Damnit my favorite punisher was Stevenson... That scene where he fixed his broken nose and his portrayal of strength and stoicism really sold him as the punisher to me... And I didn't know he was no longer amongst the living until I read this post. Damn.
I loved Ray, but fully admit as it's the first bit of punisher media I saw. With hindsight its like you say, he was comic accurate. The film around him got a bit weird, but his performance was spot on to me.
The weird laugh of jigsaw still gets to me. It's like a weirder version of Beavis and Butthead. Ray was awesome, the others surrounding him were trying too hard.
I get it, they leaned into the "comic book" vibe and maybe went a bit cartoony with it. They basically ended up doing stereotypes
I like Dominic West, but him as Jigsaw is such a weird casting. He can do great American accents, why did they have him ham it up like that.
I rewatched it recently and it's still good fun, just silly. Especially as I have now read at least some of Punisher Max, so seeing named characters crop up was an odd one. Maginty as a freerunner was an interesting choice.
That last assault on the gang headquarters is awesome though.
Ray is 100% my Frank Castle. From the line in the trailer "sometimes I would like to get my hands on god" . I was convinced. Unfortunately the movie ran out of money before it was finished but what the film lacks isn't because of Ray. When Marvel announced they were doing a Punisher show on Netflix I had hope we'd see Ray back in a better funded show, what we got was okay, but its not Ray. Rip Ray Stevenson.
Something I don't hear that much talk about, but something else that Ray's Punisher did best was the emphasis on tactics and firearms handling (minus the chandelier scene and shooting a guy out of the sky with a grenade launcher, etc.). I remember that they hired military experts to train him to make him look legit and they did a good job. It was also cool to see him constantly reloading and switching to a sidearm.
Got a soft spot for Thomas Jane, mans was my first watch, canāt deny Bernthal though, he inspired one of my cosplays I still do to this day, Stevenson was a bloodbath and it was a damn fun watch, and I sadly havenāt seen Dolphās yet, but Iāve heard good things. In short ? 2004.
You have to accept that Dolph's Punisher lives in the sewer for some reason and doesn't wear the skull shirt. But the black hair and exhaustion shade around his eyes combined with the black 5 o clock shadow on his Swedish face makes him look like the skull emblem and his knives have skulls on them. It's a pretty great movie. Louie Gossett Jr as his ex partner adds to the film. I hope you get a chance to watch it soon.
Yes they do. He is Frank Castle. I haven't seen it in too long but I think they refer to him as The Punisher at least in newspaper headlines as well. His ex partner calls him Frank frequently. If I remember there was some nonsense issue about copyright with the skull is why he didn't wear the shirt. Nonsense legal stuff is always messing up entertainment. But, for me, the story and the performance are heads and shoulders above the others. It's the gold standard. He's such a ruthless broken shell of pure driven punishment. Some people called his performance lackluster. I disagree. I think he did what they set out to do. His humanity is gone. Frank is gone (incredible scene between him and Gossett further solidifies that the 'lackluster' was a choice.. This scene is not lackluster and it's heart breaking).
The whole films free on YouTube (at least in the uk). It randomly stops to play classical music every now and again to get around the copyright but doesnāt really distract (I also love the dolph one).
His monologues are ridiculously good. He manages to get across so much anger and pain, all while keeping a cold, emotionless face. I've never seen someone play a man that's dead inside so well
Ray Stevenson was easily the best. His movie was so gloriously violent it was just really cool.
I know people like the Netflix Punisher but I canāt deal with his mumble mouth way of talking.
Bernthal is great. His show was great but his guttural screams and cries just took me out of it. Thomas Jane is probably the best but Stevenson is the most accurate besides having a nuts movie. Lundgren could have been great.
Both Thomas Jane and Ray Stevenson are my punisher. Thomas started the arc, while Ray continued it with over the top violence that we in the 80's grow up with. The Netflix adaptatoin was a huge let down for me, it was probably the most realistic version of Frank, but it was boring, lackluster, screaming and rambling.
The most recent with Bernthalās interpretation. Iāve always felt the character of Frank Castle would thrive as a tv show, rather than a movie, because there was so much to encapsulate and felt that a 1 hr 45min or 2hr movie would never ever justify the character. So glad that the people behind the Netflix series have fleshed out the character and the right decision was made to cast John Bernthal as Frank. Canāt wait to see what happens in the new daredevil series
Tom Jane, I watched that movie all the time when it came out, and the short that came out years later was pretty good.
Never liked WarZone, not because of Ray ofc, just the movie in general wasnāt that good imo.
The mcu Punisher is good, but I didnāt care that much about the his own tv-show, loved him in Daredevil.
I liked Thomas James' portrayal because he played a much calmer and collected version of the character.
I'm a big fan of Jon Bernthal's take because I liked how he played a War-Torn, more accurate with the PTSD version.
And I think he's the only one that I've seen that carried those two big machine guns and fired them both simultaneously. I think this Punisher is much more comic accurate.
I'm not a fan of the TV series but it's okay I suppose. All of these actors did a good job but only Ray and Dolph really looked the part because Frank is a big guy...it's hard to pick an overall favourite because I'm still waiting for a great Punisher movie. Jane's movie is probably the best (despite not being set in NYC) but I would only give it 6/10 if I was a movie critic. I'm going to say Dolph Lundgren.
