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Behold Thomas Jane's Extremely Badass, Very NSFW PUNISHER Short Film!!
John Ary here with a look at Thomas Jane's reprisal of The Punisher. I love it when an actor puts his money where his mouth is and that's exactly what happened this weekend in San Diego where he premiered his own fan film based on the character of Frank Castle. Back in 2007, Jane wrote Quint the following:
Punisher fans are already fighting an uphill battle as it is. And I’ve always felt a responsibility to fight that fight for them and with them so that Frank Castle gets the treatment he deserves.
Readers Talkback
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Done their own fan film of a character they played?
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July 16, 2012, 2:50 p.m. CST
too bad he didn't fight harder when they let him make the movie
by tim hager
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Nick Cage is fighting hard to make the Ghost Rider 3 the "fans deserve."
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July 16, 2012, 2:51 p.m. CST
Let Tom Jane produce an HBO/FX series. Because the problem with a movie...
by Jay
A Punisher movie will never work because the Punisher himself and his story is nothing special. He does nothing a well-trained special ops soldier couldn't do. His villains are crime lords. If Zod shows up on earth, you know only Superman can take him down. It's his only equal and that makes him special. The Punisher? Just a well-trained Paul Kersey. The plot will never be unique. It will always be interchangeable with a Death Wish sequel. His only novelty is that he actually kills with skill. So a movie will always turn out substandard. I appreciated the backstory in Punisher: Born. But again, it’s a novelty. He is Death incarnate. But that’s not a story, it's an unexplored idea. But a TV show will allow the CHARACTER to be explored. Bill Bixby Hulk style. It would allow us to actually see Frank the human turn into the embodiment of punishment. He travels from city to city, not looking for trouble, but seeing it. Janes short is definitely a step in the right direction. There may not be a movie, but the Punisher is out there.
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July 16, 2012, 2:54 p.m. CST
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let this man play Frank Castle again!
by AnarchyWorldsEnd
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let this man play Frank Castle again! his Punisher would fit PERFECTLY in the Marvel Movieverse! I can see Frank reading a paper covering the failed alien invasion while a monologgue has him bristling at the "superheroes" having no tie to deal with the other threats to society, the criminals. Where the Avengers stop the Punisher begins. It would be gold as either a series or a new film. Hell take a page from Garth Ennis run where Nick Fury sent Frank to deal with some smaller threats SHIELD could not like sex traffickers. Get it done Marvel!
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Does not mind having his Dark Knight score being used here?
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....but I like his commitment to the role!
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seriously NOTHING happens until then. anyway, i want either an old clint eastwood style punisher who's been punishing for 30+years or a young punisher set in the 70s. this young punisher in 2012 shit is lame.
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July 16, 2012, 2:58 p.m. CST
He was good as Frank, that movie was just lacking unfortunately. Punisher, in Florida, seeking revenge. Fail.
by JediRob
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Wasn't the whole point of this short to only reveal in the and that this is indeed the Punisher?
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Would be freaking great. He has a good relationship with HBO. But I have a feeling ABC would never let it fly.
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July 16, 2012, 2:59 p.m. CST
Two words about this movie. If you are in the know then you can say them with me:
by Autodidact
FIRE HYDRANT.
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July 16, 2012, 3 p.m. CST
^ well, not this movie. The 2004 Thomas Jane Punisher movie.
by Autodidact
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If only the powers that be took this much care in their characters before they shit the bed. I mean Marvel has Punisher back in the fold, so why not make a loose sequal with Jane as Frank Castle. He wasn't the problem with the first one.. caugh Travolta caugh.. Bring Punisher back the right way...this way!
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But the movie had pg-13 stank all over it. I preferred the more gritty/Violent last movie - too bad Jane wasn't in it. Watching this also re-affirms my belief that Jane should be the new Highlander.
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Seriously... he used music from The Dark Knight... to do a Punisher short. Just sayin'. Cool stuff, though. Gotta like it when an actor shows this much affection for a role.
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July 16, 2012, 3:01 p.m. CST
His ideas and passion for a sequel sounded really cool. Wish we could have seen them realized.
by JediRob
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That's one tough bottle of Jack.
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but trying to get in marvels good books with a short using batman music isnt a good move haha
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THAT is the Punisher film that needs to be made. I normally detest reboots, but just toss out everything and go straight to the world of that short film - Ron Perlman included. Marvel seems intent on going out into space next - which is great - but I'd like to see them also scale it down. Make a lower tier of connected films in the world of Punisher, Daredevil, Falcon, Kingpin, and then get the damn rights to Spidey back and have him be the glue that connects that world to the Avengers world. Marvel, Sony, Fox, just get over yourselves and make it so.
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July 16, 2012, 3:04 p.m. CST
Holy fuck, that was some of the most violent shit I've watched!
by Wonderboys
And it was only 10 minutes! Love it! Somebody should give Tom a chance to direct.
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how he threw that bottle of Jack at the dude, hit him on the left temple, and made blood SHOOT out the right side of his head. Also impressive? The way he stepped on the dude's foot and made blood SHOOT out of his ankle. Maybe he could teach that in the Army or something...
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July 16, 2012, 3:05 p.m. CST
Jack Daniels, now available in an unbreakable glass bottle
by Garbageman33
Good times.
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I'd love to see what he'd do in a Punisher movie with a decent script and no overacting hams for co-stars.
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That was friggin orsum doodes. More please.
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July 16, 2012, 3:07 p.m. CST
so he didnt give a shit when that chick was getting her ass kicked and probably raped?
by bradical813
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seriously? Love the Punisher but Thomas Jane is one boring ass cross eyed motherfucker....he's like watching paint dry. A poor man's Mel Gibson. Don't buy him kicking ass for a second - but he sure as shit could bore someone to death.
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July 16, 2012, 3:09 p.m. CST
@thekennypowersexperience, how would you suggest a young up-and-coming actor 'fight' when being given his first breakout leading role by a major studio?
by kevred
Please explain with analogies drawn directly from your own personal putting-your-career-on-the-line experience.
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http://www.petitiononline.com/TJasTP2/petition.html
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July 16, 2012, 3:11 p.m. CST
hbo series. feige said at last con that the mcu was to encompass all facets of media
by walt
this project has to be controlled by someone who understands the character...and thats jane thats why it has to go to hbo...they arent gonna hand jane 100 mil for a movie the short is art...mixture of noir and pekinpah studios dont want art...they want caishe but get it on hbo, and jane can make art...violent, bloody, art
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Firstly, well done to Mr. Jane and co. Secondly, Marvel need to take this route to expand Phase 2. Imagine 10 minute shorts where characters are given stories that expand on what we've seen and serve as build up to what will be. Thanos laying waste whilst searching for Infinity Gems. Widow and Hawkeye on a mission somewhere. Black Panther keeping Hydra out of Wakanda. Winter Soldier carrying out an assassination. Hulk being....um.....Hulk. Pym discovering Pym Particles or starting work on Ultron. Fury and Hill looking over possible recruits for the Avengers Initiative...recruits like Luke Cage, Iron Fist or others. War Machine on a solo mission or two. God, if Marvel pick this up and embrace it, add it to everything that they're doing right already....then we can get a whole new approach to film making that maintains audience enthusiasm.
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Doing little shorts before the main feature introducing new characters. Sure I read they were going that route. It's a sound plan!
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insane to blame him for it
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Thomas Jane (The Punisher) Greg Rucka or Garth Ennis (Screenwriter) Walter Hill (Director) 10-15million budget for the film or fight for a HBO series. Greg Rucka would write the shit out of that. No reboot, no retooling of the origin... just Frank Castle in NYC proper. None of these threats to the existence of mankind or chemical warfare nonsense. That film short demonstrated above that The Punisher's world should stay small, almost claustrophobic. "The Slavers" would be an incredible film or initial tv storyline.
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July 16, 2012, 3:23 p.m. CST
negative ninnies on this thread...why arent you busy whacking off to a pic of nolan?
by walt
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That is a Punisher movie.. It reminds me a bit of Lungren's Punisher in some ways, but definitively gritty as hell. I would pay to see that. Wonder if Marvel has the guts.. Or Would Disney object to that level of violence? .. sheesh..
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July 16, 2012, 3:25 p.m. CST
I can't comprehend why's been so hard to make a Punisher film
by Wcwlkr
I mean look I'm not even a fan of the character to be honest. But I mean how you can not adequately make an action film. About an ex-green beret who becomes a cop and than vigilante after his family is murdered? I mean action movies have used that formula minus the Punisher character for YEARS. Yet no one seems to have made a decent Punisher movie. I didn't hate Jane's Punisher movie, but it definitely missed the mark. And I never even saw War Journal but I heard it was a train wreck.
