THE GREATEST PUNISHER 

I saw this movie in an empty theater - week before Christmas - and it will always be one of my favorite theater experiences. Ray truly was the best one, even if one hates the movie. Same with Wayne Knight as Micro.

Ray was the best Punisher. My heart sank when I found out he passed.

Wow this was a beautifully crafted tribute to Ray Stevenson. This was basically how I felt about his version of Punisher as well I remember telling people to go see this movie at the theater and no one was really feeling it but I knew that he was great as The Punisher and he was also my favorite in Ahsoka as Baylan Skoll. RIP Ray Stevenson.

R.I.P. Ray Stevenson.

War Zone Punisher? Wow that's a hot take but to me, he is the most comic accurate as in the most stoic man on a mission version of the character. Truly someone to be feared.

Ray Stevenson comes off like he's Frank Castle from The Punisher MAX comics

Punisher war zone was a banger of a movie. And coming from a die hard punisher fan, Ray Stevenson's performance as the punisher was excellent. War zone is what a punisher movie should be. And nothing wrong with the 2004 punisher movie because I love that one too. The punisher 2004 is good story wise and a different take on Frank's origins. Vee I would like to see more. That's no way to punish the punisher.

This version of The Punisher has always come off to me as a more aged than grizzled Punisher who has been around for almost a decade more.

Every time I feel like the loss of Ray has stopped hurting, a correction to that misjudgement blindsides my like a truck at an intersection.

I won't lie I almost cry every time Kevin smiles at the end of your vids..RIP to these legends, Ray is awesome in a bunch of stuff, but I most knew him from Dexter.

You convinced me, I have never watched this movie but I will now.

Finally, I hate when people complain about this movie, it's so perfect and adaptation of the punisher it is tops on the list of comic accurate renditions of a comic character

Ray was a very underrated actor.. from his time on Dexter to Asoka... But his role as Frank Castle was epic

Thats no way the punish the punisher ! Your channel is awesome Vee !

Each Punisher was good for their time. I remember Ray Stevenson from when he did "King Arthur" and "Rome". He was one of those guys who could look into a camera and let his eyes tell a story when you think about it. That was one of his secrets to being a solid shoe in for the role and it is truly regrettable that we never got more of him in it as he was as if ripped right off the page.

Ray Stevenson was a great actor. I discovered him in HBO's Rome. Best character in the show. Even though he didn't really play one of the major historical figures.

This movie is my introduction to the character my dad got this for me on dvd when i was a kid and i loved it and watched it everyday at one point in my life

I love PUNISHER: WARZONE. One of the best comic book adaptations. I think Daredevil S2 is the best version of Punisher. His show on Netflix was the perfect Punisher at the end of season 2 but the rest of the show was kind just an okay version. RIP Ray Stevenson.

he was the punisher and he lives it and breathes it and more stoic features

Please keep the punisher content coming, we're here for it.

I so agree may he r.i.p. Stevenson I think he was straight out the comic books in look ,acting , and movie it's self I think he was the best punisher put on screen and punisher war zone is one of the most underrated movie and the best one

I loved that collateral damage scene cause too many people who’ve never read a comic assume that Frank doesn’t care about the innocent and just wants to kill criminals. No, The Punisher absolutely cares about the innocent. He knows he’s damned but he does what he does so no one else will ever have to go through what he did or be damned themselves. Side note: I love that he played the character again in the Super Hero Squad cartoon and somehow made the Punisher (with his intimidation) work in a preschool kids’ cartoon

One of the very few times that a sequel wiped the floor with its predecessor and was still dismissed by almost everybody. Long live the parkour/rocket/exploding dude scene.

While I’m more a fan of the Thomas Jane Punisher and movie, love the grounded brutality of Jon Bernthal Punisher, and love Dolph Lundgren Punisher just cause it’s Dolph Lundgren, Ray Stevenson is the most Punisher out of all, like straight out of the comics but adding a more stronger morality and I can totally see giving Spider-Man a challenge. The movie is bloody fun and much like a comic book movie but with the tragedy to make us feel for the guy. That’s no way to punish the Punisher. And Rest In Peace Ray.