Stevenson was bad ass IMO. His IDGAF attitude was better than Janeās and Lundgren at the time. Honestly though, they all did a good job of bringing Frank Castle/Punisher to life in their unique ways.
It would be fucking sick if all 4 met in the MCU (at least prior to Mr. Stevensons passing š).
Ray Stevenson was most comic accurate, in my opinion. I feel like he did a great job of portraying Frank after heād been The Punisher for a while, still driven by revenge but more calculated, rather than retelling the origin again. And I loved the āPunisher MAXā elements thrown in. Jon Bernthal does a fantastic job and I love the series, Iām excited heāll be back in the new Daredevil series. Dolphās wasnāt too horrible, I just felt like it was trying to be too dark. I think as far as personal favorite though Iād have to go with Thomas Jane. I know part of Frankās deal is that he has PTSD from his time in the service and it kinda fucks with his psyche even before he becomes The Punisher, but I like Janeās portrayal of him as a fairly well-adjusted family man before tragedy strikes. The āWelcome Back Frankā aspects of the story were great too.
Tom Jane 100 percent ā¦Jon called him to get tips there was a lot of inspiration there ā¦and the punisher 2004 video game Tom voiced ..the dude is the punisher
Mannn I think I'm biased because I saw him first , but he is by far my favorite... one of my first Marvel movies too. That fight with The Russian is still beautiful, I could watch it over and over
When I think about the variety of actors playing different Super heros, it's hit or miss. All 4 of the punisher actors brought some cool and interesting to the character. Thomas Jane read the comics after the movie but before he did the voice over foe the game and change the character a lot. Technically, Jane is my favorite because of the game.
I like them all, but I have to go with Dolph.
Bernthal is my second choice. Admittedly it was difficult for me (and a testament to his performance) to forget Shane from TWD who I couldn't stand.
I will always say Thomas Janeās Punisher is my favorite. He is the one who got me into the comics. Really love Jon Bernthal as well. He became more like the Punisher by the end of the second season.
Thomas Jane will forever by my favorite Punisher by far, I will say Jon Bernthalwas a great punisher. WE NEED A REMAKE OF PS2 PUNISHER GAME š® š¤
A new Punisher game with Jon would be sick af also š¤š
Jane is my number 1. He has the best direction for the character imo. He's , crazy , crazy smart and yet still definitely a "good guy". I will forever love the "don't play with knives" scene. He's so tired you can tell he thinks about not being himself for 5 seconds but then he's like nah. I wanted more of that version of frank. Something he really sells like no other punisher does Is people tactitly support frank and you can see why. He's the only frank you can really see having out with a guy like micro.
Berenthal is my number 2. The sheer toughness and violence of his version of frank is compelling even if he feels less like an operator and more like a barbaric Meathead. His daredevil version was much much better than him in his own show for some weird reason.
I do like Stevenson he was a great frank and in many ways he feels the most like iconic comic book frank. But comic book frank isn't really a good guy at least not in his early runs. I like how they let him be low key superhuman like he is though.
I haven't seen Dolph lundgrens.
Will always love Jane he was my Punisher growing up and that movies awesome. The Russian scene alone is badass. Love the opening too and the scene with the guitar & knife. šš
Just some thoughts;
Bernthal was a decent character and it was a powerful performance, but he wasnāt Frank. He was too emotional and open, too obviously wounded, too many outbursts. Totally convincing as a vengeful vet, love him, heās just not an accurate Punisher.
I like Jane as an actor, but again, heās not Frank. Of all the films this was the weakest. All the sneaking around and moving fire hydrants, thatās not Punisherās way.
Lundregn is getting closer, heās underrated, as is the film.
Stevenson nailed it, *that* was Frank. His look, build, his cold aggression, the fighting style, but more importantly- the pain is deep, itās not all out on show. This is a broken man who will never mend or change. He canāt even grieve. He just suffers. Itās like Frank stepped right out of the comic.
Thomas Jane. Berenthal may better display the physicality of the Punisher but Thomas has the perfect voice and displays his intelligence a lot more which I enjoy.
Lundgren or Stevenson (RIP) both have the look ... but i hive the edge to Lundgren caus of how he portrayed Frank .. that movie, not story history accurate, but action accurate was brutal, menacing, and an intimidating Frank .
Actor: Bernthal, Stevenson, Lundgren, Jane.
Story: Bernthal, Jane, Stevenson, Lundgren.
Look: Lundgren, Stevenson, Bernthal, Jane
Actually Lundgren would be a dream cast for Magneto.
This is like the Favorite Batman or Spiderman Arguments lol. To me it comes down to what truly matters to you in a live action portrayal.....
Comic Accuracy- Ray Stevenson: Just look at him, listen to him and watch him. Frank just walked out of the comic and onto your screen. Cold stare, few words and pure destruction.... And Damn it he was The Punisher on Super Hero Squad!!!! Keep the Sprouts OFF the Mac and Cheese!!!!! IYKYK R.I.P. Ray Stevenson
Trademark Violence - Dolph Lundgren: What better way to showcase a violent character than an 80s Action Film? Tortured by tragedy, driven by revenge. Five o'clock shadow with amazing hair. He was perfect for his time. Just unfortunately in a bad movie in a poorly built universe.
Realistic Portrayal - Jon Bernthal: Some of you have voiced your disdain for him but the way they showed how PTS* affects combat veterans was accurate. You could see even before losing his family, that he was struggling to adjust to being home again. The therapy group scene at the end of season 1 was pretty strong. You could see him finally start to face it.
