Punisher: War Zone Movie Trailer

Opening with a scene/yelp recalling The Bride's headshot in Kill Bill, the teaser trailer for director Lexi Alexander's Punisher: War Zone plays it hard and fast underneath cyber-noirish lighting (Swordfish, much?) that is sure to turn some people off. However, besides an emasculated bit of firearm ballet atop a chandelier (re: marketing dept., ditch it!), there are hints that War Zone could be a solid R-rated action entry free of the sarcasm seen in Crank and Shoot 'Em Up and much rougher than the barcoded dork-out that was Hitman. One film that seems to have inspired the editing here, per Frank Castle's light flickering intro, is The Crow...if set inside a laser tag arena.

Actor Tom Jane was a dead-on looker for Castle in the absolutely dreadful, Florida-set 2004 Punisher, but Ray Stevenson (Rome) has a grittier, crazed appearance that nicely compliments the vigilante's signature, mob-ridden cityscape. Earlier in the year, some readers were fond of saying that Stevenson looked too much like Steven Seagal, but I don't think the snark/comparisons hold up after this. What about you?

The teaser barely shows us Dominic West (The Wire) playing Jigsaw (a split second outside a hotel) or much of the graphic violence that Alexander has boasted about on her blog (a red band trailer surely awaits), but War Zone definitely looks like an improvement. Bonus points for not having an aloof John Travolta with a villainous hair-don't. As an early supporter, I've found it surprising how many people have dismissed this flick and Alexander (Green Street Hooligans) from day one, and I think the trailer will put some on pause until the next one.

After Iron Man, isn't it odd/cool to see the Marvel logo on a trailer for an R-rated flick? If this flops it's probably the last time to boot. Good thing or no?

Punisher: War Zone opens on December 5th.

Discuss: Thoughts on the first teaser trailer? How does this compare to when you saw the trailer for 2004's The Punisher (if you can remember that, ha)? Do any of you guys/gals like the chandelier scene (I mean, really)?