As someone who have seen Punisher and Daredevil........1000% agree still RAY STEVENSON was the PUNISHER, the best rendition and interpretation of this character in the big and small screen, he looks just like Castle, but also act and emote the same way, Ray did such a fantastic job and is so sad he only did it twice, I always liked his Punisher since day one and always sad when found videos not giving this man his flowers for his amazing portrayal, thanks for been the first video I found praising him as it should be.

What a banger video. I just recently watched this again and it always blows me away.

As a person who has seen them all, there is no doubt that the late Ray Stevenson ( RIP) did the Best cinematic adaptation of the Punisher, but IMO Jon Bernthal is Best Punisher & it probably is because he was in three seasons ( Daredevil S2, Punisher S1& 2)which allowed him to grow the character, making him someone you cared about…Stay Nerdy 🖖🏾

Dolph Lundgren looked like the Punisher the way he was drawn back then.

This is always been my favorite iteration of this character and my favorite punisher movie to boot!John B. is great from what I’ve seen with him on the show Ray Stevenson is and always will be the punisher! Great video as usual.

Ray Stevenson was the overall best, yet no one saw WarZone when it came to theatres. Everyone has Netflix so they are most familiar with Bernthals punisher, which LOOKED good, but the show wasn’t just about the punisher. Tom Jane was the standard but He was more true to form in the video game, and the dirty laundry short film. Dolph lungren was great as the 90s punisher,he just needed the iconic skull on his uniforms

If you haven't seen the BTS footage of this movie, you should. Ray gets shown how to do stuff by actual Navy SEALs and towers over them while taking on their lessons - he literally makes grown men look like children!

i remember when this film was being promoted at a local theater (Had this awesome life size cut up) with coming soon under the Punisher (The film itself was at the theater less then a month and pulled) Wasn’t able to see it on a big screen! It’s very sad the film bombed it was imo the best adaptation of The Punisher (The internet wasn’t too kind to it for a while) It’s truly misunderstood and deserves a second look (Especially by the people who went out of there way to trash it) There is so much to it as a comic book adaptation (It’s one of the strongest homage to any character in any comic book)

4:30 I didn't feel like his Punisher felt real. It felt like a movie being made as an excuse to make an ultra-violent action movie. I know The Punisher is ultra-violent, but, he still has a sense of justice. There's a scene in Punisher's first appearance in the Netflix series, in Daredevil season 2, where Frank goes to this pawnshop and is offered kiddy porn. That scene, you have to see it, that one scene made me think, okay, these guys get Frank Castle. That is The Punisher I've read all those years. He doesn't say anything, but you see it in his eyes, in his expression, then he locks the door, and you know what's going to happen to that shopkeep

RIP to Ray Stevenson, the most comic Accurate Punisher we've ever had (Berthenal is great with the demeanor and physicality, but the character himself always seems like he's looking for an end to his suffering. While Punisher in the comics sees it as his duty to punish)

absolutely agree. i've seen every version of the punisher that there is, and i'll always think this version is PERFECT.

Punisher War Zone is also my favorite Punisher movie. Ray Stevenson is really the best Punisher.

I applaud Stevenson's Punisher for keeping the brussels sprouts out of the mac and cheese.

Punisher was never a cop in the comics. He was a marine.

I am so with you on this. I watched Punisher War Zone after it had been out on DVD for a while. I didn't expect much and I bought it out of brand loyalty, but once the movie was going, I thought it was what a Punisher movie should be. The scene you included at 2:27 was the scene that sold me on the movie. My friend who was watching it for the first time with me had me rewind this scene a couple times just because we couldn't believe how violent it was. Neither of us understood how people could think this was a bad version of the character. He embodied what the character was all about. The Dolph Lundgren and Thomas Jane versions were Punisher-in-name-only, though the Thomas Jane one was the better of the two. Jon Bernthal is a close second, but Ray Stevenson was/is the best Punisher.