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The Punisher is down to watch five grown men beat the shit out of gary coleman as long as it suits dramatic purposes. Jack Daniels bottles are made in 2 strengths: sugar glass and solid steel. Jack Daniels, an 80 proof liquor, is gasoline. He should have filled the street up with shell casings as soon as people started showing their baboon ass, no racist.
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Thomas Jane is freaking awesome, especially as the Punisher.
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I actually liked Ray Stevenson as Frank Castle. At least he acted like the Punisher and the film was not watered down for families. Too little, too late for Thomas Jane.
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July 16, 2012, 3:37 p.m. CST
rediculous movie on many levels. However, DO like Jane as Punisher...
by Squinty CGI Flynn
if he had to embody the role again, whether on film or television, let's hope they get a better screenwriter. From my own geeky perspective, always had this song in mind as a theme for a Punisher series: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb5WxIUFziw
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And I like his Punisher. It feels like an 80s film in a world when every action movie is trying to be Bad Boys II. And I really like that when Hollywood won't do it, Thomas Jane does it himself. No one's making Jonah Hex? Fine, he'll go dress up and hire a makeup artist and take pictures of himself as Hex to show it can be done. Not making another Punisher? Fine, he'll make a short FOR YOU. Awesome. Much respect to the guy.
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Oh, yeah, oh, yes, so awesome.
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July 16, 2012, 3:42 p.m. CST
Fuckin' CGI! Whatever happened to practical effects?!?!
by Royston Lodge
Just kidding.
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damn that was a great RJ short film. Anybody show that to F. Paul Wilson? I'd much rather see Jayne play Jack on an HBO series than the Punisher. There's way more coolness in Wilson's NY!!
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Thomas Jane doesn't understand the character. His enthusiasm is admirable and appreciated but he doesn't get it so he's not going to be the one to fix it. He needs to step back and wait like the rest of us for the real Punisher to appear.
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July 16, 2012, 3:46 p.m. CST
Lay more blam to Jon Hensleigh for the 2004 film than anyone else
by David_Denmans_Beard
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adapt all the Garth Ennis scripts,set back and collect the $$$.
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Even though I never though Jane really looked the part, that just *felt* like the Punisher. I'll go see this in the theater if they make it.
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I think he was ooking to break up the kinetic violence but it kinda went against who Frank is. He's not gonna trick Travolta into killing his wife by planting parking tickets. He'd do something far more direct... Frank is a righteous twist on a serial killer. He gets a sadistic joy out of dispatching evil doers. I think Hensleigh was afraid to go all the way there.
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The great thing here is as its a non-profit fan film he's not breaking copyright, well that's how it works here in the UK, a group of people are doing a full Dr Who movie, original theme, Daleks the lot because it's non-profit they can get away with it. More people should be doing shit like this.
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July 16, 2012, 3:50 p.m. CST
Bad CGI, Why No Practical Effects? Is it THAT low budget?
by Jack Desmondi
Seriously, this shit looks as bad as some of the CGI in Diary of the Dead. If it doesn't look real, why the fuck bother? How can it be "badass" when it looks this fucking fake? Nice idea (if utterly unoriginal), but shitty execution
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thought, not though, in the previous comment.
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July 16, 2012, 3:51 p.m. CST
Bad CGI, Why No Practical Effects? Is it THAT low budget?
by Jack Desmondi
Seriously, this shit looks as bad as some of the CGI in Diary of the Dead. If it doesn't look real, why the fuck bother? How can it be "badass" when it looks this fucking fake? Nice idea (if utterly unoriginal), but shitty execution
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This was what Punisher should be like! give this guy a chance, im sure he can blow us away!
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...shut your fucking piehole, you worthless troll scum. And while I'm at it, holottamo, I'd like to see you call him "cross-eyed" to his face. Fucking morons. Tom Jane's one of the very few actors working who is keeping it real. Fact.
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July 16, 2012, 3:55 p.m. CST
That was pretty cool. Nice long buildup with good payoff. :) But CG blood is SO cheap looking...
by Farrokh
Always completely pulls me out of a film. Budget shouldn't be an excuse.
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Thomas Jane is the Punisher, someone talk to Garth Ennis on how to write the right story..
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July 16, 2012, 3:58 p.m. CST
Watched this earlier this morning. TOM JANE, YOU MAGNIFICENT BASTARD!
by Cletus Van Damme
Love it.
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Anyone who says that Warzone is a good Punisher film bleeds stupid.
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Jane was 35 when he made the first Punisher. Not really young and up and coming. He had already starred in Deep Blue Sea and Dreamcatcher, so NOT his first starring role. And while I've never made a Punisher film, jackass, I fight for things in my job every day. You rarely get a chance to fight after you lose the first time. You act like Hollywood doesn't have a history of actors taking risky chances and having them pay off.
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July 16, 2012, 4:02 p.m. CST
Didn't love the cinematography but would love to see Jane get a second-shot at The Punisher
by john
I guess once they reboot something, there's no going back? Gotta say, the 2004 Punisher sucked, but Jane was the best of the three (even if the other guy looked more like the comic book Frank castle)
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finally someone gets the punisher done right.
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Well done, sir. Well done.
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as well as the $.25 moustache perlman's sporting.
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Bunch of Thomas Jane fans it sounds like. This was garbage and so was the Punisher film he was in. People are quick to dismiss Warzone but they forget how bad the other two Punisher films were. P.S. I am not defending Warzone. Just like the fact that the Punisher from that film acted like the Punisher. Doubt there will ever actually be a decent Punisher film.
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People who think that movie was good are out of their minds. It was basically a Shcumacher film. Horrible acting and neon lighting everywhere. Jane's version was weak but still way better.
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stop bitching
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HBO is still a Time Warner property, therefore the chances a Marvel show would end up on HBO are slim to none. Let's hope Showtime has some balls, as I too think this property would work better as a TV-MA hourlong on a premium network.
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Sure, New York looked like Vegas covered in urine but it was fucking fun. I like Jane's Punisher as well but I want more Punisher cutting off head's and blowing up parkour guys, you know?
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The way I see Frank he always plans things in advance and would never act in the heat of the moment. He then strikes with utter determination, without a doubt.
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Tired of the Punisher skull being on a knife (Lundgren) or being spray painted on a t-shirt or some sort of body armor (Jane and Stevenson). Give him a costume and include him in the current Marvel continuity somehow. This will give a new Punisher movie a better chance of succeeding.
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The Punisher has had many different takes on his character, but one that has been going on for quite some time is the overall apathy he feels in his day to day life. The only real emotion he feels is when he's 'punishing'. Ennis hit this perfectly showing someone who has fallen in love with war, an incredibly broken individual that was well on the way to becoming the Punisher before his families death. As to who 'gets' the Punisher, that's just opinion. Me saying Jane gets it and you saying he doesn't will just be a circular argument. All I can say is, in my opinion, this felt like the Punisher I've wanted to see. It has it's teeth, even though the CGI blood was kinda crap it doesn't instantly ruin it for me, and it shows a really broken man who is trying hard to not care, but still has enough in him that he just can't sit on the sidelines like so many do. I really like the TV idea. Showtime would have the balls to do it, I bet.
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Why oh why is this not a full length feature.
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are you fucking kidding me????????
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July 16, 2012, 4:35 p.m. CST
punisher is not batman...he is not a superhero..he does not save damsels in distress
by walt
if you think that is what frank does, what jane seems to have planned...is not for you
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maybe jane shouldve made a kickstarter account, and all you cgi mavens couldve helped him improve the fx fucktwats
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July 16, 2012, 4:48 p.m. CST
I say yay. Garth Ennis' world deserves cinematic representation.
by Thad Pittman
Bravo to Mr. Jane for caring enough to attempt this. He did self-financed screen test pic to do Jonah Hex a couple of years ago, and whatever he would have done would be better than the slop we eventually got. Jane knows that he can do better, and we all hate regrets in life. Everyone deserves a second chance.
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July 16, 2012, 4:49 p.m. CST
An ongoing HBO series with this level unapologetic grit makes more sense.
by Jarrete Barnett
Something tells me just making another Punisher movie wouldn't do it... "justice". People would be willing to watch an hour-long series like this every week. Remarkable work for only being a short fan film.
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July 16, 2012, 4:49 p.m. CST
change the headline before you blow the ending for everyone
by future help
shame that the "Punisher surprise" was ruined by your headline. not COOL
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July 16, 2012, 4:50 p.m. CST
War Zone had wonderful violence, & Ray Stevenson played a good Garth Ennis Punisher...
by Jay
But the movie was bad on every other level. Violent action only goes so far. Both Punisher movies have had positives. And that's the leading men IMO. Both can portray good, but different, Punishers. Jane is the more human, realistic version. Stevenson was the BORN embodiment-of-death version. But both were trapped in bad movies. War Zone would have made a great 20 minutes short film, a la this.