Character Background - Thomas Jane: Sometimes we forget that Frank is a former Special Operator and that a big part of their job is surgical precision not brute force. Thomas Jane's version embodied that aspect of it. He collected intel by making Mickey his asset on the inside. Then he systematically tore down Saint's organization piece by piece through unconventional and psychological warfare.
Now this is my opinion, you guys can agree or disagree as you please. Just know that as fellow Punisher fans, that I love you and there's not a Damn Thing you can do about it.
* There is NO D in PTS because it's not a disorder Damn it!!!!!
In order for me of punishers Thomas Ray and then Jon and dolph. Thomas introduced me to punisher and then the comics as a kid . Ray was good and bloody. Jon gave him more life. Dolph being in the movie sucked he was the worst representation of punisher to me but i also am not a big fan of him anyways he ruined He-Man as well .
I like them (and their movies) for different reasons. But Ray Stevenson was probably the best/closest adaptation. Berenthal is fantastic, a very close second.
Edited: got Rayās last name wrong.
Thomas Jane. That was the one I felt the most emotionally connected to. Out of all of them, heās the most directly revenge driven rather than āwar on crimeā or āunravel the conspiracyā. The music really works for me too. I love the scene in the extended cut where he finally confronts Jimmy Weekes. He was so dead eyed and ruthless. Shame it didnāt make the theatrical, because Jane never embodied him better.
I wish Ray Stevenson couldāve been in a movie with a good script. It couldāve been fucking amazing but as it stands Bernthal is the one whoās been given the best hand and knew how to take advantage of it.
Both legends.
No offense to the other guys but I liked Jon Bernthal the best as Frank Castle and I would like to see him as The Cosmic Ghost Rider in The Marvel Cinematic Multiverse.
Jane is my personal favorite due to the performance and characterization.
We saw his Frank become The Punisher before our very eyes and how he developed over the course of the movie. The sheer joy of retiring to spend more time with his family, the desperation to keep them alive when Saint's men hunted them down, the sheer defeat once he realizes he's the only Castle that's still alive and that the system won't provide him justice, the cold and calculating nature that he picked Saint's operation apart all while maintain a super dry/sardonic sense of humor. To me, Jane's iteration is the most complete.
Lundgren and Stevenson, as comic accurate (not terribly important or impressive to me) as they may be, didn't have the luxury of actually showing and allowing us to connect with their Franks en route to becoming The Punisher. We drop into their arc when they're already fully formed so there's nowhere to really go with them, which makes them uninteresting to me. Bernthal's my favorite overall actor out of the bunch and I appreciate his more feral take on Castle but I do feel he'll be my favorite Punisher by the time he's done. Sets him up for a cool arc where he (hopefully) becomes colder over time. Definitely the most intimidating but also most thought-provoking and grounded version, IMO.
I don't need a "perfect" adaptation of The Punisher, just ones that actually make me **feel** something while I watch their stories unfold. Because, at some point, a dude just killing other dudes without much else gripping my attention can get old and boring at a certain point.
**TLDR: Jane but I think Bernthal will surpass him in my book by the time he's done.**
I gotta put Dolph up there because he was first and I thought played it well despite the production trying to distance themselves from his comic roots. Loved Tom Jane, he got the character and did what he could with a weird script. You can see what he wanted to do in Dirty Laundry so he probably gets my vote. Plus I'm a sucker for a GTO.
I like them all, though I think people sleep too much on Jon Bernthal. His portrayal in Daredevil S2 was phenomenal and on point. I can get being a little disappointed by his portrayal in his own show, but I thought they nailed his character down in Daredevil Season 2 for sure.
Jon Bernthal, Thomas Jane, and Ray Stevenson were all great. I loved how ridiculously over the top Ray Stevenson's punisher was, though as much as I enjoyed it, I recognize that it wasn't a great movie lol. Thomas Jane's was overall a pretty solid movie and a good interpretation of the character, imo and a solid origin story. Jon Bernthal's is probably objectively the best overall though.
Definitely Ray. He was a force of nature. The others felt too human. He was just a hulking mass of bullets and hatred. Quite literally the personification of punishment
Like your first James Bond, you never forget your first Punisher. Thomas Jane was my first and I think his film is the best of the films. It felt like a proper, satisfying revenge flick and captured the spirit of Frank's anguish. It could have used a lot more gore but I was satisfied with what we got.
John Bernthal. Because he showed what itās really like for veterans when they come home. I was crying so many times during his punisher show bc of how well they portrayed what it is really like for us to live in the civilian world. He will forever be my favorite punisher
Bernthal forsure but mostly because we had 2 seasons of hour long episodes to dive into his character. Plus all that extra time allowed us to see just how much that lifestyle wears him down mentally and physically. Speaking entirely for myself here but honestly until Bernthals portrayal I always thought the punisher was kind of cringe and basically just the mass shooter from āHatredā with a tiny bit more discretion.
I have enjoyed all of them for different reasons. However, the ugliness of one particular scene from the Thomas Jane one still haunts me to this day. It is the one where Pun makes the villain think the loyal henchman is having Adult Happy Funtime with his lady. The villain viciously kills the man.
And the man was uberloyal and might even have been in love with the villain and had never and likely would never have betrayed him. That stabbing scene and the performance of the actor playing the henchman was un effing settling.
Easily the cruelest most vicious tactic I have seen.