Like you I've never seen the Netflix Punisher. That being said I 100% agree with you as far as live action Punishers.

Thank you for reminding me I have to rewatch this soon.

THIS MAN DIED? I had no clue til your video

RIP Ray Stevenson. I don't think I've ever seen a movie or a series where I didn't enjoy Ray Stevenson's performance. Hell, he almost single-handedly made Dexter during its later years watchable again, for what time he was on-screen at least. As for the War Zone, its certain violent scenes highly disturbed me at my younger age (Micro's mother, Loony Bin Jim's escape) especially considering how much they stuck out compared to more tame previous movies so I used to be rather mixed on the movie. Over the years I've grown to appreaciate it much more.

Ray was so good at playing the Garth Ennis Punisher, with some Jason Aaron spice thrown in. Jon Bernthal plays an almost perfect mix of Becky Cloonan and Greg Rucka's Punishers.

I would love to see what you didn't like about the first punisher movie cuz that punisher is my favorite adaptation

I like the movie but personally 2004 punisher will always be my favorite to me I even have the game for ps2 lol

This movie is so underrated

I thought Ray Stevenson had the look and played the character best, but I liked the script for the Thomas Jane version better.

That's no way to punish The Punisher. And while I have not a negative word to say about Ray Stevenson's take on the character for all the reasons that you so succinctly highlighted in this video, I can't honestly say his was ever my preferred depiction of Frank Castle. I absolutely loved the Thomas Jane movie when it came out and thought for sure that that would always be my favorite Punisher. And still to this day I think he was great in the role, BUT then Jon Bernthal came along and blew that right out of the proverbial water. So now when I think of Frank Castle in live action, I picture the dude that was in that super popular zombie show that I never watched. lol

a great version of the punisher to bad his Role in it was so short

He was my mother's favourite version of The Punisher. She didn't live to see Jon Bernthal version

Ray looks the part for me, but I think Thomas Jane voice fits him better. Grant my basis for the game he starred in is showing, but he really does come off as the souless and dead inside monster that Frank Castle should be. I'll probably replay the game right after typing this. To me the perfect Punisher would look like Ray Stevenson, sound like Thomas Jane, act like Jon Bernthal, and of course should have the dark comedy of Garth Ennis. Oh yeah I forgot... Thats No Way To Punish The Punisher.

Such a great and underrated film .. If it would come kut today it would be much more successful...

I think more people would agree if the movie was better, as much as I like and enjoy it its not a good film tho Ray is perfect to the point he makes it very apparent how bad everyone else is acted. I think he's the perfect punisher it's just a shame the movie around him wasn't good

Cuz thats no way to punish the Punisher. Great video. I'm gonna give War Zone another watch with this new perspective. I've always thought of it as a good fun movie, and I liked the late great Ray Stevenson as the character (also, he has one of the best punisher suits put to film). However, I've never really looked too deep at him, although I do like his performance at the grave of his family. Anyway, great work, as always, and would love to hear your thoughts on Jon Bernthals Punisher.

Stevenson's voice work on The Superhero Squad Show feels similar to Will Arnett's take on Batman in The Lego Movie.

Daredevil is worth the watch one of the best DC tv shows.

You are in for a treat with Daredevil, Vee. Best TV Marvel has ever done and better than a lot of their films…

