http://www.cutprintfilm.com/blu/the-punisher/
THE PICTURE 4/5
Likely utilizing the same transfer previously used on Anchor Bay’s UK and Koch Media’s German mediabook release, the theatrical cut (and unrated cut, minus those inserts) looks quite good. Colors aren’t remarkable strong, despite its comic book influence (it somehow feels almost like a black and white film at times, except for blood and fire), but this was definitely by design. Flesh tones (well, except for Dolph’s) looks naturalistic and warm; textures are also ably captured (kinda like the floor of the Italian restaurant paved with Nazi symbols (?), which I’ve only noticed just now for the first time). This is a huge improvement over the previous DVD release, which was somewhat foggy and dark. As for the workprint version, don’t go in expecting comparable quality: it’s presented here in standard definition from the director’s personal (possibly VHS) collection. But it’s certainly watchable.
THE SOUND 4/5
Also excellent. The theatrical cut is presented in two options — 5.1 DTS and 2.0 Stereo — and obviously the 5.1 is the way to go. The Punisher‘s carnage barely stops, which means your home theater system is gonna get a nice workout. The bullets, the bombs, the shattering glass, the drunken rhyming — it all sounds pretty wonderful. Bummer about the no subtitles, especially when some of Dolph’s dialogue sounds a little muffled (his fault, not the audio presentation), but instances like these aren’t too prevalent. (I will make mention of the sounds utilized throughout the interactive menu — the sound used when making a selection off the menu seems abnormally loud. I tested the disc on two players and had the same effect. Be on the lookout for this before it scares you to death.)
THE SUPPLEMENTS 4/5
The audio commentary with director Mark Goldblatt (available only with the unrated cut, and available via the special features menu, not the audio button on your remote) is pretty exhaustive. He manages to remember the name of nearly every actor appearing on screen, even those in bit parts. He talks about the workprint version and makes it sound like it was his idea to remove the entire opening, making the film seem more “elliptical,” (which seems refuted in Dolph’s interview, where he blames it on executives). This is a very informative track with hardly any breaks for silence; he talks a lot about his influences and what the action film looked like during that particular era.
The subsequent interview with him treads a lot of the same ground as his commentary, although he talks more in-depth about working with Dolph and how he became involved in the project (and about how they were first considering Steven Seagal for Frank Castle!).
The interview with Dolph Lundgren runs about five minutes and seems to have taken place in between reps, as he’s standing in what looks like the lobby of a gym in West Hollywood — complete with people in the background going about their business or staring distractingly into the camera. It’s a shame that a longer (and better organized) interview segment with him wasn’t nailed down.
The complete list of special features is as follows:
— Three cuts of the film: theatrical, unrated, and the director’s personal workprint
— Audio Commentary with Mark Goldblatt (Unrated Cut)
— Violence Down Under’: New Interview With Mark Goldblatt
— ‘Vengeance Is His’: New Interview With Dolph Lundgren
— Gag Reel
— Trailer
— Reversible Cover Art Featuring Newly Commissioned Artwork
OVERALL 4/5
Depending on who you ask, (and comic book fanatics are usually part of the conversation), every film so far baring the Punisher name has been cited as both the best and the worst attempt at bringing the character to celluloid. Given that Frank Castle has always been a somewhat dark character (a murdered family tends do that), there’s a genuine attempt to cloak Lundgren’s iteration of the character in as much darkness as possible. Yeah, ultimately The Punisher is kind of a stupid movie, but despite that, the attention paid to Frank Castle’s suffering as a man still mourning his family is ever present, which is why he shoots all the men he does! Take that, add Louis Gossett Jr., who makes any film more awesome, and you’ve got a non-pretentious actioneer sure to scratch your carnage itch. While we continue to wait for a domestic blu-ray release from rights-holder Lionsgate (and given how big Marvel is right now, it’s weird they still haven’t), this REGION FREE(!) release from Umbrella Entertainment is an excellent substitute.
(and about how they were first considering Steven Seagal for Frank Castle!).
It's Seagal who wanted to star in it, but from what Goldblatt told me he wasn't seriously considered ("Above the Law" had not -or barely- come out when "The Punisher" was cast). On the other hand, producer Robert Kamen originally wanted Christophe Lambert to play Frank Castle, they met in Paris and Lambert toyed with the idea for a while before declining (according to Kamen the studio didn't want to pay enough)...