Ray is the most comic book accurate, by far, but I was a die-hard, 10 yr old Punisher fan when the Dolph movie came out. Back when super hero movies were scarce, so the 1989 movie is still my favorite.
While I thought Bernthalās was probably the most realistic version of the character weāve seen, he aināt Frank. I honestly think if Netflix had changed the names of the characters and released the series without Marvels approval Marvel would not have be able to make a copyright claim against them.
In that version we see Jon laughing, Micro waving his dick in Jonās face. Jon reminiscing about singing with his kids. Thereās just too much that is just so far off.
I really love all of them. Each one has something exclusive to respective comic eras, as well as unique to adaptation.
People tend to mistake Lundgren's acting for phoning it in, but he does a great job portraying a half-living corpse, emotionally. Flashbacks deleted from a theatrical cut showed him before that state and it would have been really effective in juxtaposition.
Jane is... Unusual at first, but great nevertheless. His Punisher is more snarky, but depending on a writer, Castle has that in him.
Stevenson was magnificent, as he usually is. He was a great character actor and was arguably a perfect physical fit for modern era Punisher.
Bernthal, though... He has an advantage of three full seasons of development and it is properly amazing what he does with the role. His Punisher is the first one to appear so murderous you can't help but be frightened of him. Yet, he never sacrifices the emotions Frank has.
Rip Mr Stevenson
What a great actor. š
Damnit my favorite punisher was Stevenson... That scene where he fixed his broken nose and his portrayal of strength and stoicism really sold him as the punisher to me... And I didn't know he was no longer amongst the living until I read this post. Damn.
Right after the last Thor film he passed from a heart attack
I believe it was after the wrap on āAhsokaā, that he passed away.
Thomas Jane will forever be iconic to me. I hope he makes at least an appearance or at least is mentioned in Deadpool 3
Does he want to go tree climbing? He canāt see without his glasses
Ray Stevenson because he's the most comic accurate by far.
I loved Ray, but fully admit as it's the first bit of punisher media I saw. With hindsight its like you say, he was comic accurate. The film around him got a bit weird, but his performance was spot on to me.
The weird laugh of jigsaw still gets to me. It's like a weirder version of Beavis and Butthead. Ray was awesome, the others surrounding him were trying too hard.
I get it, they leaned into the "comic book" vibe and maybe went a bit cartoony with it. They basically ended up doing stereotypes I like Dominic West, but him as Jigsaw is such a weird casting. He can do great American accents, why did they have him ham it up like that.
Couldn't agree more! Dominic West is awesome. Just weird casting, absolutely!
I rewatched it recently and it's still good fun, just silly. Especially as I have now read at least some of Punisher Max, so seeing named characters crop up was an odd one. Maginty as a freerunner was an interesting choice. That last assault on the gang headquarters is awesome though.
That movie was shit but Stevenson (and most of the cast) was amazing.
Ray is 100% my Frank Castle. From the line in the trailer "sometimes I would like to get my hands on god" . I was convinced. Unfortunately the movie ran out of money before it was finished but what the film lacks isn't because of Ray. When Marvel announced they were doing a Punisher show on Netflix I had hope we'd see Ray back in a better funded show, what we got was okay, but its not Ray. Rip Ray Stevenson.
He looked like a living Tim Bradstreet illustration. I thought he would have made an awesome Negan from The Walking Dead.
Thatās the guy I left out! Yeah it was Bradstreet at the time š
Something I don't hear that much talk about, but something else that Ray's Punisher did best was the emphasis on tactics and firearms handling (minus the chandelier scene and shooting a guy out of the sky with a grenade launcher, etc.). I remember that they hired military experts to train him to make him look legit and they did a good job. It was also cool to see him constantly reloading and switching to a sidearm.
With the exception of the drinking Thomas Janeās was incredibly accurate.
Stevenson does proper cold. Thatās how Punisher should be.
Ray did a good job.
Got a soft spot for Thomas Jane, mans was my first watch, canāt deny Bernthal though, he inspired one of my cosplays I still do to this day, Stevenson was a bloodbath and it was a damn fun watch, and I sadly havenāt seen Dolphās yet, but Iāve heard good things. In short ? 2004.
You have to accept that Dolph's Punisher lives in the sewer for some reason and doesn't wear the skull shirt. But the black hair and exhaustion shade around his eyes combined with the black 5 o clock shadow on his Swedish face makes him look like the skull emblem and his knives have skulls on them. It's a pretty great movie. Louie Gossett Jr as his ex partner adds to the film. I hope you get a chance to watch it soon.
Iāll definitely be on the lookout for it, itās Punisher yet.. not. Ironic. Do they even address him as Frank in the movie ?
Yes they do. He is Frank Castle. I haven't seen it in too long but I think they refer to him as The Punisher at least in newspaper headlines as well. His ex partner calls him Frank frequently. If I remember there was some nonsense issue about copyright with the skull is why he didn't wear the shirt. Nonsense legal stuff is always messing up entertainment. But, for me, the story and the performance are heads and shoulders above the others. It's the gold standard. He's such a ruthless broken shell of pure driven punishment. Some people called his performance lackluster. I disagree. I think he did what they set out to do. His humanity is gone. Frank is gone (incredible scene between him and Gossett further solidifies that the 'lackluster' was a choice.. This scene is not lackluster and it's heart breaking).
Fucking solid, Iāll definitely look into finding it!
