1 / 8
RUNTIME
Did you know
89 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
The Punisher
"If society won't punish the guilty, he will."
1989 1h 29m EN
😐
5.8
MID
🥫
24%
ROTTEN
👌
63
METACRITIC
⭐
5.6
IMDB
★5.8TMDB · 720🥫24%Rotten Tomatoes●63Metacritic★5.6IMDB · 27,170
ActionCrimeDrama
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
The avenging angel of Marvel Comics fame comes brilliantly to life in this searing action-adventure thriller! Dolph Lundgren stars as Frank Castle, a veteran cop who loses his entire family to a mafia car bomb. His ex-partner believes Castle survived the blast and became the Punisher, living in the sewers and exacting vigilante violence against mob bosses throughout the city. When the populace is caught in the midst of a gang war that he caused, Castle must again emerge from the shadows and save the innocent.
“If society won't punish the guilty, he will.”
Cast
Dolph Lundgren
Frank Castle
Louis Gossett Jr.
Jake Berkowitz
Jeroen Krabbé
Gianni Franco
Kim Miyori
Lady Tanaka
Bryan Marshall
Dino Moretti
Nancy Everhard
Sam Leary
Barry Otto
Shake
Brian Rooney
Tommy Franco
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Mark Goldblatt
- Writers
- Boaz Yakin
- Languages
- German, Spanish, English, Japanese, Portuguese
- Countries
- Australia, United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
37 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
Dialogue crosses 5 languages: German, Spanish, English, Japanese, Portuguese.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
International production across 2 countries: Australia, United States of America.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Directed by Mark Goldblatt, shot by Ian Baker. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Dennis Dreith. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Tim Wellburn shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Dolph Lundgren and Louis Gossett Jr. and Jeroen Krabbé carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Mark Goldblatt directs. Ian Baker behind the camera. Dennis Dreith scores. Tim Wellburn cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Australia, United States of America. Dialogue in German, Spanish, English, Japanese, Portuguese.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 189 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
- 237 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 3Dialogue crosses 5 languages: German, Spanish, English, Japanese, Portuguese.
- 4International production across 2 countries: Australia, United States of America.
- 5Directed by Mark Goldblatt, shot by Ian Baker. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 6Original score by Dennis Dreith. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 7Editor Tim Wellburn shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 8Dolph Lundgren and Louis Gossett Jr. and Jeroen Krabbé carry the top of the cast.
- 9Marketing tagline: "If society won't punish the guilty, he will.".
- 10IMDB entry: tt0098141 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 11Classified under 17 themes, including "showdown", "loss of loved one", "crime fighter", "superhero".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Ian Baker
- Original score
- Dennis Dreith
- Editing
- Tim Wellburn
- Production design
- Norma Moriceau
- Costume design
- Norma Moriceau
- Makeup / hair
- Brian Bertram
- Stunt coordinator
- Chris Anderson
- Runtime
- 89 min · 1h 29m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $9,000,000
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
- Rotten Tomatoes
- 24% 🥫 Rotten
- Metacritic
- 63/100
- IMDB rating
- 5.6/10 · 27,170 votes
- MPAA
- R
Also by
Mark Goldblatt
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Community reviews
What people are saying
- tmdb76622195★ 2/10
Almost works more as a goofball comedy mocking all those action films of the 1980's. Almost. Gossett comes off so much better than the material handed to him.
- Dr Nostromo★ 2/10
21/100 Dolph Lungren as the Punisher and it's exactly what you would expect it to be ...and it didn't age well. 'nuff said. -- DrNostromo.com
Production companies
Who made it
- NE
New World Pictures
AU
- RO
Robert Mark Kamen Productions
US
Key crew
- Stunt DoubleSpike Cherrie
- StuntsZev Eleftheriou
- StuntsZenda Graves
- ProducerRobert Mark Kamen
- CastingMelissa Skoff
- Art DirectionPeta Lawson
- Costume DesignNorma Moriceau
- Production DesignNorma Moriceau
- StuntsSteve Brown
- StuntsDar Davies
- StuntsConnie Gower
- StuntsSinn Chew
- StuntsTom Coltraine
- StuntsJed Armstrong
- CharactersJohn Romita Sr.
- StuntsKerry Blakeman
- StuntsMitch Deans
- CharactersGerry Conway
- StuntsKerry Coleman
- Stunt CoordinatorChris Anderson
- StuntsChan Chuek Wan
- StuntsChris Anderson
- StuntsPeter Culpan
- StuntsRoy Edmunds
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- showdown
- loss of loved one
- crime fighter
- superhero
- villainess
- gang war
- based on comic
- revenge
- vigilante
- organized crime
- mafia
- one man army
- police officer
- one against many
- hard
- action hero
- vigilante justice
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical1989-10-05R
Also known as
International titles
- El vengadorES
- Der PunisherDE
- 血流成河CN
- 惩罚者CN
- پانیشرIR
- مأمور مجازاتIR
- 特警威龍CN
- 特警威龙CN
- パニッシャーJP
