FAQ

To put it simply: No, there are longer versions available as legit releases. The German and Dutch DVDs feature an unrated version of the Dolph Lundgren starrer that runs a couple of seconds longer - about 15 seconds - and features some more bloody shoot-outs and other prolonged violent scenes.

The old British BBFC 18 VHS is censored as well, missing 66 seconds of violent shots.

Yes, there is a Workprint available. Compared with the Unrated Version, however, this Workprint seems rather half-baked. Most of the cuts are quite short, but in the action scenes they eliminate a lot of the "idling" parts, so that the film ultimately seems much action-packed and better. Due to the alternative beginning and alternative ending (and perhaps also the completely new hospital scene), the workprint is certainly an interesting version for fans. Unfortunately, its quality is very bad (as one can see on the pictures below), so that one can very often not distinguish anything.

no, but taking it a step further, compared to the uncut version i own, the recent Austrian 2 dvd set .. the unrated lbx version is cut by aprox. 6 seconds.I do like the workprint on this set for the rarity for completists of this under-rated film.

For 5 years, Detective Jake Berkowitz (Louis Gossett Jr.) has been following the trail of a mysterious psychotic killer known as The Punisher. For 5 years, The Punisher (Dolph Lundgren) has slain 125 members of the Franco crime family. Berkowitz has been following The Punisher's trail because The Punisher happens to be his former partner Frank Castle, a respected police officer whose family were killed in a car bombing by the Franco crime family. As Castle continues his fight for justice as The Punisher, Castle soon learns Tommy (Bryan Rooney), son and heir of his former nemesis Gianni Franco (Jeroen Krabbe) and children of other members of the Franco crime family have been abducted and are being held for ransom by the evil head of the Yakuza Lady Tanaka (Kim Miryori) and Castle sets out to rescue them, only to be arrested by the police. After Castle justifies his actions as The Punisher to Berkowitz, Castle is freed from custody by Franco whom demands Castle helps him get back Tommy and takes Berkowitz hostage as insurance and Castle reluctantly agrees to help Franco rescue Tommy from the Yakuza and proclaims that he will kill him after he helps Franco rescue his son and terminates the Yakuza.