Punisher - War Zone

THRILLER/ACTION

Worn without much distinction by Dolph Lundgren and Thomas Jane in two previous outings, the Punisher’s body armour proves a similarly uncomfortable fit for Ray Stevenson in this latest attempt to reboot the comic book franchise. Despite the all-out carnage promised in the title, director Lexi Green Street Alexander’s drab and dingy thriller focuses largely on chat as the Punisher, aka Frank Castle, revenges himself on freshly disfigured crime-boss Jigsaw (Dominic West).

Alexander’s most effective set piece comes early on, when Frank interrupts a mobster’s dinner by hanging by his heels from a chandelier, spinning in circles while mowing down guests with machine gun fire. Given that he’s supposedly mourning for his dead wife and family, such acrobatic feats hardly fit the Punisher’s supposedly sensitive profile; throw in some cringe-worthy comedy relief from Wayne Knight as sidekick Micro, and you have another runt of the litter in the super-hero breed.

General release from Fri 6 Feb.