Punisher: War Zone Review

Punisher: War Zone feels like two films. There’s a grungy, violent, story of a tired and broken man. Then there’s a comic book villain, laughing manically with a scarred face. They feel very different, and I only really like one of them. Due to that odd juxtaposition, and the lack of commitment to one or the other, the film feels like it’s operating with one hand tied behind it’s back. So as a package it’s only ever going to be average.

If I just focus on the broken man, we’ve got ourselves a corker of a Punisher film! Ray Stevenson punches a guy in the face so hard it caves in. That might be all you need to know! In which case, it’s on Netflix so crack on.

This Punisher is what I think of when I think of the character. Uncompromising. Imposing. Takes the most direct route to dispatching those deemed punishable. I love the slicked back hair. I also love that he’s older, and clearly fucked. He’s a husk of a man; staggering forward with no desire to change his ways. You look at him and you think “I bet his knees are a mess”. He’s barely holding it all together. So moments of him attempting to be a human hit harder. When he encounters children you can see a memory of a Dad. He’s trying really hard to remember. Doesn’t stop him blowing heads off in their vicinity mind you.

As someone who likes a bit of tacticool action, I really like Stevenson’s methodical approach. He pauses to reload each gun, or to place them back in their holster. Bar the odd flashy moment he’s deliberately paced and brutal. Why enter the room when a grenade will do the trick?

I feel as though I should discuss Jigsaw, whose persona and more OTT nature informs the other half of the film. But…no? I’ve no issue with Dominic West. I think he was doing his best with what he was given. He’s chewing the scenery as much as his character’s face has been! Perhaps that was the point, but it didn’t work for me. The director etc let him do it, so calling him out seems a bit harsh. It’s just jarring.

Stevenson is amazing, and is worth watching alone. Unfortunately he’s in a film that doesn’t match his level.