Basics
Title: The Punisher
Rating: R for pervasive brutal violence, language and brief nudity
Running Time: 124 min/141 min (director's cut)
Release Date: April 16, 2004 (USA)
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Writer: Jonathan Hensleigh and Michael France
Genre: Action / Crime / Thriller
Tagline: This Is Not Revenge. It's Punishment!
Synopsis
Former Delta Force operative and FBI undercover agent Frank Castle had it all: a loving family, a great life and an upcoming desk job. On his final assignment, Castle plays his undercover role perfectly, but the operation spins out of control and a young man, Bobby Saint, is inadvertently killed. Unfortunately, Bobby is soon revealed to actually be one of the two sons of Howard Saint, a ruthless mob boss. Inflamed by the death of their son, the Saints are willing to risk their newfound legitimacy on a wholesale mission of vengeance. Castle's worst nightmare is about to come true, as Howard Saint's lieutenants perform a massacre at the Castle family reunion, among the victims include Frank's wife, his son and his parents. Castle himself is shot multiple times by John Saint and the other killers, who then leave him for dead after rigging nearby fuel pumps and the dock to explode. Castle is blown off the dock by the shock wave, then is rescued and nursed back to health by a local who was out to sea when the massacre took place.
Until this moment, he has spent his entire life adhering strictly to the law. However, experience has taught him that the law cannot and will not adequately penalize the people who murdered his entire family (Howard Saint is above the law, with the authorities in his pocket and his men with a license to kill). Drawing upon all he has learned in 20 years, Castle sets in motion a diabolical plan to punish all of those responsible. The film ends with an explosive finale as all of Saint's men (including Harry Heck and The Russian) are eliminated, when Howard Saint, having been manipulated into killing both his wife and his best friend, is dragged by a Lincoln Towncar into a bomb-laden parking lot after he was shot and fatally wounded in the chest by Castle and killed in the explosion. His revenge is taken, but now will continue his vigilante mission against others who deserve punishment.
Cast
Thomas Jane... Frank Castle / The Punisher (as Tom Jane)
John Travolta... Howard Saint
Will Patton... Quentin Glass
Eddie Jemison... Mickey Duka
Rebecca Romijn... Joan (as Rebecca Romijn-Stamos)
Ben Foster... Dave
John Pinette... Bumbo
Laura Harring... Livia Saint
James Carpinello... Bobby Saint
Marco St. John... Chief Morris
Samantha Mathis... Maria Castle
Marcus Johns... Will Castle
Bonnie Johnson... Betty Castle
Roy Scheider... Frank Castle Sr.
Veryl Jones... Candelaria
Kevin Nash... The Russian
Yamil Piedra... Toro Pit Boss
Eduardo Yáñez... Mike Toro (as Eduardo Yanez)
Omar Avila... Joe Toro
A. Russell Andrews... Jimmy Weeks (as Russell Andrews)
Mark Collie... Harry Heck
Russ Comegys... Tattooed Mike
Antoni Corone... T.J.
Rick Elmhurst... Newscaster
Jim Meskimen... Accountant
Jack Swanson... Accountant
Alan Lilly... Accountant
Carleth Keys... Newscaster
Terry Loughlin... Spoon
Marc Macaulay... Dante
Tom Nowicki... Lincoln
Robin O'Dell... Reporter
Steve Raulerson... Yuri Astrov
Hank Stone... Cutter
Sonny Surowiec... Saint Puerto Rico Enforcer
Josh Thomas... NBC Newscaster
Bobby Black... Chino Binamo (as Bobby Black)
William Haze... The EMT
Vincent Lecavalier... Himself (scenes deleted)
John Lynch... Himself (scenes deleted)
Michael Reardon... Toro Croupier (as Michael Francis)
John Baker... News Reporter (uncredited)
Jeff Chase... Enforcer (uncredited)
Georgia Chris... Reporter (uncredited)
Darla Delgado... Castle Family Member (uncredited)
Michael Thomas Dunn... Beach Visitor (uncredited)
Hatcher Flaschen... Sales Person (uncredited)
Khris Gibston... FBI Agent (uncredited)
John Hill... Casino Patron (uncredited)
Jillian Kinsman... Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Nick Loren... Agent Moss (uncredited)
Walter Medina... Flirt at Casino Tables (uncredited)
Michael A. Quill... Lieutenant (uncredited)
Kassie Spielman... Castle Family Member (uncredited)
Heather Trzyna... Castle Family Member (uncredited)
Soundtrack
* "Step Up" by Drowning Pool
* "Bleed" by Puddle of Mudd
* "Slow Motion" by Nickelback
* "Never Say Never" by Queens of the Stone Age
* "Broken" by Seether Feat. Amy Lee
* "Finding Myself" by Smile Empty Soul
* "Lost In A Portrait" by Trapt
* "Still Running" by Chevelle
* "Ashes To Ashes" by Damageplan Feat. Jerry Cantrell
* "Sold Me" by Seether
* "Eyes Wired Shut" by Edgewater
* "Slow Chemical" by Finger Eleven
* "The End Has Come" by Ben Moody Feat. Jason Miller & Jason "Gong" Jones
* "Piece By Piece" by Strata
* "Bound To Violence" by Hatebreed
* "Sick" by Seven Wiser
* "Complicated" by Submersed
* "Time For People" by Atomship
* "In Time" by Mark Collie