Punisher: The Movie - Take 3

The new Punisher movie is coming out (trailer below). This is take three from Hollywood on this particular character. So far, the one review I read was quite positive and I fully expect this to be the most accurate and faithful depiction of the character on the silver screen. That is to say, it will be violent... really, really violent.

Since I've been writing so much about superhero movies, and since this one is kind of flying under the radar compared to the blockbusters, I thought I would give a brief history of the films that aren't quite a franchise, but rather a continual attempt to do it right the first time.

The first Punisher movie was in 1989 starring '80s Soviet action star Dolph Lungren in the title role. Lungren is best known to '80s action fans as Captain Ivan Drago in Rocky IV. Although I can barely remember this movie, as memory serves, it isn't that bad... at least as far as '80s action movies go. Dolph delivers a surprisingly accurate portrayal of this fairly one dimensional character. There are guns, explosions, and lots of bad guys die. At any rate, it's better than the more recent movie.

In 2004, Jonathan Hensleigh, husband of frequent Marvel film producer Gale Anne Hurd (formerly married to James Cameron and Brian de Palma), made a new version of Punisher with romance star Thomas Jane and John Travolta as the villain. Aside from the hammy villainy of John Travolta, I can't say much about the acting. It was good. However, the script and directing was so very tedious.

It clearly had two main influences. The first was Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's brilliant twelve-issue mini-series later titled "Welcome Back, Frank." Ennis and Dillon made a reputation on their creator owned comic Preacher for extreme violence, profanity, and generally disgusting content. Regardless, it's honestly one of the five best comic series I've ever read. The writing is actually very thoughtful, deliberate, and most important, consistent. There aren't really any periods where the story seems to wander or a new artist comes in who isn't as good as the old one. It's top notch from start to finish. These are the same qualities he brings to Punisher.

Now, it should be said, that Ennis is from Ireland and a big fan of American Westerns from John Wayne to Clint Eastwood. Preacher is, essentially, a modern Western/biblical adventure. Likewise, his run on Punisher had certain western elements including the dopey kid who inexplicably likes the unlikable hero, a mousy school marm-type who has a crush on him, and a fat, jolly, and ineffective community leader. All of this is well and good in moderation, but Hensleigh takes these elements way, way, way too far.

The other obvious influence was Sergio Leone's Once Upon A Time In The West, perhaps more obvious to me because I just saw it. The result is that we get awkward and inappropriate Western cliche's and music. There is at least one "stand off" where, instead of a tumbleweed blowing past, it's a newspaper. Also, the mousy school marm was cast as Rebecca Romijn and reworked into a very awkward romantic interest.

But my favorite Punisher movie of all time was Brian Helgeland's Payback starring Mel Gibson (Ah, the days before we all hated Mel Gibson). Technically, it's not the Punisher, but it is everything you want from a Punisher movie, which is the vicarious thrill of doing to the worst people in the world what they do to everyone else.

Now, where do I want to see Punisher next? Well, aside from the proposed Daredevil TV show, I want to see him in a Spider-Man movie. Punisher first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #129 (1974) and was immediately a success. Here you had a humorless, soldier with no powers whatsoever going against the wise-cracking, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. He quickly started appearing in other comics for two reasons. First, the fact that he kills distinguishes him from all the other costumed crimefighters and puts their methods (as well as his own) into question. Second, he has NO POWERS! This is a guy whose tough enough to take on big league superheroes with a high powered rifle, a van with enough weaponry to annex a small country, several tons of explosive, and pure grit.

Hollywood needs to realize what comic writers found out years ago. Punisher works best as a supporting character.

Projects I want to see: Daredevil TV show

One of my favorite writers, in any medium, is David E. Kelley. The volume of work, depth of character, and eagerness to address important, controversial issues is astonishing to me. With The Practice, Kelley sought to explore the complex morality of being a defense attorney and the effect it has on good people.

But it's hard for me to watch it without thinking "Man, a Daredevil TV show would be awesome." This show has much in common with the Daredevil comic. Both feature a handsome and self-destructive Irish Catholic criminal defense attorney trying to run an honest practice in the worst neighborhood of the city.

