the canon comic is in New York. I won’t complain, since if anything, it makes the movie more interesting to have a new setting, but I imagine many would find this a comic book movie killer. That death being the blatant retconning of many aspects of the canon backstory of the main character. At least the death’s head is kept in this version, along with Warzone.

A subplot cut out of the theatrical cut involves Jimmy Weeks, a friend of Frank’s from the FBI, who also features in a pseudo-animated intro that involves Frank and Jimmy in Kuwait where his commanding officer is killed after not executing the “terrorists” through Frank’s judgment that they should be considered as criminals in the court of law, which affects him in the future it would seem. The subplot only involves a few scenes, one where Weeks gives Castle a watch after a goodbye party of sorts, another where he is interrogated by Saints’ thugs to give up information on Castle in order to cover his extreme gambling debts and the last where he is interrogated by Castle and eventually pressured into shooting himself with his own gun, leaving a much darker imprint on the viewer. Not to mention the movie itself is the longest of the three at a little over two hours even in the theatrical cut, the extended cut adding twenty minutes of footage.

John Saint, the remaining son, is one of three other characters related to Howard Saint in one way or another. He is apparently the identity of Jigsaw in the Punisher video game, though I dunno how this works, since I think his arm was blown off in the end of the film and even assuming he survives, he’d be an amputee as Jigsaw, which seems inaccurate with the game’s presentation. But he’s an interesting character on his own, even though he and his brother are otherwise identical. John being clean shaven and his brother having a thin mustache seems to indicate something about them. Bobby is apparently less loyal to his father and desires more independence, which causes his eventual death at the botched deal with his pot dealer (I’m serious). Although John Saint is also excessively independent from his father; apparently he attracts slutty bikini clad women, very much the playboy of the family. Quentin Glass is the right hand man of Howard Saint, though his main involvement in the story is to serve as a foil to Howard Saint for his affection for his wife. Quentin is revealed to be not only a sadist, but ironically enough, also homosexual, which only complicates his being accused by Howard Saint of sleeping with his wife due to a planted earring in his apartment. Livia is a pretty flat character all things considered, so I’ll just give you a rundown of her traits. She’s an attention whore who loves money like her husband and doesn’t appreciate anything given to her except by her husband and possibly her sons. Her death made me laugh so hard though, since even Howard apparently admits his paranoia of her sleeping with Quentin doesn’t make sense. He then proceeds to throw her off a bridge onto the train tracks where she is summarily killed. The last character to have any importance that isn’t explicitly an innocent person is Mickey Duka. He offers to help Bobby, who previously bought weed from him, with the deal to get illegal weapons in the beginning of the film. As a weasel-like character, he ducks for cover as everyone else is shot. And after being bailed out, he is nearly killed by Howard Saint, who decides that even though Mickey was the one who motivated Bobby to be drawn to his doom, his bodyguard, who wasn’t keeping an eye on him, deserved to die. Apparently he was also shot in the crotch, though that might just be me. Mickey is later kidnapped by Frank and tortured with a combination of a blowtorch, a popsicle and a slab of steak in that order (take from that what you will or watch the film). After giving up what information he has, Mickey serves as a figure similar to a Punisher sidekick in the Dolph Lundgren version called Shake, but I won’t get into details here. He aids Frank in understanding the patterns of behavior of the Saints and is the key to Frank eventually eliminating each of them in one way or another.

Howard Saint deserves his own paragraph, though I can only devote so much material to what is basically a stereotypical character. A suave, confident, and sociopathic crime boss who’s always wearing fancy suits and slicking back his hair, John Travolta does an excellent job in portraying a character that would otherwise have been a bit bland. He adds the spice necessary to make Howard Saint a compelling character who, while unsympathetic in one respect (dealing with Mexican/Cuban crimelords and killing off anyone who betrays him) he is also sympathetic in that he seems to genuinely love his children and wife, though his manifestation of this love can be quite macabre many times. Livia’s request to him after the funeral of Bobby, for example. Howard’s death is intriguing, getting shot just once, tied to his car by wires and then dragged through a lot where mines are planted under various cats, setting off a series of explosions that lights him on fire and then the car he is tied to explodes, cementing his death all the more with a pattern of exploded cars resembling the death’s head. Even if his death isn’t what Jigsaw’s is in Warzone, it still overrides even the deaths of the two antagonists in the 1989 version of the Punisher, much more toned down as you will see.