Glad someone liked that movie

It's been 2 months. Habe you watched Jon Bernthal's take on Frank Castle? I was on the same RayRay bandwagon--- until about 10 minutes of one of our most talented and absolutely vastly underrated actors, giving us THE. ABSOLUTE. GODDAMN. PUNISHER. Both seasons and his spot in Daredevil series, and their problems with peaks and valleys and SOME seldom-ish out of character behavior aside (cuz he ain't writing and directing after all), when Bernthal is in THE PUNISHER scenes, and even when he isn't just straight DEMOLISHING people, and he's connecting wirh another character, he's overwhelmingly, Frank Castle; sad, tragic, deeply wounded, deeply loving father and husband, deeply protective ex-marine. There are scenes, like one of my all time favorite scenes in ANY comic book adaptation OVERALL, in DD season 2, rooftop scene with a tied up Daredevil, debating the DD way vs The PUNISHER way. You can firmly see that Bernthal "is" Castle and u believe that HE, Jon Bernthal, probably truly believes the words coming out his mouth. Then there's scenes in PUNISHER season 2, where he's "training" the teenage girl he's protecting. He's being overly harsh, aggressive, HONEST. And it's not cuz he's a scary bad ass, it's because you know he cares TOO MUCH, and sees what could've been his daughter, IN HER. What they're caught up in is NOT a game, its 24/7 serious business, life or death and the best winning strategy is to RUN. But if she can't run,she needs to be a killer just like him, 0 hesitation. And the anger he has in his life, being there knowing he COULD fail to protect her, and being there in the moment, seeing her NOT immediately think and act like him, has him practically thinking that if he were anyone else, he'd have walked away by now or just killed her himself to be out of the trouble lol.... Finally, and this is gonna sound weird (unless u have documented rage and anger issues like me and absolutely have felt and done this 😅), but in the scenes where he is out there, fighting, killing "the bad guys," in the action itself, Bernthal let's out these like, guttural GRUNTS, and growls, but short bursts, and not all the time like he's a Wakandan solider chanting 😂... it's these rage fueled, animalistic, involuntary, NOISES, that he probably didn't make a choice as an artist to incorporate, or again, involuntarily doing them, being caught up and channeling all his real life pain and anger, and it just comes out.. very hard to describe in words, u have to witness it. But whenever he does that, I get so amped, because from a fan seeing a favorite character standpoint, u see it's SHIT HAS HIT THE FAN time, and someone's getting a 10lb barbell plate repeatedly smashed into the face, which include a baker's dozen or so amount of blows that is the epitome of a kid crying, "stop, stopping. He's already dead,"--- but that is no reason to cry in PUNISHERVILLE... no, that is time to channel ur own pain and rage, if only for a moment, into a character that you put urslf in his shoes and maybe think, "Nah, don't stop! Totally mush-ify that scumbags face!!!". Bernthal's Punisher is, IMO, the absolute best comic book hero casting and yes, that included RDJ as Stark/Iron Man, and u won't believe it, but also includes Jessica Alba's Sue Storm 😉 😜 😂 Go watch any and all "Netflix" marvel IP where The Punisher is in it. Then you'll know

Stevenson is castle and punisher hes the GOAT R.I.P. warzone is an amazing vomic movie. When i play paintball i wear a punisher tee.

Thought this was the most comic accurate. The way he put the bad guys down.

Hope 2 see more of your thoughts on the other marvel properties

Nah, the greatest punisher is an asian parent when u fail a test

Ray became the Punisher. Jon plays a great Punisher. Slight different, but both epic!

one issue I have with the netflix punisher is he's too human, he's basically wolverine without the claws and with guns he doesn't want to kill, he keeps retiring etc the real punisher likes to kill, but he likes to kill those he thinks deserve it. In the comics, he went to the military and discovered his love for killing, when he was done, he tried killing random people, but it didn't feel the same cause it didn't have a purpose. he started a family etc, but it never felt good, like he wasn't being his true self. when his family died, he finally had an excuse, quickly killing the people who did it, now with the purpose of killing anyone he believes deserves it. it's interesting because he likes doing it, but only for a purpose, he's not sad that he's doing it, riddled with grief, he actually got over his family quite quickly. don't get me wrong, he loved his family, but they were a distraction, a different life. the man who frank castle wants to be and is supposed to be is the punisher. Actually, he is like that in the daredevil TV show, it's the punisher TV show that does him dirty And by the fact you are quoting the Wolverine line, it makes me believe this isn't the best punisher, because punisher is not wolverine, the punisher gets satisfaction from what he does, Wolverine doesn't

I wholeheartedly agree with you. By the way, Frank Castle was a military man, but never a police officer.

