Every Marvel Comic Book Movie Ranked From Worst To Best

Though it was appreciated by its cult following, 2004's The Punisher failed to deliver on Lionsgate's desire to kick-start a franchise, so the decision was made to reboot the character under the short-lived Marvel Knights film banner (which only ever also included Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance).

While the film is the closest to the source material, it's a little too fascinated with fetishising violence (I mean, obviously, given the character), in a way that rather distracts from the entertainment factor. It's a little too po-faced and serious, leading to surprisingly dull moments and the script really doesn't take advantage of Ray Stevenson's performance.

And it really doesn't help the film's cause that lots of it is swathed in near-impenetrable darkness.