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July 16, 2012, 4:51 p.m. CST
article headline should be: CHECK out this short that Thomas Jane DID! really cool!!!!
by future help
yeah,...
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July 16, 2012, 5:06 p.m. CST
jarnf i hated the 70's 80s punisher...cuz all he was was a death wish clone..with a cool van and lots of toys
by walt
and he was fucking boring and that frank was done in film...and guess what...he was fucking boring
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Punisher and Lobo both need to be rated R to be done correctly. This short film was awesome I have to say.
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I enjoyed seeing this. Well produced. Unfortunately, the film version of the Punisher that Jane starred in was lacking, not his fault. I found his take on the character was pretty good. Studio cognoscenti should have allowed him a second shot at it. Shit, Nic Cage can get a second rip at Ghost Rider. That dude's pushing 50 and looking more than a bit peaked, more like Ghost Retiree. T.J. looking good and can still pull it off!
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July 16, 2012, 5:24 p.m. CST
Jane must have a passion for this character - very cool. He should have helped the girl first... BEFORE SHE WAS RAPED.
by Mennen
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and go read the ennis comics...you nit marvel was so great in the 70s and 80s...thats why they went bankrupt you fucking kids...you make the world....lousy
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The first movie had its moments but it was just a studio fail. Let Marvel take another legit swing at it. Punisher: War Zone felt like it was a reaction to the first movie where they just went "Who gives a shit do whatever you want!" The first Punisher movie failed because they tried to make it something it shouldn't have been. Why the fuck was it set in Florida? Travolta's evil family just felt off. This video was great. Lets get an HBO or Starz show or another movie.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwXU1JavXnc
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For God's sake, learn to read...
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Until you've put your own money into making a short film, you can't say frivolous things like "budget is no excuse", especially for a short film funded by the main actor.
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Is Densel Washingtons version of Man on Fire. THAT was the Punisher in a nut shell. He played a highly trained ex military guy, working as a body guard, who fails miserably at what he was supposed to do, while wrestling with his own demons, But once he fails, his one and only mission for the rest of the film is to PUNISH the shit out of the people who did what they did. Excellent film. There is a bridge overpass scene in that movie that just floored me. Cg a white skull on his shirt and you have one of the closest versions of Punisher made. Just saying...
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But seriously, I really liked that short, better than either movie. I say give him a wad of cash and let him make it.
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Gave me chills. My eyes literally misted up with adrenaline when the shit hit in this.
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Yeah its a slow build, but it does pay off in the end.
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Doll it up all you want. Being a cry baby isn't something to crow about.
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That was DOPE!! standing ovation in my kitchen.
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He was not the titular lead, taking on a potential franchise character, in the other films you mention. He was not the face of those films. Apples and oranges, and nothing like the chance that Punisher represented for him. I'm sure you fight for things in your job every day, pal. Sure you fight real hard. Your use of 'jackass' tells me you don't like taking the same thing you just dished out to Jane. We all speak out of line. Just accept that you did and move on.
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Gotta love the racial harmony displayed by Hollywood street gangs. The token white "thug" in the backwards ball cap lost me. Also, CGI blood is about as badass as manicured facial hair. Terrible. Jane's heart is in the right place, and the bottle attack was pretty killer (minus the aforementioned Castlevania blood), but that felt too clean. Zero grit.
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Man, that was just about one of the greatest things I've seen for awhile. And much about it was due to its dialouge and plotting. If only more directors and actors could get their shit together like this!
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July 16, 2012, 6:05 p.m. CST
thank god there was no nudity, or youtube would have pulled it.
by where_are_quints_hobbit_set_reports
I like thomas jane and I think he's a capable actor who deserves leading roles, but he looks thoughtful and sensitive, which I don't associate with the Punisher character. This little film-let reminds me of that speculative/pitch trailer for the Mortal Kombat reboot... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGnVhqhmip8 I'd like to see that made !!
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July 16, 2012, 6:07 p.m. CST
Jane with Warzone violence. A step in the right direction.
by adeceasedfan
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July 16, 2012, 6:07 p.m. CST
I thought he was a fine Punisher. The movie was just a little meek and lacking a good car chase.
by Mr Nicholas
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...you guys have seen too many movies. You take a sturdy, solid bottle like that(full, not even opened)and bash it against a guy's head and odds are it will not break. Now banging off the guy's head into a wall then the ground, yeah that would probably break it.
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No wonder they haven't gotten it right yet.
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July 16, 2012, 6:14 p.m. CST
Death Wish 3 is the best non-Punisher Punisher movie
by The Krypton Kid
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Sorry. I love that the guy is a fan and wants to keep going but honestly, from his portrayal in the 2004 film I doubt he ever read a single Punisher comic. Nothing about his performance reminded me in the slightest of Frank Castle. Plus he's just too damn young. I want my Frank in his 40's or 50's. War Zone was a mess I'll grant you but it had the only actor to ever capture the character properly. And lots of violence. Those two things made it the only good Punisher flick for me so far. Bring back Ray, get a different director without the penchant for Schumacher-esque lighting, and we got something potentially great.
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Is something you'll never hear a reasonable person say.
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People keep saying how War Zone was close to the Ennis Punisher, which leads me to believe that the Ennis Punisher is some B grade, exploitation hack-work. Baron's Punisher exhibits intelligence, tactical thinking, and self awareness. I haven't gotten that from any of the movies, nor this short.
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Truly epic...Thomas Jane is a badazz! GIMME SEQUEL, MARVEL!
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he will out geek your stupid fucking ass HE DIDNT WRITE THE SCRIPT OR DIRECT LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT HOLLYWOOD....ACTORS ARE PAID MONKEYS
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July 16, 2012, 6:36 p.m. CST
Bad CGI is forgivable on an unofficial short film/pilot/proof of concept whatever you want to call it
by atlatl
The point is to demonstrate what a legit full length production of Hard R rated Punisher film should look like and this succeeds amazingly. And people who whine about things like the alcohol wouldn't ignite irk me, God it's the movies, it's fantasy. Mythbusters is fun and all disproving what is and what's not possible, but the fantasy and bending the rules of what possible is fun too. Flammable alcohol is a staple in classic action movies.
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July 16, 2012, 6:37 p.m. CST
the point is it's free motherfuckers, you didn't have to pay for it
by atlatl
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you've never read ennis' punisher.
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That was great. I really disliked the original film but liked Thomas Jane as Frank. This short proves he knew all along what the deal is with the character even if the movie left a lot to be desired. Get Thomas Jane back in the role and let him call the shots.
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Hell, I'm clueless about MOST everything Punisher, except for his backstory and modus operandi. I read everything but Punisher growing up, so my only interactions with him was when he ended up in other people's comics, or through the Marvel cards I collected as a kid. Point being, I don't care how true he is to the character or not. I just care whether or not he's entertaining as a guy who lost everything and has no qualms about killing when it comes to getting back at the bad guys. He's the cathartic anti-hero we all secretly wish for, the guy who WILL kill to protect the innocent. So as far as that goes, I like Jane as the Punisher. And I'd like to see more.
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July 16, 2012, 6:46 p.m. CST
kildeer1....huh? yesterday's article in the times about this generation is correct
by walt
you stupid fucks dont look at film as art...you look at it as fashion or a good reason to hang out on facebook, twitter or some other site that you fucks cannot respect the above, makes me sick that anyone is bitchin about the fx...makes me sick the world is doomed...and im overjoyed thank god that because of the zombie apocalypse, none of you will ever breed
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July 16, 2012, 6:50 p.m. CST
Yeah, palewook, what's so great about Ennis Punisher?
by NotEnoughBiehn
I've read the first couple of issues, and Preacher. Ennis strikes me as one of these writers who tries to 'impress' people with the levels of sadism and nihilism he can come up conjure, and that's all I see the fans of his Punisher talking about. War Zone is somehow better to them because it is gorier, more MAX-like - no matter how idiotic it is for Castle to punch through someone's head. And that's all they talk about with this short, how "hardcore" it is. This mentality will continue to deliver shitty Punisher movies.
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Something you'd know if you knew the first thing about writing. And, seriously, this was fucked up brilliant! I can only hope someone like Todd McFarlane or Thomas Tull sees this and can wrest the Punisher rights from whoever owns them and make this version of the Punisher! God, this was great!!
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Something you'd know if you knew the first thing about writing. And, seriously, this was fucked up brilliant! I can only hope someone like Todd McFarlane or Thomas Tull sees this and can wrest the Punisher rights from whoever owns them and make this version of the Punisher! God, this was great!!
