When people think of the various actors who have played Marvel superhero The Punisher in live action, one guy a lot of people don’t remember is Dolph Lundgren. Part of that may be due to the fact that, depending on what part of the world you lived in at the time, the 1989 version of The Punisher went direct to video. Indeed, in North America, this low-budget take on the character not only never hit theatres, but it took two years after it played in theatres all over the rest of the world to finally become available. This was such to the chagrin of comic book fans in the U.S, with a poster of Lundgren in character as Frank Castle heavily advertised in many Marvel comic books of the era.
When it finally became available, the movie was largely dismissed as just another action flick. In an effort to ground the story (somewhat), the controversial decision was made not to have Frank Castle wear the iconic skull-emblazoned shirt that was his trademark. Yet, in the years since its release, the movie has pulled in a small but devoted cult following, with many holding the film up as superior to any of the big-screen versions that followed, including the 2004 Thomas Jane-led film and the Ray Stevenson-fronted sequel, Punisher: War Zone.
In this original video, our host Kier Gomes digs into why it took so long for The Punisher to see the light of day in North America, and why it’s better than you might remember. We also examine the different versions of the movie that have come to light, including a more violent, unrated cut, and more. So, if you’re keen to revisit this lost piece of cinematic history, let us tell you all about the Punisher movie you may have never seen.