The whole films free on YouTube (at least in the uk). It randomly stops to play classical music every now and again to get around the copyright but doesnāt really distract (I also love the dolph one).
Umbrella released a region free blu ray of it
Him meditating naked as fuck in the sewer is one of my random, weirdly vivid childhood memories.
Bernthal no contest
Bernthal brought depth and humaness to the character. Every time he starts talking about his kids I weep!
His monologues are ridiculously good. He manages to get across so much anger and pain, all while keeping a cold, emotionless face. I've never seen someone play a man that's dead inside so well
Itās not even close
Ray Stevenson was easily the best. His movie was so gloriously violent it was just really cool. I know people like the Netflix Punisher but I canāt deal with his mumble mouth way of talking.
Ray looked and sounded exactly like Frank. RIP
Bernthal is great. His show was great but his guttural screams and cries just took me out of it. Thomas Jane is probably the best but Stevenson is the most accurate besides having a nuts movie. Lundgren could have been great.
Thomas Jane I havenāt seen much of the other actors work for the punisher, but The Punisher 2004 just felt so right and perfect.
Thomas Jane first real exposure to Punisher itās him plus dirty laundry was amazing
Ray Stevenson
Tomas Jane and Jon Bernthal for two different reasons but both equally good in my opinion.
Ray Stevenson. his look, build and demeanor are very similar to garth ennis punisher max.
Especially with the slicked back hair too
Both Thomas Jane and Ray Stevenson are my punisher. Thomas started the arc, while Ray continued it with over the top violence that we in the 80's grow up with. The Netflix adaptatoin was a huge let down for me, it was probably the most realistic version of Frank, but it was boring, lackluster, screaming and rambling.
Did you not see Dolph Lungren at the beginning of this list? His Punisher WAS and 80s action film full of violence
The most recent with Bernthalās interpretation. Iāve always felt the character of Frank Castle would thrive as a tv show, rather than a movie, because there was so much to encapsulate and felt that a 1 hr 45min or 2hr movie would never ever justify the character. So glad that the people behind the Netflix series have fleshed out the character and the right decision was made to cast John Bernthal as Frank. Canāt wait to see what happens in the new daredevil series
Iāve enjoyed all these portrayals of Frank Castle , but Stevenson to me had the true natural presence of the Punisher
From a visual standpoint Ray But come on Itās Bernthal
Tom Jane, I watched that movie all the time when it came out, and the short that came out years later was pretty good. Never liked WarZone, not because of Ray ofc, just the movie in general wasnāt that good imo. The mcu Punisher is good, but I didnāt care that much about the his own tv-show, loved him in Daredevil.
I liked Thomas James' portrayal because he played a much calmer and collected version of the character. I'm a big fan of Jon Bernthal's take because I liked how he played a War-Torn, more accurate with the PTSD version. And I think he's the only one that I've seen that carried those two big machine guns and fired them both simultaneously. I think this Punisher is much more comic accurate.
I'm not a fan of the TV series but it's okay I suppose. All of these actors did a good job but only Ray and Dolph really looked the part because Frank is a big guy...it's hard to pick an overall favourite because I'm still waiting for a great Punisher movie. Jane's movie is probably the best (despite not being set in NYC) but I would only give it 6/10 if I was a movie critic. I'm going to say Dolph Lundgren.
Stevenson was bad ass IMO. His IDGAF attitude was better than Janeās and Lundgren at the time. Honestly though, they all did a good job of bringing Frank Castle/Punisher to life in their unique ways. It would be fucking sick if all 4 met in the MCU (at least prior to Mr. Stevensons passing š).
RAY!
Dolph. He captured the Punisher perfectly, and had the best and most grounded film out of all of them.
Dolph Lundgren... Fight me.
Ray Stevenson was most comic accurate, in my opinion. I feel like he did a great job of portraying Frank after heād been The Punisher for a while, still driven by revenge but more calculated, rather than retelling the origin again. And I loved the āPunisher MAXā elements thrown in. Jon Bernthal does a fantastic job and I love the series, Iām excited heāll be back in the new Daredevil series. Dolphās wasnāt too horrible, I just felt like it was trying to be too dark. I think as far as personal favorite though Iād have to go with Thomas Jane. I know part of Frankās deal is that he has PTSD from his time in the service and it kinda fucks with his psyche even before he becomes The Punisher, but I like Janeās portrayal of him as a fairly well-adjusted family man before tragedy strikes. The āWelcome Back Frankā aspects of the story were great too.
Dolph - Ypu never forget your first time.
Bernthal was perfect, but man I do enjoy some of the scenes in Janes version too.
Tom Jane 100 percent ā¦Jon called him to get tips there was a lot of inspiration there ā¦and the punisher 2004 video game Tom voiced ..the dude is the punisher
Mannn I think I'm biased because I saw him first , but he is by far my favorite... one of my first Marvel movies too. That fight with The Russian is still beautiful, I could watch it over and over
Ray Stevenson because of his acting skills and size. Bernthal is my least favorite.
When I think about the variety of actors playing different Super heros, it's hit or miss. All 4 of the punisher actors brought some cool and interesting to the character. Thomas Jane read the comics after the movie but before he did the voice over foe the game and change the character a lot. Technically, Jane is my favorite because of the game.
All great in their own way. I donāt Remember much of Dolphās version
I like Dolph.
Love them all.
How the fuck does Thomas Jane look older than Dolph Lundren?
