Cast: Thomas Jane, John Travolta, Will Patton, Rebecca Romijn, Laura Harring
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Rating:
Enetertainment Quotient: 60%
Genre: Action
Running time: 124 minutes
MPAA rating: R for pervasive brutal violence, language and brief nudity.

Synopsis:
This film is based on the comic book ‘The Punisher’. Frank Castle (Thomas Jane) is an FBI agent who specialises in sting operations. In one such operation, he ends up killing the son of a mafia bigwig Howard Saint (John Travolta).  In retaliation, Saint sends his men to kill the entire family of Frank. However, Frank survives the mayhem and comes back to avenge the death of his family.

What is special in the film?
As the don Saint attacks Frank directly, Frank adapts psychological warfare to destroy the men, money and reputation of Saint. That is quite a different style of seeking avenge. It also has a great chase sequence in which the son and wife of Frank are killed. The fight with the indomitable Russian is comical. The director depended more on the solid plot rather than special effects and modern narration techniques. Thomas Jane is excellent in the title role. John Travolta is very good.

What is not so good in the film?
There is excessive violence.

Any other film with striking similarities?
Madmax

Tailpiece: Thomas Jane is very familiar to Telugu movie lovers as he played the hero’s role in Jandhyala’s Padamati Sandhya Ragam. He is paired opposite Vijaya Shanti. He played a soft character in that film and he plays the role of a fiery avenger in The Punisher.