With Daredevil Season 2 bringing us the Man Without Fear vs.
The Punisher, we look back at the success (if any) of their previous films.
But with the new season ofDaredevilupon us, how do these cinematic counterparts stand up today?
Are they as bad as we remember or have they improved (or worsened) with time?
And finally, do they work better in the jurisdiction of film or television?
Keep reading to find out.
Rex Smiths take on Murdock is far different from future interpretations.
Yet at the same time, he is dedicated to his clients and wants to see them win.
The trial only really appears as a hallucination and is very brief.
Finally, the films production value is noticeably cheap, even for a TV movie.
Certain sets (the prison set, Kingpins tower) look strikingly fake.
While its only for a short time, witnessing these two Marvel icons together is a treat.
ForgetBatman v Superman, this is the real superhero team-up!
Somehow, a red leather motorcycle suit doesnt exactly come across as memorable, only ridiculous.
Affleck looks like he is going to a rave rather than be a superhero.
Duncan and Farrell are both highlights and seem to relish going over the top.
What Doesnt Work:Oh boy, where to start?
Me too.).
Jennifer Garners Elektra is supposed to be mysterious and aloof, but comes across as uninteresting and boring.
Finally, the script tends to be occasionally silly…. likeSuperman IV: The Quest for Peacesilly.
Moments like the playground fight scene come across as more laughable than action-packed.
WithElektra, Garner manages to portray the assassin as disillusioned due to her resurrection.
Shes become bitter because of the events that transpired in between films.
Yet, we see Elektra transform throughout the course of the story, and Garner portrays that transformation convincingly.
What Doesnt Work:Nothing else works in this movie whatsoever.
If you thoughtDaredevilbordered on ridiculous,Elektradives in head first.
While keeping the costume in line with the comic is a welcome thought, here its out of place.
The film also barely addresses her death in the last film, glossing over it in five seconds.
Couple that with a lame story involving ninjas, and you get thesecondworst comic book film on this list.
Hes got the wisdom and sarcastic timing to portray the character perfectly.
The costume is not only insulting but incredibly lazy (we dont even see the famous skull logo).
What Works:Well… its mercifully short.
Thats all the positives this movie has to offer.
What Doesnt Work:How about the rest of the movie?
The Punisher (2004)
Storming the Castle… Again!
:Thomas Jane conveys a different interpretation to The Punisher than previous (or future) incarnations of Castle.
His Punisher is much more methodical and cunning, simply biding his time until the perfect moment strikes.
In addition, we see the character as a bit more of a cynic than as previously depicted.
What Works:The film is heavily influenced by film noir, which enhances the films setting.
At times, its dark tone isTOOmorose, coming off as a depressing Lifetime movie rather than an action-thriller.
Not every cast performance works either.
Its a pretty light moment in whats otherwise a grim film.
What Works:So.
The amount of violence this film contains makes the 1989 version look like a kid-friendly Saturday morning cartoon.
What Doesnt Work:Surprisingly, very little.
They are about as unnecessary as making the Punishers shirt all black or having him played by Ivan Drago.
The best kill shot has to belong to Castle using one grenade to take out 10 goons.
The action is so violent that it makesCommandolook tame by comparison.
In Daredevils case, he very much works best on the small screen.
He is also conflicted with keeping it a secret from those he loves.
In Punishers case, however, it could go either way.
He works in both television and film.
The story of Frank Castles quest for justice is something that is easily translated.
As proven with his latest two films, the character can play within any action-based genre.
The same could be said for television.
It could be made into a weekly action show, or a limited event series.
It could also fire up the door for new interpretations of the character.