Now, there has been talk about doing another Daredevil movie in the style of Incredible Hulk and Punisher: War Zone (i.e. completely recast it and more or less ignore the last movie). Now, unless they hire Frank Miller to direct it (which is entirely possible), I don't think they should go this direction... and even if they do tap Frank Miller, they should still do the TV show.

Why? One, live-action prime time drama is a medium and genre that Marvel has yet to penetrate. Two, Daredevil (aside from the costume, perhaps) is uniquely suited to the constraints of television. He is a martial artist with no superpowers (other than super-senses, anyway). Three, it is a great way for Marvel to expose their other street level superheroes who may not have enough visibility to warrant their own movie. Four, the potential spin-off possibilities are numerous, as I will detail below.

The core of the show would be Matt Murdock (AKA Daredevil), his legal partner Foggy Nelson (played in the movie by Jon Favreau), and legal secretary Karen Page. Together they work at the law offices of Nelson & Murdock located in Hell's Kitchen in New York City.

But it is the supporting characters that would really make it work:

Luke Cage - Matt's first criminal case was a court appointed position to defend an accused murder. Matt lost the case, but managed to get him out of prison later on appeal. Luke now works as a private eye and Matt frequently uses him to gain background information on a case. Luke also works informally as a bodyguard for clients and employees alike for times when the law office is under siege.

Lt. Frank Castle - Special Forces Gulf War veteran, Frank Castle joined the force after his tour of duty was up and got married. But Frank never really got over the war and often he feels like he is fighting a new war. In the beginning of the show, he would be the Javert to Matt's Valjean chasing the vigilante Daredevil across rooftops. As the story progresses, Frank would become a well-intentioned, but dirty cop, planting and concealing evidence which pits him against defense attorney Matt Murdock. Of course, the turning point would be when Frank makes the wrong enemy and his family is brutally murdered. Then Frank takes Daredevil's lead and becomes The Punisher. (Potential spin-off number one.)

The Kingpin - This is a character you can hold in reserve for a season or two wherein you hear about him, but you never see him. Who is the Kingpin? Everyone wants to know, especially when he starts paying attention to Daredevil and Matt Murdock. In his civilian identity, Wilson Fisk leaves a large retainer for Matt Murdock to represent not only him, but many under his employment.

Ben Urich - In the comics, Ben Urich is a hardworking Bob Woodward-esque reporter who discovers Daredevil's identity, then buries it. Afterward, he helps Daredevil bring down the Kingpin. He would make a great addition to the cast by being able to both help and hinder Matt Murdock by reporting on him and his enemies.

Bullseye - Colin Farrell was the best part of the recent DD movie, by being a completely sympathetic psychopath. The only difference in a TV show is that he can kill regular characters... and almost certainly would.

Elektra - Another late addition to the show could be Matt's greatest mistake, Elektra the ninja assassin. In the comics, she replaced Bullseye as Kingpin's personal assassin percipitating multiple fights between her and Matt... as well as her and Bullseye. Of course, in this show there would be plenty of people to match her up with. (Second possible spin-off.)

Mary Walker - In the comics, she is Typhoid Mary, a multiple personality acquaintance of Daredevil's who often tries to kill him. I think they should cast her as a DA whose work slowly takes its toll on her already troubled mind until she adopts the persona of Typhoid Mary. Vigilante or villain, either way it would work.

Others - If the show was successful, you could slowly introduce other characters from the same superhero sub-genre including Danny Rand (AKA Iron Fist, multi-millionaire martial artist who teams up with Luke Cage in the comics), Marc Spector (AKA Moon Knight), Melvin Potter (AKA the Gladiator, reformed villain and friend of Matt's), and many, many more. Naturally, plenty of spin-off potential here as well. As for villains, you could populate it with every street level Marvel criminal who can't support a movie like the Owl, the Hood, Tombstone, Jigsaw, Hammerhead, Mr. Hyde...

Now, the only trick would be finding the right showrunner, but I'm sure a superhero legal drama would be a huge success if done well.