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Something you'd know if you knew the first thing about writing. And, seriously, this was fucked up brilliant! I can only hope someone like Todd McFarlane or Thomas Tull sees this and can wrest the Punisher rights from whoever owns them and make this version of the Punisher! God, this was great!!
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The worst thing about the 2004 flick was Travolta. I liked just about everything else about it. Gotta respect that he is coming back after what he believes is HIS character.
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July 16, 2012, 6:55 p.m. CST
Schreck: Jane was born February of '69, which would put him in his 40s
by MARCEL_THE_NEGRO_PROJECTIONIST
If they made THIS Punisher, I'd welcome Jane back to the role!
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Thomas Jane's Punisher was not.
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He may get cease and desist letters from both Marvel and Jack Daniels.
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they want cold openings with blood and explosions and this is where jane has gone wrong i think he wants to do art, and only a few are allowed that luxury
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they want cold openings with blood and explosions and this is where jane has gone wrong i think he wants to do art, and only a few are allowed that luxury
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I love this! Great story and execution. And I love that it comes across as a labor of love. They're having fun with this. How can we get more of this!?? This needs to be an HBO or Showtime series. Punisher is too grown up for the cinema anyway...
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July 16, 2012, 7:04 p.m. CST
KillDeer1, the Times article on Millennials and their dislike of old films
by D.Vader
HERE: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-ca-film-novelty-20120715,0,4176050.story
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They don't want to hunt, they want to be fed.
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Could this be an origin story for the Punisher? The Punisher we all know would be armed and ready and would not waste a second in trashing the bad guys. But in this, it doesn't look as though Castle even has a gun available. This looks like a somewhat lost and unfocused Castle, living out of a van (notice also the lack of any equipment in the van), visions of his dead family in his head, but not yet finding his new purpose. So when the violence hits, he first tries to block it out, like everyone else who turns and looks away in such neighborhoods. Then he decides to act, and it's the first act of The Punisher. Any other ideas?
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Thomas Jane come back as Frank Castle, in a balls to the wall Punisher film that is as serious as the Nolan Batman flims and three times as violent as the movie released in 2004. The Punisher is one of my all-time favorite Marvel characters because of it's grittiness. Anyone who's read Punisher: War Journals and the Punisher Max series know what I'm talking about.
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I think it's more of a case of making him a Reluctant Hero. Because you have to "humanize" characters and make them "relatable." This is one of the three ways current filmmakers seem to know how to do that.
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He DID say he'd only been sober for a few months. But the bullet hole in the skull shirt suggests he had been doing this for awhile. I think something had gone down, though, and he's just been out of it for a little bit, beaten down by the whole thing.
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July 16, 2012, 7:26 p.m. CST
Yeah, I read it as he was contemplating, or already in retirement, and the conversation with Perlman encouraged him to rethink it...
by ThulsaBoom
...but yeah, reluctance over origin.
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What you said about Ennis has its merits. I recommend you read his Hellblazer run. It's really early in his career and you can see the hunger--the true artistry. His Punisher Max stuff was fun and mega gory. There are elements of it I really like (although he did a prequel series which was completely unneeded). I think his strengths on it outweigh the weaknesses, but it's not his best stuff. The reason people compare it to Warzone (a shit movie, incidentally--like a bad Batman episode), is b/c it has ONE character in it based off his run: McGuinty, an Irish black guy w/ dreads who, for some bizarre reason, does Parkour in the movie. It has zero connection, really. Ennis has become almost a parody of himself nowadays. But the earlier you go in his career, the better he is. Honestly, I could read and re-read his Constantine stuff. When you take into account the length of the run, it really shows the thought and dedication he put into it. Anyhow, really loved that Thomas Jane short. I feel like it was almost a Punisher (re)awakening sequence. And, also, I dunno if you dunces noticed, but it showed violence towards a grown woman, a boy, and Perlman talked about a little girl (Representing Castle's family, no doubt--a trigger to get him (back) into action). I always thought Jane did a great job w/ the role, and the movie felt exploitative enough that I was warm to it.
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July 16, 2012, 7:30 p.m. CST
This was awesome, btw. Easily my favorite Punisher movie...
by ThulsaBoom
...although I found Warzone amusing in a Friday the 13th sorta way. The full length Thomas Jane Punisher was worse than Dolph's.
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Scene would take up maybe half a page in the comics, no gravity. So maybe he is out of the game at that point.
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Maybe we have a Castle who's been drifting and getting mixed up in violence, but hadn't 'found himself' yet. So, bullet hole but not carrying any guns, not carrying any special equipment around in the van. Maybe the skull shirt was just another shirt, but after this it became the symbol. Who knows. But nice to have something like this that makes people enthusiastic and speculating.
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EPIC. I would love to see and HBO 1hr show of this. :)
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July 16, 2012, 7:37 p.m. CST
I loathed the full-length Thomas Jane Punisher, but the passion behind this makes me not only want another one, but one with TJ directing...
by ThulsaBoom
...Ray Stevensen is Volstaag now anyway.
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as it is apparent wb will never make miller's dkr, i think this is jane's punisher version of dkr an older, cynical version of frank castle which is why he doesnt act until provided with a logical/emotional reason but it doesnt matter as it doesnt fill that hole that still exists call it cheesy if you want, but it makes sense that frank will be haunted till the day he dies thats my take. im sure jane has a treatment, and im sure he knows the suits dont give a shit
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July 16, 2012, 8:04 p.m. CST
Cool video, but Marvel will never let Thomas Jane do the Punisher again
by qweruiop
Tom basically hijacked the character after the first movie, refusing to compromise on anything for the sequel. This forced Marvel to reboot the character, and with audiences confused as to why there was a new unknown guy playing the Punisher it caused "Punisher War Zone" to bomb. This essentially negated any hope for the franchise to build upon itself, causing Marvel to lose who knows how many tens of millions of dollars on both the sequel and future installments. Would you allow someone to play that character again if they caused all of this headache in the first place? He's got about as much chance of playing the Punisher again as Edward Norton has of playing the Hulk. ...also if he were really serious about reprising the role why didn't he spend the $10 and buy some black dye for his hair.
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July 16, 2012, 8:21 p.m. CST
How much violence is needed. Does every head have to expode, every am have to break in half, what a crock!
by Norm3
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Seriously, talk about a crappy film...
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The Punisher was always geared towards being a bit rougher then the normal superhero and help Marvel recapture some of the comic readers who had gone the independent comic route looking for a more adult story.
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July 16, 2012, 8:28 p.m. CST
A Punisher movie could be on the level of Nolan Batman
by NotEnoughBiehn
or a good Michael Mann crime drama. But the character keeps getting shorted. Hollywood can't seem to get past the idea that they have that he is some violent meat-head or one dimensional monolith.
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A ten minute encapsulation of the character that takes us from weary disregard to bloody violence. Not giving him his own gun was also a VERY sharp move and pulled away from the tedious walking arsenal schtick. More please Mr Jane. MORE.
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Thomas Jane's Punisher = mediocre at best. But I don't think this was Jane's fault, it was the studio trying to go on the cheap, then raping bits from Garth Ennis's initial run of the comic to hide the fact. This short shows Jane has commitment to the character, and a new Punisher movie sans the origin with him could really work.
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I'm serious this short is proof that there is more life in the punisher franchise aside from comics. I think Jane should stay Frank Castle he just looks the part and brings some quiet intensity to it. I also Second the idea by whoever posted it above that Jane should be the new highlander. Give him time to get a Scottish accent and he'd be perfect.
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July 16, 2012, 8:56 p.m. CST
I wanna make a Punisher porn called, "The Poonisher".
by Dr Gregory House
Tagline: "Frank Castle gets the job done.....the HARD way."
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July 16, 2012, 9 p.m. CST
qweruiop, the geek community applauded him for standing on his principles
by walt
and he was right and that short has over 300k hits in 24 hours is that crazy viral? nope...but it is solid and there is a world of diff between norton and jane
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I'd watch more.
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I wasn't happy with the foley and I struggled with the gore of the violence and potential racial stereotypes, but wow the tone was right. This would be a great series, and find a way to include Ron. This was more exciting than the Phase 2 announcement. HBO come on down.
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I could watch 180 minutes of this!!!
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Richard Hatch who was on the 1970s Battlestar Galactica produced his own pilot which was a continuation from the old show, in the early 2000s to drum up interest in a new show. Other than the trailer, the full version has never been shown, and he didn't own the rights to the original property. He played a new character in the Ron Moore 2005 BSG
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July 16, 2012, 9:39 p.m. CST
I'm all for a Tom Jane Punisher HBO series or web series
by GLENN_THE_TOOL
Not every comic book character will make for a good movie. Do a violent crime drama Punisher series and let Tom Jane produce and star in it. I think it has a lot of potential. Plus, you gotta admire Tom for supporting the character, even if he's gotta do a short like this on his own.
