I probably would have given this movie a higher grade if it didn't have some much of a superhero/comic book aura to it. But Alice, isn't it based on a comic book superhero? Why yes it is, avid reader. Yes it is!
However, I felt that this movie had enough presence without needing to push that point that it was based on a comic book. For example, Travolta's death scene was going great. Explosions all around you, burning to death while being dragged by a car rigged with explosives. Genius! And then they pan out so that you can see that this guy who is hell-bent on revenge and justice has taken the time to make sure that when his bombs go off, the fire will form the shape of a skull, so that everyone will know that The Punisher has punished. The skull just wasn't necessary. It was a blatant shout out.
With this huge comic book movie movement, I think the one thing for these films to keep in mind is this: you can do a great comic book based film without shoving down our throats that it was once a comic. (To be perfectly honest, I didn't know that The Punisher was even a comic...or Hellboy, for that matter.)
All in all though, it was a good film. Lots of gore! Sometimes I need to see gore. And kudos to Amy for realizing the hot sons are, in fact, the same actor. Soooooo hot! |