Frank Castle (aka The Punisher) is back to do some more punishing. In 2004’s original, “The Punisher,” ex-Special Forces operative and ex-FBI undercover agent Frank (then played by Thomas Jane) burned up a Tampa bad guy for killing Frank’s wife and daughter at a family reunion, after Frank killed the bad guy’s bad son. In “Punisher: War Zone” Frank (now played by Ray Stevenson) burns up a New York City badguy who kidnapped the wife and daughter of an undercover FBI agent whom Frank had killed by mistake. In the new backstory, Frank’s wife and daughter were killed on a picnic when the inadvertently witnessed a mob hit. Born of a 1974 Marvel Comic, Frank’s life’s work is dealing death to evildoers. Black, Chinese, Russian and Irish skinhead street armies supply ripe targets for a bloodbath royale. Adolescent notions of vengeful justice get slick, sarcastic treatment by director Lexi Alexander. Nick Santora, Art Marcum or Matt Holloway penned the final line, in one combination or another: “Oh God, now I’ve got brains splattered all over me.” 107m. (Bill Stamets)
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