"I'm gonna get my applesauce back!" -Loony Bin Jim

Having not watched Netflix daredevil makes the whole video (null)

You should check out the 2005 Punisher game it is probably the best Punisher adaptation out there.

RIP Ray

this movie deserves better from marvel fans. I own the DVD and it's one of my favorite action movies. R.I.P

I often disagree with your opinions but I'm totally with you on this one.

That's no way to punish the punisher! 💀 Please do more punisher! I'm a huge fan!

Ray Stevenson won't be doing no more movies himself after Ashoka R.I.P.

I did like this movie, but Thomas Jane was my personal favorite

Punisher War Zone is Very Awesome

Bro i will respect that this guy is your fave , and he is good but he has nothing on netflix punisher

“That’s no way to punish the Punisher.”

👏 well said!

How have I never seen or heard of this version of the Punisher? When did this come out? It looks fairly recent. And I'm assuming it was a movie not a show. And I'm going to go find out what i can as soon as i post this... I'm assuming by the ending of this video... Ray Stevenson has passed? Or did he mean we just never got a part 2? Inquiring minds need to know!!

Mate, very good take. Although sorry dude can’t help but think Warzone literally takes a scene from Batman year one, maybe an unconscious factor, my DC loving friend? lol

Try doing retrospectives on Dolph Lungren and Thomas Jane.

He might be the most accurate Punisher to the comics but the movie sadly doesnt deliver but the 2004 one you know might not be by the book but its everything that an action movie should be it has a really nice attention to details its sad that the deleted scenes are actually well made scenes and were only cutted out probably for more AD time

This movie was AAAAAASSSSSSSSS. Ray is 3/4 because thomas jaynes movie was UNDER APPRECIATED i think travolta was the reason. And Jon literally took the role from everyone's reach.

I liked Thomas Jayne as the Punsher movie than Punisher War Zone.

The Netflix punisher is way more fearful

Definitely need to check out Daredevil S2 and The Punisher series and let us know if that changes your perspective!!

By your own admission you haven't seen the Netflix punisher series. So that makes your assessment beyond incomplete. Jon Bernthal is the epitome of The Punisher from the comics.

For some reason I realized I haven’t mastered the bation today. Where’s captain crunch when ya need him? I’ve got soggies

Agree Ray Stevenson was great!

I always liked Warzone, and big part of that was Rays performance. He did a great job - I never really saw anything with him that I did not like, he was a great actor in my opinion. Truly a tragic loss - it took me right out of Ahsoka sometimes, I got distracted by how much I enjoyed his character there, and than got sad he could never reprise his role again. Also, now you mentioned it, you need to watch Daredevil and The Punisher. You don't really need the other shows to do so - but Jessica Jones is also great. I'm really interested in your thoughts about those!

He was not a cop tho. That change always seemed silly. But definetly the right man for the part even though Jane was a great voice in the game

My favourite is Jon Bernthal but War Zone Punisher was something else

God it pisses me off that people r only just now talking about how great this movie is n that’s mostly bcuz Ray Stevenson passed away I mean come on this movie was awesome long b4 Ray went into the Thor movies (he played Volstagg) n it will continue to b awesome as the best Punisher movie (don’t get me wrong Dolph Lundgren did ok back in the 1989 version despite not wearing the skull shirt with body armor n Thomas Jane was the second best Punisher lord knows people keep going back to him 4 mini films, voice overs in games etc) but Ray Stevenson will always b the best Punisher

This could've been so much stronger if you had at least watched the Punisher Netflix show to compare...

Agree this version of the punisher was almost perfection in terms of nailing a quick fun graphic novel, same with Dolph in the 80s.

I think you might like the punisher game for the PS2 & Xbox. Even if you're not much of a gamer , I think you'll like the story with Thomas Jane reprising his role in an M rated comic inspired punisher game

RIP Ray Stevenson...

Dude the Netflix punisher is the best, you can't say one is better than the other if you haven't seen them all.