Punisher: War Zone

This sequel, like most others, is not as good as the original. In fact, this one is barely even a sequel. You do not need to have seen the first installment to pick up the story in this one. None of the characters are played by the same actors, and there are even slight storyline differences which a fan of the first movie might find annoying.

This movie may appeal to some segments of the movie-loving audience. I however, am not in that demographic. This movie is more about the violence and gore than about the smart, funny, quirky characters who orbit around the main character. These types of characters are there, no question, but they are overshadowed by all the splatter. This movie felt more like a Batman or Dick Tracy story than the original Punisher.

Ray Stevenson does a credible job playing the all-too-human super hero. And Dominic West is over-the-top as the bad guy, but in this type of story, that is what is expected.

Watch this movie at your own risk and without pasta and sauce in front of you.