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July 16, 2012, 9:43 p.m. CST
Very good, except for the CGI blood sprays
by Turd_Is_Floating_Underneath_The_Gravy
and is it even anatomically possible to break someone's legs like that and have huge gouts of blood spray out? I wouldn't normally complain about this in a superhero movie (if you can call The Punisher a 'superhero', that is), but this wasn't Kill Bill; it looked to be going for (and succeeded at creating) a gritty, realistic tone. Marvel should have the balls to make an R-rated film set in the same universe as their other family friendly series, maybe even with cameos from Downey and the like. Since they're dead-set on making a live action Bucky O' Hare movie with mo-cap anthropomorphic animals and things, set in the same universe as their previous flicks, it's seems they're keen to stretch their palette. Yes, I think Frank Castle - even in the iteration presented here - could exist in the same cinematic universe as gun-toting Rocky Raccoons, giant green monsters, Norse Gods and 'fun'. colorful superhero antics, and be made to work. That's kind of surreal if you think about it.
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July 16, 2012, 9:47 p.m. CST
And Tom Jane wasn't what made his Punisher movie so bad
by GLENN_THE_TOOL
It was a bad plot that actually made you feel kinda sympathetic for the villain, where you should have really HATED Howard Saint so much that you rooted for Frank to kill him. Saint may have been a drug runner, but his son dying early in the film actually made me feel kinda bad for him. Plus, it didn't help that Saint was played by a hammy Travolta and most of the film takes place in WGAS Tampa. Hell, if John Carpenter can fake New York on a low budget in 1981 for Escape from New York, then budget should have been no excuse here either. But Jonathan Hensleigh probably wasn't anyone's first pick to direct that movie either.
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July 16, 2012, 9:48 p.m. CST
Oh yeah, andthe nonsense with the fake fire hydrant, like WTF?
by GLENN_THE_TOOL
I'm done.
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July 16, 2012, 9:51 p.m. CST
Holy Jack Daniels Batman! Not only did Tom Jane convince me that he should be The Punisher again
by lv_426
he also sold me on the idea of Tom Jane as Mad Max. And not only that, he throws in Ron Perlman in a supporting roll as an awesome bonus. Forget comic con, this Punisher short film and last night's Breaking Bad were the best new things I've seen all summer.
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I think he was just stuck with a lousy script and some odd choices in changing the mythology (Miami?). If they gave Nic Cage a second chance with Ghost Rider, I think Tom deserves a second chance with the Punisher.
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then Tom Jane should create his own vigilante character and just make his own original crime/action film. He could do something with the same tone as this short film without needing a Pacific Rim sized budget. The gritty, hard-hitting and almost 70's style vigilante aesthetic used here works great for this kind of story.
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July 16, 2012, 10 p.m. CST
That was a kick ass short, and an interesting use of music from The Dark Knight.
by Trying_It_Again_Part_2
Although I downloaded it in 1080p, it would be great to see this included on a Blu-ray or something in the future. I say let the man have another go at a feature film with this character.
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July 16, 2012, 10:04 p.m. CST
If the Judge Dredd movie does well, then maybe Marvel will support another Punisher film?
by lv_426
If Dredd tanks at the box office, then a hard-R Punisher sequel will probably never see the light of day, or we'll get another reboot done as a PG(13) rated glossy effects movie, more in the Avengers/Spiderman style of superhero film. Nothing against stiff like The Avengers, but that is a different animal than the beast that is The Punisher.
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July 16, 2012, 10:17 p.m. CST
WHY DO MOVIES ALWAYS TREAT ZIPPOS AS IF THEYRE BIC LIGHTERS
by yourSTEPDADDY
As a smoker and a zippo owner, I HATE SEEING CHARACTERS WILLING TO THROW AWAY THEIR ZIPPOS IN ORDER TO START A FIRE use matches jackasses ps: does this mean the punisher is a 1%er?
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Not quite as funny as Deathwish 3, but that probably has to do with the budget.
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Hell if they don't though, this is a good enough sequel I've been waiting for all these years, this and the video game jane voiced. Like others have said, it's kinda fucked up that there's two ghost riders, both of which kinda of suck really.... yet punisher has basically just one movie. I tried to watch warzone then said "fuck this shit" and watched some steven segal flick because that's what it was trying to be and failing.
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It sure is nice to see a fine upstanding white man deal out some much needed correction to some uppity Negro "animals" who don't know their place!
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Otherwise he's just a viglilante with no powers...like Batman ..without his costume. Bruce Wayne running around and kicking ass out of costume would not be nearly as interesting and entertaining. In the comics, the Punisher had a simple but effective costume..would make a difference.
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I mean to a large extent, they are too similar. But Marvel ripped off a lot of DC characters: Atom -> Ant Man Flash -> Quicksilver Darseid -> Thanos Green Arrow -> Hawkeye Plastic Man -> Mister Fantastic I'm sure there are many others. I like Marvel better and there are probably a limited number of superhero archetypes to play with, but still it's kind of obvious and lame.
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Marvel Studios needs to give Thomas Jane another crack at The Punisher.
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I'm not even going to bother going through the list of fundamental differences. And for all those other characters you listed as rip-offs. It's not so surprising that 2 comic book companies who invent superheroes both happened to come up with a guy who runs super fast or a dude who has precision aim with arrows etc.. These aren't exactly brilliant ideas we're talking about here.
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Some of you guys are judging this thing waaay too harshly. I myself hate CGI..it's my fucking name. But this is a FAN FILM and with a fan film the only thing you can be is thankful it exists. It has a very small budget. It is not made for profit and as long as it's not selling itself it can use any music it wants to. It's a passion project that celebrates the character. There literally is nothing to complain about here. Hate on big studio projects all day but don't trash a guy for putting himself out for his fans when nobody asked him to. The Warzone actor dude clearly wasn't passionate enough about the character to do something like this. Thomas Jane is the MAN.
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July 16, 2012, 11:32 p.m. CST
@lv_426 - I wasn't able to make it to Comicon (my buddies "free" tickets fell through) but I agree with you.I felt like this Punisher short was a Comicon like "in the works reveal" experience.BRAVO Thomas Jane and Co.!!!
by kenchun24
...off topic - I think I was at an industrial loft party (Burningman camp fundraiser) just this past weekend where this was shot.Looks like the 7th St. Bridge near the old Nabisco building in downtown L.A... anyways... I also agree with most of the talkback that a cable series would be perfect for (hopefully future) Punisher storytelling.Great job again job Mr Jane!
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the alcohol helped him invoke his anger and desire to act. i kind of dig it.
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I thought Jane was going to do an excerpt from "Confederacy of Dunces", where Castle kills two guys guarding a van outside an underworld auction for the van's contents...which turns out to be an amnesiac Bruce Banner.
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..why are you so hung up on the Punisher name? Just do your own hardcore revenge flick. This shows you can. You could even scrap the skull and first name and make it pure Punisher without the rights. Make it low budget, gritty and urban with a nameless character cleaning up a city. The fans will know and come, don´t worry. I mean, many early Bronson and Eastwood flicks are basically Punisher with a different name. Just an idea. And it would be a nice slap in the face of Disney, LOL.
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I agree meta_slayer, there is an absence of revenge flicks these days that don't star Jason Statham. Leave the skull with the little kid, TJ, and make something personal, gritty, and violent as fuck, with a big fat "NR" for a rating, and work a distro deal with Netflix. Just cool it on the CGI squibs, they look like shit...and it's not your budget, they look like shit when a studio spends $150 million too.
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...yeah, you worthless, contrarian, attention-whoring pieces of shit who are critiquing this short fan film as if it were a new multi-million dollar Marvel tentpole release. Just how pathetic can you get?
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... I'd rather rewatch Mad Max for the 20th time.
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July 17, 2012, 12:44 a.m. CST
I still say the way to get Punisher to stand out in a Hollywood full of vigilanties,
by sweeneydave
is to keep him in the MARVEL world. He's the only "hero" out there who is willing to kill and that makes him dangerous. The audience needs to feel conflicting morals as we are confused on who to root for. We need another hero (my vote goes to Daredevil) who is learning their own ethics and utilmately must decide that this vigilante dealing out "punishment" is wrong. We need a villain who deserves everything Frank Castle will do to him and we need a HERO who will rise above the level that Castle is stooping with his "punishments". This gives us conflict between one villain and two very different forms of justice. Maybe we can even have the hero's soft justice allow the villain to escape and do something so atrocious that our "hero" agrees that they messed up and it would have been better if he had not gotten in the way of Castle's vengance. The Punisher can effectively shake up the Marvel world - where if he did the same thing in just regular Hollywoodland, if would be white noise. Whatever we get, the audience needs to feel grateful that the Punisher is around while also feeling nervous that a loose cannon is on the streets (but not in a cheesy "Spidey is a menace" sort of way).
