 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Punisher
- Review Date: September 6, 2004
- R
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- 2004
Common Sense Media says
Bad big screen adaptation of comic book.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie has intense and graphic violence with many characters killed, including the Punisher's parents, wife, and child. Characters are tortured and beaten. A character attempts suicide. Characters drink (and Castle abuses alcohol). They also smoke and use bad language.
What's the story?
Based on the comic book, THE PUNISHER centers on heroic undercover agent Frank Castle (Thomas Jane). The target in his last big case unexpectedly brings a friend along to the takedown, and when things go wrong, the friend is killed. It turns out he was the son of big-time bad guy Howard Saint (John Travolta), whose wife orders the slaughter of Castle's whole family, conveniently all vacationing together on an island. Castle himself is attacked and badly wounded, but the explosion that is supposed to finish him off blows him to safety. But a quick montage later he is a lean, mean revenge machine with a newly low and growly voice. He moves into a crummy apartment building and devotes all his time to drinking and orchestrating the destruction of everything Saint cares about.
Is it any good?
Translating tone and pacing from the pages of a comic book to the screen is tricky, and this second attempt to turn the story of comic hero The Punisher into a movie Punisher fails. The revenge is too elaborate to be viscerally satisfying, slowing the story down. And it is not intricate enough to be intellectually satisfying, too dependent on a highly improbable chain of events all coming together at just the right moment for everything to work.
Jane gives his character notes of desolation and hunger for justice, and he has what it takes to hold the screen. But Travolta's villain is never more than a posturing despot. John Pinette, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, and Ben Foster are appealing but superfluous as neighbors who befriend Castle. The fight scenes are well-staged but so brutal that they throw the thin plot out of balance. The pacing is poor. It takes much too long to get to the massacre of Castle's family, then the slaughter itself is dragged out unnecessarily and then it is reprised even more unnecessarily.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the risks that undercover law enforcers take and what they can do to protect their families. How can good memories save your life? Families could also talk about the line between justice and vengeance. What is the answer to TK's question about what makes Castle different from Saint? What does it mean to say "if you want peace, prepare for war?"
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AGE
No Kids, Why?
This movie has to be the best marvel movie out. It is extremely violent (but there is really no blood), it would pobably be PG-13 if it wasnt for the language (4-6 f words, and other minor words). There is also very brief nudity, and something about cheating. I do have to say, i was more shocked with what i saw in "G.I. Joe", then this.
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AGE
awesome movie
I loved this movie.If you want to see a crazy action movie this is the one.no kids 16 and older for intense violence and strong language and brief nudity otherwise great movie
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AGE
Brutal Violence Good Messages Bad Words Sweet Revenge
Hmm it has a Nip Slip but several F*cks but tons better then the sequel! Violent but good what he does. Really positive man standing up for his family. But still heads slide off and refrences to weed. Hmmmmm. 15+ is definently for a matured 15 year old if not wait till your 18
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AGE
The Punisher
An action packed movie no doubt. Awesome fighting scenes with explosive violence make this movie what it is... simply amazing.
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AGE
What a movie. It is clearly an action packed movie. I believe its one of the best of Marvel, it is way much better than Punisher War Zone. People who enjoy watching action movies, will be pretty pleased. Though the main points of concern are brutal violence and language, this movie isn't appropriate for kids as it is violent but not as much as the 2nd Punisher mature teens shoud handle this movie, Brief nudity is also involved and drinking is also involved.
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AGE
Okay, Very cliche
It was okay, but the whole premise was just too cliche. A man getting revenge on a mob boss for killing his family? Boring! I would rate it R for pervasive brutal violence and gore, language and some disturbing content.
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AGE
Punisher fans will like it
If you a Punisher fan like me then im pretty sure you'll love this movie. Its no where as violent as the sequal (Punisher War Zone) but there is a lot of violence including murder and a torture scene. If you have an older teen and think there mature enough they should be able to handle the movie. Theres also an edited TV version on cable sometimes that i reccomend for 14+ since it is not as violent and some of the language is censored
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AGE
This is good
this movie is a very great movie espically based off a comic book there is a scene with 2 chicks without tops on very quick tho maybe 3 secs or so but other than that there is some scenes with strong violence such as stabbing a dude in the hands togeather and then shoving a knive through his chin and u see it all and u see the knive thro his teeth and taking a paper cutter blade off and hitting a guy in the middle of the head with it other than that language is at a minamum great movie i recomend it for kids 15 or later great movie i think
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| Studio: | Artisan Entertainment |
| Director: | Jonathan Hensleigh |
| Cast: | Ben Foster, John Travolta, Thomas Jane |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Run time: | 90 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | April 15, 2004 |
| DVD release date: | September 6, 2004 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | pervasive brutal violence, language and brief nudity |
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