10 Jokes In Old Superhero Movies They Wouldn't Get Away With Now
6. Subtlety... Not A Punisher Strength
The 2004 version of The Punisher was better than most people gave it credit for. Mostly marred by John Travolta's scene-chewing performance and a few hamfisted bits of dialogue, it otherwise stands as a strong adaptation of the "Welcome Back, Frank" period of Garth Ennis's run with the character.
However, the need to hammer home the fact that Howard Saint's number two, Quentin Glass, was gay, was handled with all the deftness and grace of a bazooka shot to the nuts.
As Quentin is lured to a secret meeting by Frank Castle in order to manufacture evidence of an affair between Glass and the wife of mob boss Howard Saint, Glass is bothered by a clothing salesman with questionable tactics:
Sales Person: Need any help with some underpants, sir?
Quentin Glass: Go f*** yourself.
The interaction is so cringeworthy and unnecessary -- the salesman is such a mincing little creep, and Quentin comes off as self-hatingly abrasive -- that it paints the entire film's view on homosexuality in unpleasant tones.