Punisher Warzone

[Azrael]

I just recently watched on DVD last year's Punisher: War Zone, mainly because I really like Ray Stevenson (IMO he steals the show as Titus Pullo in HBO's "Rome"). Anyway, I think there are some similarities between Batman and Punisher when it comes to the portrayal of the villain Jigsaw (Dominic West, the traitor guy from "300").

The first time we see the villain, who is a mob guy, he admires his looks in a mirror. His woman approaches, says something related, and he insults her. His general attitude is pretty flamboyant and arrogant, like Jack Napier.

The "transformation" happens in a some sort of dark-lit "factory" with steel ramps etc. and the hero is directly involved. The only difference is the material used (chemicals vs. broken glass) and the fact that in the first case Batman tried to save him, while the Punisher gleefully pushes the button that activates the machinery.

The first time we see the villain after the "accident" he has a covered face and he talks with his plastic surgeon. We see him from the back. We don't see his face when he looks himself with a small handheld mirror.

At some point he says "Billy is Dead. From now on, you can call me Jigsaw"

He's not a moody, grim villain - his case is more of the "villain is having a swell time anc tries to chew the scenery" variety and jokes around a bit while killing stuff.

Obviously it's not a very good movie, but it was pretty fun as a comic-bookish shoot'em up with Midway-like violence, and I really think these moments were inspired (copied?) from B A T M A N.

[Kamdan]

I bet the director thought that the general public wouldn't have remembered Batman '89 after The Dark Knight, BUT WE DO!!!

[BatmAngelus]

In a way, it may have been inspired by Burton's Batman.  The comics don't have Billy Russo falling in a glass factory nor do they have the plastic surgeon scene, from what I recall.  In the comics, Punisher threw him through a plate-glass window and he survived.

On the other hand, Jigsaw's origin was revealed in the 1970s and was, indeed, a vain mobster whose face was destroyed in a near-death encounter with the main hero and lead him to become a psychotic supervillain bent on destroying the man who ruined his face.
If anything, perhaps the Jigsaw comic origin first helped inspire the Jack Napier origin in Sam Hamm's script, which then inspired the screenwriters of Punisher: War Zone on how to portray Jigsaw?    Who knows...

[GuedesGothamKnight]

Well, it could be really a reference to Mr. J.

[Sandman]

The first time we see the villain after the "accident" he has a covered face and he talks with his plastic surgeon. We see him from the back. We don't see his face when he looks himself with a small handheld mirror.

I think i read somwhere that it was meant to be a nod to the greatest Batman movie of all time.

[waufreak89]

Nice observations there.  I thinks it's neat when people make connections like this between two separate works.  It's interesting how Jigsaw's development seems to mirror that of Nicholson's Joker, but I'm sure it's mostly coincidence.  I wouldn't completely rule out the possibility of it paying some tribute to Batman 89 but I put more credence into it being coincidence.

[DarkVengeance]

I noticed the small references when I first viewed the film on opening day back last december, its obvious those references are strong, but at the same time, the characters are so far off from each other, to me atleast it dosent really matter.

[Sandman]

Warzone was stright to DVD over here and i tell ya now i know why, After renting it i wanted my $4 back!

[Seantastic]

I actually really liked the Punisher films, Warzone is a great film, I see it as a darker, more violent version of TDK
And their might be similarities, but they are two different characters

[Sandman]

What do you think of this movie? So i far i have noticed that its one of those movies you love it or you hate it.  I myself hated it i've been a Punihser fan longer then i have a Batman so i really took it as a slap to the face, The biggest waste of money i had even spend and i own Plan 9 from outta space.