Review Detail
9.6 7 10
Overall rating
9.4
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
9.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
9.0
Enjoyment
9.0
Now THIS is the Punisher movie I have been looking for!
Dark. Violent. Unapologetic.
The original War Zone was a tonal mess that was only saved by Ray Stevenson's pitch perfect casting.
Lantern51 has cleverly retuned the movie by de-emphasizing or completely removing the over the top moments, thus allowing the strengths of the film come to the foreground. Along with some solid scene cuts/trims, the tonal realignment is done mostly two ways. One, a completely new colour scheme. The bright rich inappropriate colour palette has been replaced with a washed out, gritty, grunge landscape. And two, this new colder, darker, semi-apocalyptic look is supported by an almost all new soundtrack that enhances the grittiness, tension and despair.
While I was not a fan of every new music choice, the song used after Frank kills the uncover agent was inspired. There is extensive and impressive audio replacement throughout this edit. The vast majority of it is masterful, and it is only in the final climax it is slightly noticeable due to original spill and the unavoidable side effect limitations of the software used.
Lots of great cut work throughout this edit, which improves pacing and narrative immensely. Jigsaw and LBJs' performances do at times feel at odds with the new edited tone, but for the most part, they now come across far more ominous and threatening. For me, the only casualty of the new structure is there is no clear reveal of Soap's true intentions, thus he comes across even more oddball and eccentric. But my favourite piece of editing is the new version of Jigsaw's recruitment speech -- brilliant stuff!
The bookend War Journal entries were nice touches and I think, as another reviewer commented, it would have been nice to have had a couple more scattered throughout the narrative for more insight into Frank and to re-enforce the fan edit concept.
When one considers the original source material, this fan edit is an impressive accomplishment. The fan editor easily met and exceeded his goals.
Good stuff!!! :)
Dark. Violent. Unapologetic.
The original War Zone was a tonal mess that was only saved by Ray Stevenson's pitch perfect casting.
Lantern51 has cleverly retuned the movie by de-emphasizing or completely removing the over the top moments, thus allowing the strengths of the film come to the foreground. Along with some solid scene cuts/trims, the tonal realignment is done mostly two ways. One, a completely new colour scheme. The bright rich inappropriate colour palette has been replaced with a washed out, gritty, grunge landscape. And two, this new colder, darker, semi-apocalyptic look is supported by an almost all new soundtrack that enhances the grittiness, tension and despair.
While I was not a fan of every new music choice, the song used after Frank kills the uncover agent was inspired. There is extensive and impressive audio replacement throughout this edit. The vast majority of it is masterful, and it is only in the final climax it is slightly noticeable due to original spill and the unavoidable side effect limitations of the software used.
Lots of great cut work throughout this edit, which improves pacing and narrative immensely. Jigsaw and LBJs' performances do at times feel at odds with the new edited tone, but for the most part, they now come across far more ominous and threatening. For me, the only casualty of the new structure is there is no clear reveal of Soap's true intentions, thus he comes across even more oddball and eccentric. But my favourite piece of editing is the new version of Jigsaw's recruitment speech -- brilliant stuff!
The bookend War Journal entries were nice touches and I think, as another reviewer commented, it would have been nice to have had a couple more scattered throughout the narrative for more insight into Frank and to re-enforce the fan edit concept.
When one considers the original source material, this fan edit is an impressive accomplishment. The fan editor easily met and exceeded his goals.
Good stuff!!! :)
B