The Rome star is now the 'Punisher'

MANILA, Philippines - Best known for playing the legionary Titus Pullo in the acclaimed HBO TV series Rome, British actor Ray Stevenson now takes on the vengeful comic book vigilante Frank Castle in Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios’ new action-thriller Punisher: War Zone.

Waging his one-man war on the world of organized crime, ruthless vigilante-hero Frank Castle sets his sights on overeager mob boss Billy Russoti (Dominic West). After Billy is left horribly disfigured by Frank, he sets out for vengeance under his new alias: Jigsaw. Now, Frank must stand up to the formidable army that Jigsaw has recruited before more of his evil deeds go unpunished.

Ray admits that he was challenged by the moral complexities of Frank’s actions, and he still maintains that the Punisher is not a role model to be emulated, but a warning. “There is a kind of nihilism to his actions,” says the actor. “He doesn’t set himself up as a protector of the innocent, he’s a punisher of the corrupt. That’s a very clear line to draw.”

Ray believes Frank remains sympathetic because he hasn’t lost his humanity. In fact, Frank is often all too human. “He hasn’t got super powers or lightning bolts shooting out his eyeballs or anything like that,” he says. “He uses skills he’s learned to get his job done. I think people also identify with his personal story as a man who suffered a tremendous tragedy in his life and decided on a route of vendetta, a vigilante attitude that says that once people cross a certain line, they’re beyond redemption.”

Adds director Lexi Alexander, “What I would say is unique about this Punisher is that you’ve got a great actor playing the part, Ray Stevenson. There is gravitas and a sense of sorrow to his task, and along with the action there is a heart, one that’s been beaten down but is still there.”

Ray, who had no previous fighting experience, spent months before production training for his role. “We had quite a bit of time to train him,” says stunt coordinator Pat Johnson. Endurance was one of the prime objectives, as Ray faced weeks of 12-hour days in which he was performing nothing but stunts and hand-to-hand combat.

Not simply satisfied with achieving a high level of fitness, Ray also trained with military advisor Jon Barton, who taught him how to handle and fire a vast array of weapons, as well as how to move like a man with military training. “We did a lot of work with weapons: Transitioning from a rifle to a pistol, using two pistols, using two pistols and a rifle, grenade launchers and rocket launchers,” says Jon. “After six weeks, we started doing force-on-force, which is where I had Ray engage my fellow employees in mock battle sequences where he would be the Punisher and he would have to kill everybody, and they had to try to kill him. That was really fun because it gave him a chance to be shot at.”

Punisher: War Zone opens March 18 in theaters.