There are two other antagonists that have short lives but importance in the film as well. Harry Heck is the first, an odd caricature of Johnny Cash that carries not a weapon, but an actual guitar in the case he carries with him and is later killed by a ballistic knife launched from what appears to be a switchblade. Frank also steals his car, since Heck basically pushed him to drive the car off a rising bridge and then narrowly avoid hitting a girl, which then pushes it into a collision with another car. The Russian, a character canonized in the Punisher comics as one of his more deadly opponents, is portrayed by Kevin Nash, professional wrestler and all around big guy. The fight progresses through Castle’s apartment, smashing windows, the Russian using a pipe to bat back a grenade thrown by Castle (since apparently they play baseball in Russia) and Castle getting smashed by a toilet ripped out of the floor by the Russian as well. There’s not as much indication as in the game, but there is a Spiderman tattoo on the Russian’s right shoulder than you can see in one frame to suggest that the Russian is a fan of American comics, particularly Spiderman, which I believe is actually canon in the comics. His end is less excessive, as it takes a hint from the comics that he hates hot things, though in this context Frank was just desperate and threw a pot of boiling water that disfigures the behemoth’s face, after which the Punisher slams the Russian over the railing and down the stairs, where he breaks his neck. I almost would’ve wanted the fight to end how it did in the comic, which involved a hot pizza and the Punisher throwing his obese neighbor Bumpo’s fat ass on the Russian until he suffocated. But this is equally brutal. And that’s what counts to me for fights in the Punisher in general, if they keep that sense of tension and yet have a comicbook flair, such as one henchmen getting a paper cutter blade slammed into his forehead. Others come to mind from other films, but I’ll try to inject them in later.

The supporting characters of Joan, Spacker Dave and Bumpo deserve the second to final paragraph, since they are very much the heart of what remains of the Punisher’s humanity. Joan in particular, though altered from her shy mousy demeanor in the comics, is central, emphasizing to Frank that “good memories can save your life,” which later stops him from almost committing suicide through memories of his wife flooding back to him. She even tries to stop the odd habit Frank Castle has in this film of being an alcoholic after the death of his family. Although in this case it might be justified as opposed to if it was the death of one’s wife and children. He has literally no one to comfort him besides the drink before Joan and the others serve as a protective barrier to Frank going completely insane. Spacker Dave also serves a role of protector as he is interrogated by the sadist Quentin as to Frank’s whereabouts after getting hurt by the Russian and has each of his many piercings systematically pulled out. Bumpo’s role is less important, except as I mentioned with regards to the fight with the Russian, since he is the cook that boiled the water. Other than that, he only serves as the butt of many jokes to his fixation with cooking, threatening people with a rolling pin and at one point falling on Dave for an odd gay joke of sorts. While Frank is fixing a car in another scene, Bumpo also suggests that maybe Frank is an artist, I dunno where he got that idea (though I also can’t imagine where the Punisher found time to learn how to upgrade and fix a car in between learning Navy SEAL techs and martial arts/weaponry skills)

I’d like to clarify that I don’t imply that the other Punisher movies are below this. If anything, they have different charms to different people. If I was in an older generation, I might’ve actually enjoyed Dolph Lundgren as Frank Castle as much as I enjoyed Thomas Jane (since Dolph is the closest to the Punisher’s actual height and weight). But being as old as I am and having not been born at a point where I could’ve read the Punisher series when it started in the early 80s, I am forced to get a quicker exposure to the Punisher in the form of a video game that is consistent with a trade paperback titled Welcome Back Frank, including the Russian, Black Widow, Nick Fury, the Gnucci family and Jigsaw. While many comic book fans that are much older would say this ruins much of the Punisher’s backstory, even with Thomas Jane’s excellent performance, I see it as a retcon that keeps the Punisher relevant to today’s society. People can sympathize more with a man who lost his entire family and is driven to “pursue natural justice” than a man who merely lost his wife and kids and could be said to be behaving in a selfish manner. But regardless of how people react to my review, I just wanted to make it clear once again that these are merely my opinions and are not anything near fact, since in my whole life, I’ve read one Punisher comic, played the game twice and watched each of these movies once, including two cuts of Thomas Jane’s, which will definitely explain the length of this one. Until next time, Namaste and aloha.