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I like Thomas Jane, he's a good guy. But I HATED the first Punisher. Less we all forget, Thomas Jane is the guy who backed out of doing a second Punisher film because of a budget cut and creative differences. Now he's aping the Punisher: Warzone violence in a bid to get back in the role? Weak. This more "violent" Punisher he wants to make now is a day late and a dollar short. Punisher: Warzone was insanely violent and got the character right, even if it felt more like some B-movie exploitation flick.
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I really enjoyed him as The Punisher and I liked the movie but could have done without Travolta. This short was good but I didn't like the blood effects. I would really love to see him in another Punisher movie. Love the character and him playing it.
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We want what is in the goddamn safe, in the goddamn master bedroom on the fuckin' floor in the goddamn fuckin' floor safe, that's all!
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July 17, 2012, 12:58 a.m. CST
If you want to see this movie get made, you hate the Punisher.
by Liquid Meddle
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July 17, 2012, 12:58 a.m. CST
Always thought MAN ON FIRE was pretty bad and NOT what a PUNISHER movie should be like.
by reise reise
I know it's often favorably compared to THE PUNISHER, but all I remember were shitty subtitles that zoom into the frame from all directions and a headache-inducing club scene that mashes together flashing lights, shaky camerawork and cut-every-second editing; Denzel killing someone with a shotgun might have been spliced in there somewhere.
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July 17, 2012, 1:12 a.m. CST
since liquid meddle is trolling so hard for a response, ill give it to him
by walt
you sir, are a fucktard
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July 17, 2012, 1:14 a.m. CST
to the dumbphuques who are upset that the gang is portrayed as black
by walt
any problem with every thug and supervillain in the spidey u being white? phuquetards dont deserve to live
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Yeah, some of the original Battlestar Galactica cast made a short and showed it at some conventions. They were looking to revive the series.
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Cool, man! Let me guess. Your favorite comedy is The Hangover..
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July 17, 2012, 1:24 a.m. CST
Coolest thing I've seen all day; ghetto thugs getting what they deserve. Short film wasn't bad either!
by HapaPapa72
When I first heard he was cast as Frank Castle, I couldn't believe it, but he pulled it off. His Punisher flick wasn't perfect(namely, Laura Herring and Rebecca Romaijn didn't get naked), but I enjoyed it upon repeated viewings. Give him one more shot. Hell, people keep letting Hugh Jackman another at-bat as Wolvie. And now how about casting Perlman as Microchip?
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That the famous skull emblazoned T-shirt is a birthday gift from his son in the movie. I mean, now you have to wonder how many other Punishers were shopping at Hot Topic that day. Truly awful.
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July 17, 2012, 1:28 a.m. CST
i created fucktard when i was 8. asshat at 9...i lived with a bar of soap in my mouth till i was 12
by walt
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July 17, 2012, 1:29 a.m. CST
HE DIDNT WRITE THE FILM...DO YOU KNOW THE DIFF BETWEEN AN ACTOR AND A WRITER
by walt
of course you dont..for you are a...FUCKTARD
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ3GCJgVgnw&feature=player_embedded
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Frank didn't save the hooker because she's a hooker .......the guilty will be punished and all that. Frank sees an innocent, a child, being harassed and starts to think. He talks to a war vet and sympathises. He didn't set fire to the gang leader as that would be punishment and the whole 8 minutes prior to this suggested that it was something he was running from. Justice can be delivered by those who have been wronged-hence the hooker throwing the lighter. If they were going to do a series based on this, I picture Frank starting out like The Rock's character in Walking Tall, then towards the end of a 12 episode arc, realise there is nowhere left to run and embrace the Punisher. Dexter finishes after it's next season, Dredd looks like it could do well....the time is right to get this going.
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Richard "Apollo" Hatch funded his own Battlestar Galactica:The Second Coming with alot of the old actors and new ones with his version of an updated Battlestar Galactica that would have continued the orginal late 70's show. This teaser movie also had the late John "Baltar" Colicos in it shortly before he died if memory serves. As for the Thomas Jane mini-movie ...WOW ...I am impressed. Stop the whining about CGI blood , its his self funded movie to try and drum up support for a new Punisher movie. I thought Thomas Jane was fine in the role , and he would be finer still with a much better script. The last Punisher movie while maybe closer in tone to what people expect from the Punisher ...I had to fight not to fall asleep watching it. Give him another shot Marvel ....with a good script/director!
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The Punisher's son bought him a "World's Best Dad" T-shirt in the first movie? Would that be his insignia shirt? You have to wonder. I mean, nevermind that the skull symbolized death, what the Punisher embodies and uses as a warning to criminals. His son bought him it!
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July 17, 2012, 4:40 a.m. CST
Punisher: Ya sure he'll save you, but for legal reasons you have to be officially raped or assaulted first
by tangcameo
And he'll do it with the world's only unbreakable boomerang bottle of Jack Daniels. ...seriously, if it's not possible to do that with a bottle of JD and the guy doesn't have supernatural powers, then my suspension of disbelief goes right out the window.
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shot on hi-8 in his garden.
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July 17, 2012, 4:49 a.m. CST
The Punisher works only in a world of Superheroes, someday someone will learn.
by the Green Gargantua
I did like this clip though.
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July 17, 2012, 4:51 a.m. CST
Re integrating The Punisher into the current cimenatic Universe, a case for.
by Ciderman
Truth be told he is a highly trained, strong and fit man with a sense of justice, or at least the desire to punish wrong doers. No super powers to speak of. All true. But, isn't that the case with Batman as well? Aside from an unhealthy psychotic attraction to batsuits and high tech, plus the unwillingness to kill, Batman and The Punisher are very similar. More similar now than back in the day I would say, especially since The Dark Knight Returns in comics and the Nolan movies. So, maybe now is the perfect time to bring the Punisher to the big screen. Maybe, integrating him into Furys team is right for right now? Fury has no superpowers either but there he is, front and centre. So, re-integrating The Punisher into the current movie universe? A good idea methinks!
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The Thomas Jane Punisher movie was deeply flawed, largely because it added a bunch of needless, poorly conceived crap to how he became the Punisher. Should have stuck to the comic book origin. But this short is damn cool.
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July 17, 2012, 5:09 a.m. CST
Agreed with someone, this would make a better TV show.
by Dr_PepperSpray
How ever the Garth Ennis run has been one of the most enjoyable takes on the character. <P> This...doesn't even get that right. Yeah fine, it's more violent but seriously, what the fuck? Could the baddies be anymore cartoonish? What was that shit at the end with the Kid? Frank Castle is a serial killer, not Superman! <P> If the producers of the Punisher ever find their way back to any screen, please God may they come with real writers. Take a page from something like Breaking Bad and not Spider-Man.
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Washing Machine: $2.00 Bottle of Jack Daniels: $ 15.00 Thugs getting slashed in the throat: Fucking Priceless!! Sold!
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July 17, 2012, 5:28 a.m. CST
The Punisher needs to be a straight-up crime flick. THE SLAVERS.
by Baked
None of the trappings of cinematic goofiness. No appeal to children with toys. Just a man in a skull shirt thrown into the real world. And that's why these movies fail. Too much theatricality, not enough urban strife. It's literally a man waging a war against crime. But we always recycle this spooky organized Mafia shit with drugs and prostitution. Fuck that. Send the Punisher against some REAL criminals. I'm talking human trafficking, organ harvesting, the kind of monsters who are so fucking twisted that a psychopath with a gun almost sounds like a good idea. The Punisher needs to be the guy who burns the house down while the cops are busy fumigating. This is a serious conflict that needs to be played up in films. That said, I thought Ray Winstone was a great Punisher. Just too much neon and camp to keep the movie held together. I'm calling it right now -- The Slavers. You need to do The Slavers.
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Mean Joe Green superbowl ad.
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...just my personal opinion, but THIS is the direction you should go with Punisher, and THIS is the type of dedicated actor(s) you need for Marvel properties. 'Nuff Said. (Too many directors rush the action...T.J. let the tension build perfectly.)
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...a "George W. Bush reading The Pet Goat" vibe from that? Hell, it even had George W. Punisher reaching for a bottle of Jack in his time of need.
