The Punisher (1989)

When Frank Castle's family is murdered by criminals, he wages war on crime as a vigilante assassin known only as the Punisher.

Director:

Mark Goldblatt

Writer:

Boaz Yakin

Stars:

Dolph Lundgren, Louis Gossett Jr., Jeroen Krabbé

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dolph Lundgren	...	Frank Castle
Louis Gossett Jr.	...	Jake Berkowitz
Jeroen Krabbé	...	Gianni Franco (as Jeroen Krabbe)
Kim Miyori	...	Lady Tanaka
Bryan Marshall	...	Dino Moretti
Nancy Everhard	...	Sam Leary
Barry Otto	...	Shake
Brian Rooney	...	Tommy Franco
Zoshka Mizak	...	Tanaka's Daughter
Kenji Yamaki	...	Sato
Hirofumi Kanayama	...	Tomio
Larry McCormick	...	TV Newsreader
Todd Boyce	...	Terrone
Lani John Tupu	...	Laccone (as Larney Tupu)
John Negroponte	...	Musso

Storyline

Based on the Marvel Comic, Dolph Lundgren is Frank Castle an ex-cop who lives in the sewers and acts as judge, jury, and executioner to the city's criminals in retaliation for the unpunished murders of his wife and kids. Frank's ex-partner Jake (Louis Gossett Jr.) finally catches up with the vigilante as he tries to stop the Japanese mob, which is trying to take over the city's mafia operation.

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Plot Keywords:

vigilante | japanese | marvel comics | murder | yakuza | 

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Taglines:

If society won't punish the guilty, he will.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Details

Country:

Australia USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 October 1989 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

A Büntető

Filming Locations:

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Box Office

Budget:

$9,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

New World Pictures (Australia), New World Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min 76 min (heavily cut) (1990) (1995)

Sound Mix:

Stereo (Dolby Stereo)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie was released theatrically worldwide, except in the United States due to New World Pictures' bankruptcy, and in Sweden due to censorship (it would come out later on video). It did have a US 35mm screening on July 8th 1990 at the L.A. Comic Book and Science Fiction (on a triple bill with "The Flash" CBS-TV series and "The Guyver") and then on October 18th 2008 at the Escapism Film Festival, Durham (NC) where director Mark Goldblatt brought his own 35mm print (as well as the "I Must Break You" Dolph Lundgren Fest April 18th 2009 at the L.A. New Beverly).

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Goofs

In a long shot of rack-torture scene, everyone is clearly standing on a place-marker.

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Quotes

The Punisher: I still talk to God sometimes, I ask him if what I'm doing is right or wrong, I'm still waiting for an answer, and until I get one, I'll be waiting, watching, THE GUILTY WILL BE PUNISHED!

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Connections

Referenced in Twisted Sisters (2006)

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Soundtracks

"Winning isn't Everything, It's the Only thing"
Performed and Written by Bobby Laurel
Courtesy of Gary Lazar Productions

User Reviews

The Gulity will be punished

Dolph Lundgren is the Punisher in my mind after seeing this movie. Yeah the filming was a little cheap and they eliminated the skull on his shirt but Lundgren captured Frank Castle's descent into madness perfectly. The film opens up five years after the death of Frank Castle and his family as we see in flashbacks this pushed Castle over the edge and into a Vendetta for revenge. Top marks go to Lou Gosset Jr as he Carries his end f the movie beautifully Gossett And Lundgren are the movie. Some of the other actors fall Flat and are not really convincing Only Jerome Krabbe Carries his role off with any hint of class or style. Some of the bad acting in this movie is it's downfall but it captures the style and spirit of the comic Something the remake strives to do but not quite. This movie is a Fun shut your brain off for 92 minutes and sit back and enjoy action classic