The Punisher
Originally published at Logical Eccentricity News. Please leave any comments there.
I recently watched The Punisher again, and I have to say, the ending lines of it are worth quoting and remebering:
I leave this as a declaration of intent - so no one will be confused.
- Sic vis pacem parabellum. Latin. Boot Camp Sergeant made us recite it like a prayer. Sic vis pacem parabellum. If you want peace, prepare for war.
- Frank Castle is dead. He died with his family.
- In certain - extreme situations, the law is inadequate. In order to shame its inadequacy, it is necessary to act outside the law. To pursue - natural justice. This is not vengeance. Revenge is not a valid motive, it’s an emotional response. No, not vengeance. Punishment.
Those who do evil to others - killers, rapists, psychos, sadists - will come to know me well. Frank Castle is dead. Call me - The Punisher.
Beyond just this quote, there was a lot more to the movie that I enjoyed. The development of the character is very believable, and realistic. You can almost see yourself doing similar things in his place. I think that’s the beauty of the Punisher in the first place. It could be anyone; you don’t need to be bitten by a super spider, or come from another planet, anyone can become the Punisher. While the action is intense, there could have been a whole lot more, but is very tasteful in what is shown. As a result, enough is left up to your imagination that makes it seem much worse than it probably is. Overall, this is one of my more liked superhero movies. Watch it if you haven’t seen it yet.