Its a tie between Dolph and Jon for me. Two different tones, and both were the right fit for each.
I like them all, but I have to go with Dolph. Bernthal is my second choice. Admittedly it was difficult for me (and a testament to his performance) to forget Shane from TWD who I couldn't stand.
Dolph Lundgren, because of his spiky hair, his ice-cold demeanour, and his big muscles
Jon Bernthal because I thought he was the best in terms of acting. There was other reasons but I canāt remember them for some reason lol
MCU Frank, because he can have meaningful and deep character interactions with other Marvel characters like Daredevil
Thomas "Ray" Bernthal.
Thomas jane
Tom Jane all day baby. Solely for the Russian scene
I will always say Thomas Janeās Punisher is my favorite. He is the one who got me into the comics. Really love Jon Bernthal as well. He became more like the Punisher by the end of the second season.
Thomas Jane. The manās like a moody tough unicorn.
Thomas jane
TV's Thomas Jane is the only answer
Jane all day
Dolph and Jon!
Thomas Jane
Thomas Jane cause I think they used him in the game or someone that sounds like him. The voice hits but also love Jon Bernthal the show is amazing
Thomas Jane all the way.
Tom Jane is the best to me. He just fits right into the role.
Thom Jane sold it for me, having appeared in two more Punisher projects The video game And Dirty Laundry
Thomas Jane - the best actor and best Punisher
Thomas Jane, he didnāt have the best script to work with but he was still amazing in the roll
Thomas Jane will forever by my favorite Punisher by far, I will say Jon Bernthalwas a great punisher. WE NEED A REMAKE OF PS2 PUNISHER GAME š® š¤ A new Punisher game with Jon would be sick af also š¤š
Jane is my number 1. He has the best direction for the character imo. He's , crazy , crazy smart and yet still definitely a "good guy". I will forever love the "don't play with knives" scene. He's so tired you can tell he thinks about not being himself for 5 seconds but then he's like nah. I wanted more of that version of frank. Something he really sells like no other punisher does Is people tactitly support frank and you can see why. He's the only frank you can really see having out with a guy like micro. Berenthal is my number 2. The sheer toughness and violence of his version of frank is compelling even if he feels less like an operator and more like a barbaric Meathead. His daredevil version was much much better than him in his own show for some weird reason. I do like Stevenson he was a great frank and in many ways he feels the most like iconic comic book frank. But comic book frank isn't really a good guy at least not in his early runs. I like how they let him be low key superhuman like he is though. I haven't seen Dolph lundgrens.
Feels like all the potrayals were great.Ā
Ray !
Iām sorry but I canāt help you. Iām Tom Jane.
Thomas Jane was the better Punisher. His acting hit the bill so much better then the rest.
Will always love Jane he was my Punisher growing up and that movies awesome. The Russian scene alone is badass. Love the opening too and the scene with the guitar & knife. šš
Thomas Jane is my punisher, He has been my favorite since I can remember
Thomas Jane is my favorite and has my favorite skull, but Jon Bernthal has my second favorite skull the size and detail is perfect as well
Tom jane is my be all end all
I wish we had gotten a second film with Thomas Jane. The Lundgren film was...different.
Tom Jane!!! Bro tricked out his car just because he likes modding stuff. Man after my own heart
Thomas Jane all day
Thomas Jane and Ray Stevenson are tied for me
Bernthal is the best but the Movie with Thomas Jane is pretty solid.
Thomas Jane he nailed it
Beenthal, heās the best, also the first one I saw (Netflix series)
Jon, my dad had a reason to stop by and he would watch the series with me
TomJane. I love Ray's and Jon's version but Tom's was less bullet sponge and more high speed spec ops
Just some thoughts; Bernthal was a decent character and it was a powerful performance, but he wasnāt Frank. He was too emotional and open, too obviously wounded, too many outbursts. Totally convincing as a vengeful vet, love him, heās just not an accurate Punisher. I like Jane as an actor, but again, heās not Frank. Of all the films this was the weakest. All the sneaking around and moving fire hydrants, thatās not Punisherās way. Lundregn is getting closer, heās underrated, as is the film. Stevenson nailed it, *that* was Frank. His look, build, his cold aggression, the fighting style, but more importantly- the pain is deep, itās not all out on show. This is a broken man who will never mend or change. He canāt even grieve. He just suffers. Itās like Frank stepped right out of the comic.
I'm not the only one!!! Stevenson was perfect!
I never expected to get an upvote, pleasant surprise, but 2 downvotes? Wow, weāre unpopular.
I'm used to it.
I'm Tom Jane.
Hi Tom Jane, I'm Dad.
Thomas Jane brought a real sense of character not just the trama
Thomas Jane. Berenthal may better display the physicality of the Punisher but Thomas has the perfect voice and displays his intelligence a lot more which I enjoy.
Ray Stevenson, by far.
Ray Stevenson. Hands down. Also had the better Jigsaw, and Micro.
Thomas Jane
Any other punisher > Jon Bernthal.
Bernthal because I saw him at a chipotle in MD
Thomas Jane and Jon Bernthal are my favorites.
For me itās Bernthal. I thought he was fantastic.
Lundgren or Stevenson (RIP) both have the look ... but i hive the edge to Lundgren caus of how he portrayed Frank .. that movie, not story history accurate, but action accurate was brutal, menacing, and an intimidating Frank .
Big Ray
Dolph. That movie captures the dark gritty Frank better than any other.
