10 Underrated Marvel Movies That Deserve Another Chance

While Frank Castle is now right where he belongs on Netflix, the 2004 Punisher film starring Thomas Jane has been wrongfully called a bad film for too long.

The main source of criticism for this film is that it didn't get the title character "right", which is to say it made him conflicted about what he does, as opposed to just a stone-faced killing machine. In reality, that inner conflict only serves to make the character more complex. Plus, it's not like he doesn't go on his iconic rampages anyway.

More importantly, Jane is right at home in the role and gives his best throughout the entire movie, as it's clear that he has a huge amount of love for the character. And say what you will about John Travolta, but he made for very entertaining villain.

The film has also caught flak from critics for being too over-the-top with the violence and too focused on the revenge aspect, despite the fact that that's literally the entire point of the Punisher.

This is a proper old-school action movie that features some enjoyable chaos, solid acting, and a great story, even if it is a bit over-the-top at times. Netflix's version of the character is definitely better, but this one is worth another look.

(As a side note, if you have yet to see the 2012 short film, Dirty Laundry, in which Jane reprises his role as the Punisher, you should change that right away. It's truly excellent and there's no two ways about that. Even Jon Bernthal credits it as inspiring his interpretation of the character.)