Slideshow: 18-Image Gallery For ‘Punisher: War Zone’ With Ray Stevenson

BrianTT — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:21:43 -0700

CHICAGO – This 18-image slideshow contains official press images for “Punisher: War Zone,” which stars Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Doug Hutchinson, and Julie Benz from director Lexi Alexander. The film opens on Dec. 5, 2008.

“Punisher: War Zone” features the return of vigilante-hero Frank Castle, who aims his vengeance on mob moss Billy Russoti. The mobster is left horribly disfigured by Castle and turns into a deadly nemesis named ‘Jigsaw’. The Punisher’s enemy recruits an army to take down the hero and only one man can win the war. The film opens on Friday, December 5th, 2008.

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below.

punisher2_1: Frank Castle (Ray Stevenson) in Punisher: War Zone. Photo credit: Lionsgate
punisher2_2: Ray Stevenson stars as Frank Castle — a/k/a The Punisher — in Punisher: War Zone, directed by Lexi Alexander. Photo credit: Lionsgate
punisher2_3: Billy “The Beaut” Russoti (Dominic West, second from right) and his crew in Punisher: War Zone. Photo credit: Jonathan Wenk
punisher2_4: Det. Martin Soap (Dash Mihok), Paul Budiansky (Colin Salmon) and The Punisher Frank Castle (Ray Stevenson) in Punisher: War Zone. Photo credit: Jonathan Wenk
punisher2_5: Angela (Julie Benz) and Grace (Stephanie Janusauskas) in Punisher: War Zone. Photo credit: Takashi Seida
punisher2_6: Wayne Knight as Micro in Punisher: War Zone. Photo credit: Jonathan Wenk
punisher2_7: The Punisher Frank Castle (Ray Stevenson) in Punisher: War Zone. Photo credit: Takashi Seida
punisher2_8: Jigsaw (Dominic West, right) outside the Bradstreet Hotel in Punisher: War Zone. Photo credit: Jonathan Wenk
punisher2_9: Loony Bin Jim (Doug Hutchison) in Punisher: War Zone. Photo credit: Takashi Seida
punisher2_10: Frank Castle (Ray Stevenson) in Punisher: War Zone. Photo credit: Takashi Seida
punisher2_11: Jigsaw (Dominic West) and his brother Loony Bin Jim (Doug Hutchison) in Punisher: War Zone. Photo credit: Jonathan Wenk
punisher2_12: Frank Castle (Ray Stevenson) is The Punisher in Punisher: War Zone, directed by Lexi Alexander. Photo credit: Takashi Seida
punisher2_13: Billy Russoti/Jigsaw (Dominic West, seated, left) in a scene from Punisher: War Zone. Photo credit: Jonathan Wenk
punisher2_14: The Punisher Frank Castle (Ray Stevenson, standing, right) and Paul Budiansky (Colin Salmon, left) in Punisher: War Zone. Photo credit: Jonathan Wenk
punisher2_15: Loony Bin Jim (Doug Hutchison) and Frank Castle (Ray Stevenson) in Punisher: War Zone. Photo credit: Jonathan Wenk
punisher2_16: Dominic West as Jigsaw in Punisher: War Zone. Photo credit: Jonathan Wenk
punisher2_17: Director Lexi Alexander and star Ray Stevenson on set during production of Punisher: War Zone. Photo credit: Jonathan Wenk
punisher2_poster: Theatrical Key Art.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Superhero Film ‘Hancock’ With No Superhero Ancestry Proves Bold But Deadly Decision

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 01:35:37 -0700

CHICAGO – With superhero films as hot in 2008 as psychedelics were in the 1960s, the new blockbuster superhero film “Hancock” fits in with the label but without any of the ancestry.

Rating: 2.0/5.0

While 2008 superhero films such as “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “The Dark Knight,” “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” and “Punisher: War Zone” (along with “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” coming in 2009) are all based on previous stories with a previously ravenous fan base, “Hancock” with an alcoholic and listless Will Smith and Charlize Theron – who hides a surprise bombshell – literally comes from nowhereland.

Read Adam Fendelman’s full review of “Hancock” in our reviews section.

View our full, high-resolution “Hancock” image gallery.

In fact, “Hancock” is the only 2008 superhero film not derived from a previously established comic book.

The original script for “Hancock,” which was inked by Vincent Ngo in 1996 and called “Tonight, He Comes,” was shuffled through the Hollywood director’s circuit until director Peter Berg (“The Kingdom,” “Friday Night Lights,” “The Rundown”) finally ate it up in Oct. 2006. Filming began in July 2007.

Its truly original origin could have either been its golden savior or its deadly assassin. The decision ultimately proved treacherous as everything it tried to do to be different just made it the same.

Its originality actually might not seem so novel, too, once you consider the 1983 film “The Return of Captain Invincible”. In that film, Alan Arkin plays Captain Invincible and Christopher Lee plays his nemesis (Mr. Midnight). Captain Invincible is asked to return from retirement to the superhero battlefields, but this time around, he’s a raging alcoholic. Sound familiar? Uh huh.

“Hancock,” which features Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman and director Michael Mann in a small acting role, opened everywhere on July 2, 2008.

Continuing reading for Adam Fendelman’s full “Hancock” review.

Charlize Theron (left) and Will Smith in “Hancock”.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Entertainment

Will Smith (center) “Hancock”.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Entertainment

Continuing reading for Adam Fendelman’s full “Hancock” review.