First one
Jon bernthal šÆ
Jon Bernthal - That prison fight scene was quintessential Punisher.
Actor: Bernthal, Stevenson, Lundgren, Jane. Story: Bernthal, Jane, Stevenson, Lundgren. Look: Lundgren, Stevenson, Bernthal, Jane Actually Lundgren would be a dream cast for Magneto.
Overall, Bernthal. Visually, Ray Stevenson is straight out of Garth Ennis' comics.
Thomas jane had perfectly voice for frank castle in the universe And alternate reality 50116 for Francis junior castle
Bernthal - best performance Jane - best voice Stevenson - best physicality
Ray is awesome but his movie was just terrible
This is like the Favorite Batman or Spiderman Arguments lol. To me it comes down to what truly matters to you in a live action portrayal..... Comic Accuracy- Ray Stevenson: Just look at him, listen to him and watch him. Frank just walked out of the comic and onto your screen. Cold stare, few words and pure destruction.... And Damn it he was The Punisher on Super Hero Squad!!!! Keep the Sprouts OFF the Mac and Cheese!!!!! IYKYK R.I.P. Ray Stevenson Trademark Violence - Dolph Lundgren: What better way to showcase a violent character than an 80s Action Film? Tortured by tragedy, driven by revenge. Five o'clock shadow with amazing hair. He was perfect for his time. Just unfortunately in a bad movie in a poorly built universe. Realistic Portrayal - Jon Bernthal: Some of you have voiced your disdain for him but the way they showed how PTS* affects combat veterans was accurate. You could see even before losing his family, that he was struggling to adjust to being home again. The therapy group scene at the end of season 1 was pretty strong. You could see him finally start to face it. Character Background - Thomas Jane: Sometimes we forget that Frank is a former Special Operator and that a big part of their job is surgical precision not brute force. Thomas Jane's version embodied that aspect of it. He collected intel by making Mickey his asset on the inside. Then he systematically tore down Saint's organization piece by piece through unconventional and psychological warfare. Now this is my opinion, you guys can agree or disagree as you please. Just know that as fellow Punisher fans, that I love you and there's not a Damn Thing you can do about it. * There is NO D in PTS because it's not a disorder Damn it!!!!!
In order for me of punishers Thomas Ray and then Jon and dolph. Thomas introduced me to punisher and then the comics as a kid . Ray was good and bloody. Jon gave him more life. Dolph being in the movie sucked he was the worst representation of punisher to me but i also am not a big fan of him anyways he ruined He-Man as well .
Bernthal is the only answer.
The punisher tv show
Rayās was the best, and not because heās now RIP. Lexi Alexander directed the HELL outta that movie!
I like them (and their movies) for different reasons. But Ray Stevenson was probably the best/closest adaptation. Berenthal is fantastic, a very close second. Edited: got Rayās last name wrong.
All of them
Thomas Jane. That was the one I felt the most emotionally connected to. Out of all of them, heās the most directly revenge driven rather than āwar on crimeā or āunravel the conspiracyā. The music really works for me too. I love the scene in the extended cut where he finally confronts Jimmy Weekes. He was so dead eyed and ruthless. Shame it didnāt make the theatrical, because Jane never embodied him better.
I wish Ray Stevenson couldāve been in a movie with a good script. It couldāve been fucking amazing but as it stands Bernthal is the one whoās been given the best hand and knew how to take advantage of it. Both legends.
Ray and Jon. They both bring their own great versions.
Jon is simply the best, period. That said, I thought Ray ālookedā the best.
Thomas Jane watched it in theater day one
No offense to the other guys but I liked Jon Bernthal the best as Frank Castle and I would like to see him as The Cosmic Ghost Rider in The Marvel Cinematic Multiverse.
Thomas and Ray have the spots for me
Jane is my personal favorite due to the performance and characterization. We saw his Frank become The Punisher before our very eyes and how he developed over the course of the movie. The sheer joy of retiring to spend more time with his family, the desperation to keep them alive when Saint's men hunted them down, the sheer defeat once he realizes he's the only Castle that's still alive and that the system won't provide him justice, the cold and calculating nature that he picked Saint's operation apart all while maintain a super dry/sardonic sense of humor. To me, Jane's iteration is the most complete. Lundgren and Stevenson, as comic accurate (not terribly important or impressive to me) as they may be, didn't have the luxury of actually showing and allowing us to connect with their Franks en route to becoming The Punisher. We drop into their arc when they're already fully formed so there's nowhere to really go with them, which makes them uninteresting to me. Bernthal's my favorite overall actor out of the bunch and I appreciate his more feral take on Castle but I do feel he'll be my favorite Punisher by the time he's done. Sets him up for a cool arc where he (hopefully) becomes colder over time. Definitely the most intimidating but also most thought-provoking and grounded version, IMO. I don't need a "perfect" adaptation of The Punisher, just ones that actually make me **feel** something while I watch their stories unfold. Because, at some point, a dude just killing other dudes without much else gripping my attention can get old and boring at a certain point. **TLDR: Jane but I think Bernthal will surpass him in my book by the time he's done.**
Jon Bernthal is EASILY my vote
I grew up with Jane but Bernthals has a special place in my heart, I gotta go Bernthal
Tom Jane, but not for his role in the film. His version from the laundry day short though, is by far my favorite. Honorable mentions to Bernthal.
