Jonathan Hensleigh direct Thomas Jane, John Travolta and Samantha Mathis in this early Marvel feature that attempts to dilute the unstoppable gun nut vigilante for a mainstream audience. 

A very uncertain movie actively hobbles a well cast Jane. Only the purposefully conceived assassination of Frank Castle’s family convinces (a blistering quarter of an hour seemingly borrowed from a forgotten 70s thriller), as after that the script desperately tries to avoid anything too Punisher-y. We obstinately concentrate and embellish the minor sitcom subplots of Garth Ennis’ comic revival (instead of its transgressive violence and anti-heroics), while giving Travolta’s bland mob launderer equal screentime, and only allowing distinctive henchmen to be as nasty as the named protagonist really should be. A Punisher flick that seems repulsed by Punishing. C’mon Marvel, what the fuck? Google “Punisher Laundry Day” to witness what should have been instead.

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