9 Comic Book Movies That Divided Critics And Fans
6. Punisher: War Zone
War Zone was the last roll of the dice for The Punisher on the big screen. Despite having a fairly fool proof concept – violent vigilante kills bad people in gory ways – the first two movies still made a mess of things. Neither the Dolph Lundgren nor Tom Jane versions worked, leaving it up to War Zone to make Frank Castle a movie star.
Didn’t work out that way, since it bombed and received scathing reviews. Since 2008 was also the year of The Dark Knight, War Zone’s campy style just didn’t appeal to the masses either. For those who actually saw it, though, the movie was an utter delight. Soon a small but dedicated fanbase sprung up around it, praising the film’s over the top violence, silly humour and retro leanings, and claiming the film was a superior adaptation of the Garth Ennis run.
The film has since become a real cult favourite, with celebrity fans like Patton Oswalt and Kevin Smith singing its praises.