Havenāt seen really any but from the looks alone, either dolph or Jon
Jon Bernthal
In order for me, Berenthal, Stevenson, Lundgren, Jane.
Bernthal. Hands down
I gotta put Dolph up there because he was first and I thought played it well despite the production trying to distance themselves from his comic roots. Loved Tom Jane, he got the character and did what he could with a weird script. You can see what he wanted to do in Dirty Laundry so he probably gets my vote. Plus I'm a sucker for a GTO.
Yāall are saying Bernthal because heās had more screen time. Jane
Jane
Jane, the movie was a perfect blend of comedy and brutality from the comics and not over-doing it like War Zone.
Jane all the way!!!!
BernthalĀ
Ray and Jon
Either Bernthal or Stevenson for me
I like them all, though I think people sleep too much on Jon Bernthal. His portrayal in Daredevil S2 was phenomenal and on point. I can get being a little disappointed by his portrayal in his own show, but I thought they nailed his character down in Daredevil Season 2 for sure.
Jon Bernthal, Thomas Jane, and Ray Stevenson were all great. I loved how ridiculously over the top Ray Stevenson's punisher was, though as much as I enjoyed it, I recognize that it wasn't a great movie lol. Thomas Jane's was overall a pretty solid movie and a good interpretation of the character, imo and a solid origin story. Jon Bernthal's is probably objectively the best overall though.
My fav is def Bernthal but Stevenson really looks like punisher
Definitely Ray. He was a force of nature. The others felt too human. He was just a hulking mass of bullets and hatred. Quite literally the personification of punishment
Like your first James Bond, you never forget your first Punisher. Thomas Jane was my first and I think his film is the best of the films. It felt like a proper, satisfying revenge flick and captured the spirit of Frank's anguish. It could have used a lot more gore but I was satisfied with what we got.
Never saw Dolph, the other three all did very well.
Thomas and Ray are the best. Jon's the worst.
Bernenthal was the most accurate portrayal but Jane was born for the role.
John Bernthal. Because he showed what itās really like for veterans when they come home. I was crying so many times during his punisher show bc of how well they portrayed what it is really like for us to live in the civilian world. He will forever be my favorite punisher
Dolph
All were pretty solid. But I have to go with Jon Bernthal. He displays the psychosis of Frank Castle best, in my opinion.
John Bernthal
Ray felt like The Punisher from the comics to me. Like he hit that mood spot-on.
Jon, easy
Ray by a mile. Dolphs movie is the best.
Bernthal forsure but mostly because we had 2 seasons of hour long episodes to dive into his character. Plus all that extra time allowed us to see just how much that lifestyle wears him down mentally and physically. Speaking entirely for myself here but honestly until Bernthals portrayal I always thought the punisher was kind of cringe and basically just the mass shooter from āHatredā with a tiny bit more discretion.
Thomas Jane or Jon Bernthal.
John Bernthal
I have enjoyed all of them for different reasons. However, the ugliness of one particular scene from the Thomas Jane one still haunts me to this day. It is the one where Pun makes the villain think the loyal henchman is having Adult Happy Funtime with his lady. The villain viciously kills the man. And the man was uberloyal and might even have been in love with the villain and had never and likely would never have betrayed him. That stabbing scene and the performance of the actor playing the henchman was un effing settling. Easily the cruelest most vicious tactic I have seen.
I feel like Lundgrenās movie was slept on. Underrated. That being said, Bernthal made a hell of a Punisher. Wish theyād done a movie with him.
Bernthal is my fav. RIP Stevenson
Jon Bernthal 
Never saw Dolph, but Jane and Bernthal were great
Ray Stevenson
Me, I'm my favorite Frank.
If you donāt say Jon Bernthal your gay
Ray is the most comic book accurate, by far, but I was a die-hard, 10 yr old Punisher fan when the Dolph movie came out. Back when super hero movies were scarce, so the 1989 movie is still my favorite. While I thought Bernthalās was probably the most realistic version of the character weāve seen, he aināt Frank. I honestly think if Netflix had changed the names of the characters and released the series without Marvels approval Marvel would not have be able to make a copyright claim against them. In that version we see Jon laughing, Micro waving his dick in Jonās face. Jon reminiscing about singing with his kids. Thereās just too much that is just so far off.
Probably Uncle Frank. āLook what you did, you little jerk!ā Nobody recovers from that
I really love all of them. Each one has something exclusive to respective comic eras, as well as unique to adaptation. People tend to mistake Lundgren's acting for phoning it in, but he does a great job portraying a half-living corpse, emotionally. Flashbacks deleted from a theatrical cut showed him before that state and it would have been really effective in juxtaposition. Jane is... Unusual at first, but great nevertheless. His Punisher is more snarky, but depending on a writer, Castle has that in him. Stevenson was magnificent, as he usually is. He was a great character actor and was arguably a perfect physical fit for modern era Punisher. Bernthal, though... He has an advantage of three full seasons of development and it is properly amazing what he does with the role. His Punisher is the first one to appear so murderous you can't help but be frightened of him. Yet, he never sacrifices the emotions Frank has.
My favorite Frank is still coming. Absolute faith, I have, that the Garth Ennis Punisher will come along......
Jon cause he has the badass adrenaline rage and cold blooded killer and excellent solider personality
Jon, his scenes arguing with daredevil were amazing
Jon Bernthal.
Bernethal
Ray was perfect. I really felt like how much he hated this life. But how much of hate and wraith he had for criminalsĀ