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July 17, 2012, 7:02 a.m. CST
Love his punisher. He would be a great addition to Avengers. Fuck it.
by UltraTron
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Thomas Jane is a great actor (loved him in "The Mist"), but I don't see him as a great fit for Frank Castle. Ray Stevenson is the best casting for a Punisher film so far. Less youthful-looking and more grizzled-looking/battle-worn than Jane. Doesn't look like a slightly buff pop-star/model with five o'clock shadow, wearing a Punisher t-shirt. Plus, he's got a natural size and bulk to him, as opposed to a 'hollywood workout' buff-up job.
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July 17, 2012, 7:39 a.m. CST
From The cast of Mutant Chronicles (Jane and Pearlman) comes The Punisher: Dirty laundry AKA Wash and Dry.
by Stalkeye
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I don't know how I feel about it now that I've seen it with that knowledge before hand. It would have been a kick to not know it ahead of time, but I probably would have figured it out not long into it. Oh well. Regardless, I dug the shit out of it! Jane rules, been a fan of his since Boogie Nights.
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You could make a really good PUNISHER:MOTHER RUSSIA move for about $30-$40 mil given smart budgeting.
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July 17, 2012, 9:23 a.m. CST
Because the pro was an adult and a hooker...she's made her shitty bed?
by Mistahtibbs
He's trying to not get involved but gets pulled into the penny ante street shit because the kid...is a kid who has the balls to stand up to thugs. Just my theory anyway. mt
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I would pay to see more of that. Make is so! Kudos, Mr Jane
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July 17, 2012, 9:54 a.m. CST
Next Punisher needs to be italian. Should've been Stallone back in the day, needs to be Joe Manganiello now.
by JackSlater4
This short was tits though.
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July 17, 2012, 9:56 a.m. CST
Unbelievably stupid and awful, fucking retarded, really, but the last bit was cathartic.
by NeonFrisbee
That kid doesn't look like he's in too bad a shape considering 12 guys were, what, gang raping him? DUMB. Also, drug dealers want customers, not victims. Further, drugs sell themselves, no one forces them on you. Finally, there are plenty of desperately poor adolescents ready, willing, and able to sell; the only thing forcing them into it is their own stark economic reality. It would help if the creators of this had the faintest clue about the real world. It's like it was written by a 10 year old from the suburbs and so white he makes Mitt Romney look like Redd Foxx.
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July 17, 2012, 10:25 a.m. CST
Cinematic Avengers are all about things that no single hero can fight alone
by Smartacus
Not one member of the Avengers couldn't take Frank Castle, particularly Thomas Jane's version of Frank Castle. Agent Coulson could take down Thomas Jane's Punisher over lunch and look good in the suit while doing it. He should be in the same universe but he doesn't belong in the Avengers and he isn't going to even show up on Fury's radar.
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Or at least if they ever do, it won't be part of the Avengers. Hell even in the comics I can't take him seriously as part of the greater Marvel universe. I like him in the Garth Ennis run for Punisher Max, and I like a lot of the other writer's takes on it too like Girls in White dresses etc. I believe an adult TV series is the best course of action adapting the Ennis run and some of the other works. Forget the rest of the Marvel Universe. Marvel should just make it's own TV division, or hell even a serious adult anime series. Get some of the people involved in Animatrix and Batman Gotham Knights. Madhouse Studios could be a good fit and they alreayd worked with Marvel, albeit Wolverine was crap, but that was due to the wrong kind of creative liberty. Just get them to adapt the Ennis comics panel for panel like they do anime adaptation of manga. I'll have my money ready.
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July 17, 2012, 12:09 p.m. CST
When was Ray Winstone The Punisher?
by Turd_Is_Floating_Underneath_The_Gravy
The Cockney Punisher? "D'yer know the fookin' difference between Punishment and Justice, mate?" Directed by Guy Ritchie.
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thomas jane is a cross eyed boring motherfucker - fact. although he did say that he used to be a gay male prostitute and live out of a car - fuck, maybe that van was his old pad - anyway if he works for you I get it.
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He was a great Punisher in a bad movie. This is fucking class. Mindblowing violence and a really great little story. Jane is superb and Pearlman is always great. In fact it's the best fan film since Batman Dead End. I wish other actors actually had the talent and balls to do this.
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He was way too vulnerable, got beat up a lot in the movie, had some real stupid friends, (THE ORIGIN OF HIS SYMBOL BE SO DUMB, U NO?), and he makes lots of squinty facial expressions. Maybe he'd work as a PG-13 kind of Punisher? Remember that pre-release photo of him in the Punisher gear surrounded by all that ammo? That was the most Punisher you got out of Thomas Jane. A fucking picture! No, he doesn't deserve a second shot. You losers blowing your load over this clip are so fickle and retarded it's scary.
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You need to accept that Thomas Jane's one shot at Punisher was blown.
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Since so many people are asking/discussing these things: 1) The hooker is a criminal and, whether you agree or not, the Punisher's M.O. has always been that all criminals deserve to die. He fights when the kid gets hurt, because the kid is not a criminal, and is actively resisting being one. 2) Quite a few people have said this, but a lot of you keep ignoring it so, again, THOMAS JANE DID NOT WRITE OR DIRECT THE PUNISHER MOVIE HE WAS IN IN 2004. He was a big enough fan of the character to jump at the chance to play him, and then the movie didn't turn out great. Not his fault, since his acting was not the weak link. 3)Those of you complaining about violence, or disagreeing that violence makes for a cool Punisher movie, I guess you're not Punisher fans. He has been a violent murderer since his debut (as a villain, incidentally), and his comics (especially the extremely popular and both fan- and professional-approved recent ones) have never shyed away from violence, except to appease the comics code (which thankfully is no longer around). My personal opinion? The 2004 version was watered-down crap (again, not Jane's fault), and "Warzone" was very cheezy, but fun and Grindhouse-y. Ray Winstone looked and acted like he was written by Ennis and drawn by Steve Dillon, and that's what most of us liked about it. This short (CG blood aside) does seem to have the spirit of the character, and it definitely shows that Jane has passion for the franchise and wants to do it right. As far as I'm concerned, it probably wouldn't fly as a movie (which is too bad, because he really should be in a world of superheroes), but a TV or web series could be great.
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No shit he didn't write or direct the movie, but that doesn't excuse Thomas Jane. He still sucked as the Punisher and that's all anybody remembers. His acting didn't impress me either. He just wasn't the Punisher. George Clooney didn't write or direct Batman & Robin and his Batman was shit in my opinion. Should I welcome Clooney back as Batman if he makes a Batman Begins-esque short film? It must be difficult for Thomas Jane to see all of these Marvel heroes owning the box office and he can't get in on it. Trying to make the Punisher "his" by crawling back and making this short is so utterly pathetic. Only the most desperate, Thomas Jane fangirls, or casual fans of the character want him back in the role.
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July 17, 2012, 2:10 p.m. CST
Jane loves this character. Here's that story from 5 years ago when he pulled out of the sequel...
by JediRob
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/32673
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July 17, 2012, 2:13 p.m. CST
I always thought Tom Sizemore would make the best Frank Castle...
by REMcycle
...but this was pretty sweet.
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July 17, 2012, 2:37 p.m. CST
It is low budget because CG effects are way damn cheaper than practical FX
by Tall_Boy6t6
Seriously the "how can it be real if its fuckin fake" comment is one of the dumbest things I've read in an AICN talkback. Even practical effects are fake, ya damn yutz. Anyway, that was pretty awesome. I'm just a bit surprised it took Frank that long to kill the hell outta everybody but, hey, gotta do laundry sometime.
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You've made your point. You hated this short film, and you hate Thomas Jane, and you think he's a bitch for wanting to do another Punisher movie. Noted. If we promise to constantly remind ourselves that you hate it (We will, I promise!), will you go away and let the rest of us talk about this thing we think is interesting?
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July 17, 2012, 3 p.m. CST
Jane was Frank Castle for 75% of the movie and then became the Punisher we know and love in the climax.
by Mitch
People still don't seem to appreciate that. The Punisher '04 is a great fucking movie. Maybe it's not the Punisher movie you WANTED them to make, but as a Year One/Origin story it kicks ass.
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Follow some of the storylines from Ennis' MAX run. Slowly develop the Punisher from the angry, heart-broken, but well-trained army police officer into the cold, dead-hearted, black-souled machine of the Punisher. Include a lit of the enemies from the MAX series (would love to see live-action Barracuda!), throw in regular Punisher villains like Jig-Saw, Bullseye, Tombstone, etc. Now that Marvel owns the rights back, we could even have crossovers with Luke Cage, Heroes for Hire, Shang-Chi, etc. could be epic! Make it Marvel!
