Tampa receives some rave reviews for its role in the action-adventure movie The Punisher.
By STEVE PERSALL
Published April 17, 2004
[Times photo: Mike Pease]
Michael Martino, 14, of Tampa saw The Punisher, an action movie based on a Marvel Comics antihero tale, on Friday at Channelside Cinemas.
TAMPA - First came the making of The Punisher. Now comes the reward for anyone who wonders how Tampa and the bay area look in a big-time action flick.
Friday marked the official nationwide opening of The Punisher, a $34-million adaptation of a Marvel Comics antihero tale starring Thomas Jane and John Travolta. The movie was filmed around Tampa last fall.
Appropriately, the first local screenings of The Punisher were at Channelside Cinemas, near the shipyards where much of the violent action film was produced. The movie was shown twice Thursday night, first to dignitaries and locals who worked on the movie, then to moviegoers who received free tickets through event sponsors.
Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio said she enjoyed watching a fictional avenger causing havoc.
"I thought Tampa looked absolutely beautiful," Iorio said. "They had some outstanding shots of the skyline. When people watch it, they're going to recognize a lot of the interior shots, too."
Iorio said she usually isn't an action movie fan, "but I thought this was pretty entertaining. A little on the violent side, but it had a story."
In the film, a former FBI agent named Frank Castle (played by Jane) seeks to avenge the murder of his family ordered by a crooked Tampa businessman (Travolta). Revenge leads to a number of gruesome killings and fiery explosions.
The promise of such mayhem attracted Sarasota residents Jeremy Klinger, 18, and Joseph Lee, 17, to Friday's 11:30 a.m. matinee. They also needed to kill time before the Tampa Bay Lightning's Stanley Cup playoff game Friday night.
"Two thumbs up," Lee said after seeing the movie. "It was really good. A lot of explosions, a lot of people getting killed. It's good."
Klinger, celebrating his birthday Friday, added: "It was great to see buildings (on screen) that you always see driving around. It just made the movie feel more like home."
One row behind the mayor Thursday night, Kim Scheeler, president of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, soaked in flattering shots of the city's skyline, nightlife and luxurious homes. He said he didn't think the film's dark, dangerous atmosphere will hurt local tourism.
"Obviously it's a movie based on a comic book character, so you have to take that for what it's worth," Scheeler said. "People are going to see that as an element that's bigger than life to make the movie make sense. I don't think most folks will equate that everything in Tampa is bad and evil and violent."
Iorio joked that the movie may send a message to criminals: "Bad guys, stay out of Tampa," said the smiling mayor, wagging a warning finger, "we've got the Punisher on our side."