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July 17, 2012, 3:21 p.m. CST
Jane was a decent Punisher in a pile of shit of a movie...
by JackPumpkinhead
...but that was the fault of That Guy Who Penned A Script That He Wanted To Be A Lethal Weapon Sequel But That Was Turned Into A Die Hard Sequel.<p><p> There WAS one decent scene in that crappy flick, and it was the fight against the big mute guy. The scene was destroyed by constant cutting to some fatass dancing to La Donna, but on its own, it was fun. <p><p>Still, as everyone knows, the real Punisher is Ray Stevenson. He was amazing, and his movie was great FUN - which is what comic book movies ought to be. (Here's hoping the new Batman movies will soon be fun again, after that recent, laughably "dark and gritty" series of Batman V, VI and VII.)
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And charlesbronsonsmoustache, I sincerely hope you were kidding.
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HE KILLS ALL THE FILTHY CRIMINALS AND BEAT THEM TO DEATH AND MAKE THEM BLEED. THAT IS THE PUNISHER. DIE YOU FILTHY SCUMBAGS!
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July 17, 2012, 3:51 p.m. CST
punisher 1 was very loosely based on ennis penned, welcome back frank
by walt
the movie didnt do it right, because the writer and director didnt realize that the comic was a very black comedy
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July 17, 2012, 4:16 p.m. CST
What I'd really like to see is a true to continuity 62 year old Vietnam vet, who has been "Punishing" for almost 40 years..
by JediRob
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And Tom still looking good!
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July 17, 2012, 6:02 p.m. CST
This Thomas Jane fella was really good in Highlander, but his french accent needed more coaching.
by Arcadian Del Sol
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July 17, 2012, 6:10 p.m. CST
I liked it, Marvel using a periphery character like the PUNISHER
by chronicallydepressedlemming
for for a satellite R rated movie like this would make sense for the character and could be done at the fraction of the price of the bigger super hero movies. I'd love to see a movie with the Punisher version of 'The Raid'.
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July 17, 2012, 6:35 p.m. CST
I love that Jane has the drive and the initiative to put this together, BUT...
by fanboy71
His grasp of the character stems only from his film, which sucked ass. The Punisher does not sleep in a beat up old van unless he's on a stakeout or something. He has vast funds from taking all the crooks' money, and has safehouses all over New York. The Punisher does not ignore people getting raped and/or beaten. The Punisher is armed at all times, and does not have to rely on indestructible Jack Daniels bottles picked up at the local liquor store. The Punisher is a big bad MF, who you would cross the street to avoid. The criminals fear him more than they would the Batman, and not just after he has stomped their ankles bloody. Thomas Jane is great in a lot of things, but he's not Frank Castle. Ray Stevenson was a much better fit, and an HBO series with Stevenson as Castle would kick unholy ass. Still, you gotta applaud the effort.
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July 17, 2012, 7:12 p.m. CST
@fanboy71, did you skip the whole talkback? Lots of speculation about the very points you mention.
by kevred
Theories include a) this story is before he "officially" became The Punisher, and b) this is a burned-out former Punisher getting back into the game. I don't think anyone could seriously suggest that Jane is trying to show full-on Punisher in this little film. Jane knows more about the character than just what's in his first film.
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July 17, 2012, 7:17 p.m. CST
liquid meddle is obviously bitter about some personal failing
by kevred
And now can't let anyone else feel joy without trying to drag them down. Tom Jane would be great as Punisher again. He could do the R-rated thing and also play seamlessly in the existing Avengers world. He'd fit in both places. Just what a smart Marvel would want in an actor for the role. Unless, of course, Disney stockholders get nervous based on liquid meddle's comments. The world is hanging on those words, after all.
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He has the smirk and humour. Contrary to fugly Jeremy Reinner.
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hes dead jim the one that was resurrected is a straight out badass...without all the toys i take it that you didnt read the punisher that ennis brought back
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July 17, 2012, 7:46 p.m. CST
btw fanboy, lay odds that jane knows the history of frank, better than you....cuz he didnt get it from the movie, but from collecting since the mid 70s
by walt
although his main love was ec he, like many, just prefers the ennis take on the character
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But don't try to tell me Thomas Jane's movie was good. It wasn't. This isn't open to debate. Mr. Jane is like Nic Cage at this point. I don't care how much he loves Punisher or how many comic books or trading cards he owns, it doesn't make him the best pick for the role. His face is forever linked to the steaming pile of shit known as The Punisher, end of story. Nobody deserves to step in it twice.
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Tom, what was the deal with Frank taking so long to get involved? haha good question. the idea was, Frank is trying to take a breather after one particularly hard mission - which has forced him to blow his hideaway and lose everything - again. something that Frank is pretty used to by now. he's managed to escape relatively unscathed, but all he's got left is a .45 or two. he's got to rebuild his life all over again. he's stolen a van and parked it on a forgotten street in the ghetto, where he climbs into the back and gets a few hours of much deserved sleep. Morning comes and he decides he might as well wash the blood out of his uniform, and put something in his stomach. his day hasn't even started yet when sure enough, trouble finds him. again. the last thing he wants to do is get involved with some street punks war party. capiche? he also said that no money at all was spent on the shoot...except rental of area and food...that everyone did it for fun
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Not true. A Rambo movie can work, then a Punisher movie can work.
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Hey folks, could some of you stop referring to the TJ Punisher as the "first" film? The first PUNISHER movie starred Dolph Lundgren as Castle. The Thomas Jane movie was the second attempt, and WARZONE was the third. Jeez, I thought you guys knew this stuff.
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July 18, 2012, 3:28 a.m. CST
The Dolph Lundgren version is technically number zero.
by Liquid Meddle
No skull? No Punisher!
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sign him up! (again)
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July 18, 2012, 8:37 a.m. CST
Stevenson was the best Punisher, then Lundgren and then Jane.
by Stalkeye
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July 18, 2012, 10:01 a.m. CST
But don't try to tell me Thomas Jane's movie was good. It wasn't. This isn't open to debate.
by rogueleader66
Is that right? So your opinion is the definitive one? You say so, and that's it? Wrong. YOU didn't like it. Fine. YOU don't like Thomas Jane. Fine. That doesn't mean anything to anyone but you. You're not wrong, but neither is someone who liked the movie. It's called an opinion, everyone is entitled to one. Even ignorant people. There is no right or wrong opinion, there is only individual choice and taste. ALL film is open to debate, it's a subjective medium. Once you get this into your obviously thick head, then maybe, MAYBE you might be worth talking to. Until that time, you aren't. You're just someone looking to stir shit up. That's called a troll.
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July 18, 2012, 12:32 p.m. CST
The PS2 follow-up game that Jane voiced is the best non-comic iteration of the Punisher
by KongMonkey
Nice brutal interrogation kills ... and cameos by certain other big league Marvel heroes. Black Widow, Nick Fury, Iron Man, etc. Use it as a template if you're gonna reboot the character to film.
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WHAT?! How dare you disagree with me. Shame on you for that. Jane's Punisher is awful. AWFUL! That's all I have left to say about it. Now I'll leave you with Faraci's take on Jane's short film. Savor the flavor.. http://tinyurl.com/6qs3mzq
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Actually, rogueleader, proper critical opinion on art, even mass-consumed art, is based on the aggregation of individual criteria that we as consumers, and especially we as fellow artists, agree upon as relevant to the form. The premise that all art opinion is subjective is patently false and more often than not used as a defensive maneuver by people who can't back up their opinions. Not that I think meddle has done any better with the blanket statement. He/she hasn't. I just bristle a LOT when I hear that subjectivist diarrhea pouring out of someone's mouth.
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I kinda dug the lo-fi vibe, but the ridiculous blood-spray doesn't mesh with the grittier, more "realistic" (in the sense of 'a reflection of reality', not ACTUAL reality) action prior. And I find it negatively manipulative to show a hooker getting beaten (and possibly/probably worse) as a way to engender hatred for an antagonist. He could have taken her behind the alley, then the film cuts away. We know something bad's happening, we don't need to follow them. It's indulgent in the worse way. There's building tension and then there's exploiting. And you can have an exploitation Punisher, but it can't be all gritty realism one monent and exploding skulls and hooker beatdowns the next.
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i enjoyed it. it amazes me that no matter how cool something is, the majority on this site find major problems with it. what the fuck do you guys hang out here for?
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I enjoyed this unapologetically violent short very much. There is some pretty dark stuff going on here! I liked the slow build of rage/irritation building up. There is also a subtle vibe that the Punisher is not averse to being a bit of a psychopath when the right situation comes along. Looking back to the Tom Jane Punisher (2004) movie, it has some great scenes. The scenes with the "Guitar Playing Man" were gold, as was the brutal fight with the "The Large German Man".
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