After nearly five years of appeals...
Dino Moretti, reputed lieutenant of the Franco crime family...
was released from prison today, and acquitted of all charges...
in connection with the murders of police officer Frank Castle...
and his family.
Moretti has long maintained his innocence...
claims he has no idea who is responsible...
for the 125 mysterious gangland murders...
often attributed to a shadowy figure known as the "Punisher"...
which have occurred in this city over the last half decade.
- Laurie Silvers has this on the scene report. - Mr. Moretti?
- How does it feel to be finally acquitted? - It feels great.
Just great.
The government says it's going to appeal.
Let them appeal a hundred times. I'll still win.
This is America.
If a man is innocent, justice prevails.
Are you worried about the Punisher?
Let me tell you something about this "Punisher", whoever he is.
If he ever shows up within 1,000 yards of me...
he'll find out what the word "punished" really means.
Now, if you'll excuse me.
And there you have it.
The clapper Don, Allegedly head of the powerful Franco crime family...
once again shrugging off any fear of the Punisher...
despite the fact that over 125 organized crime figures...
have been murdered by the self-styled vigilante in the last five years.
This is Laurie Silvers for Channel 8 News.
Hey, what do you think? Maybe I got a future in politics.
Okay. Enough of the jokes. Let's break out the champagne.
- I'll get it, boss. - No. First things first.
- You check the house. I'll get the champagne. - Sure.
Hey Mikey! Start the music around here.
What the fuck?
Jesus! Joey!
Come on, you guys, party time.
Joey...
YUM!
- Switch on those cameras! - Keep them rolling!
- Come on, GUYS! - Okay.
- Move it! - Okay.
Keep it rolling! Keep it rolling!
Look, there's somebody there.
I got the tight shot.
- I got it covered. I covered this! - Who is that?
- Holy shit! The Punisher! - It's him!
- Move in for a close-up! Get a close-up! - I got it!
Are you getting it?
Out of the way!
Are you getting it?
- I got shit all over the place! - Keep them going!
Come on, God.
Answer me.
It's years I'm asking you why. Why are the innocent dead...
and the guilty alive? Where is justice?
Where is punishment?
Or have you already answered? Have you already said to the world:
"Here is justice, here is punishment."
Here...
in me?
Mommy, aren't we going to wait for daddy?
Daddy's working. We'll meet him at grandma's. Okay?
Julie!
Lieutenant, are you being pressured...
to resign as the head of the "Punisher task force"?
- No comment. - Lieutenant, do you have leads?
- No comment. - Lieutenant, do you still think...
that Frank Castle and the Punisher are the same person?
- Absolutely. - Despite the fact that the official police...
Don't you people have anything better to do with your time?
It's 2:00 in the Goddamn morning, for Christ's sake.
Hey, give me a break.
- Now, that was smart. Very smart. - The chief of detectives.
It must be something very important to bring you out at 2 a.m.
- It is. - Yeah?
I have a message from the mayor.
I quote: "Frank Castle is dead."
No more talk about him being otherwise.
You tow the line or you get the boot.
You'd go along with that, too.
Jake, we cannot let the public think there's some psychotic ex-cop...
whacking off wise guys like he's got a hunting license.
Why not? Why not?
Berkowitz, it's late. I'm tired.
You're warned.
What the hell ever happened to you?
Okay, Graham, I'm gonna shoot an update.
- Excuse me, Lieutenant Berkowitz? - Yeah.
- I'm detective Sam Leary. - Sam?
Samantha.
I worked with you once five years ago.
Did the Moretti heroin bust. It was my first assignment plain-clothes.
- I was the hooker! - Oh, right.
What can I do for you, detective?
I'd like at shot at being your partner.
- I don't work with a partner. - But you used to.
Right, used to. Past tense.
I'm not after a free ride. I can carry my share of the load.
I'm sure you can.
No, you're not. You're not even listening.
That's right. I'm not even listening.
- Why? - 'Cause I work with the best.
Anything else is a waste of my time.
Besides, so you think you're the first to apply?
- No, but I'm the most qualified. - What makes you think that?
I graduated first in my class at the academy.
I scored in the top 1% in the target range.
I made detective first time up, the second youngest on the force to do that.
It must make your parents proud.
But why should it make you my partner?
I believe that Frank Castle's the Punisher.
Know where my office is?
Yeah.
You be there at 9:00 sharp.
Mr. Franco, how does it feel to be back home?
In the 30 minutes since I've landed: So far, so good.
- Have you come to take over, sir? - Come on, fellas, it was a long flight.
- The man's tired. Give him a break. - Aren't you afraid of the Punisher?
- The Punisher? - Yeah.
In Europe, they think you made it up to sell newspapers.
There is no Punisher.
What's been killing your associates for five years?
Too much stress, I guess. Thanks for coming.
Come on. Vanish!
Just a second.
Can I help you, detective?
- You already have, Franco. - Really? How?
Kind of like a worm helps a fisherman.
I'm glad you finally came home, Gianni.
I was running out of bait. I'll see you around.
Too much stress?
That's funny.
- How'd you like it there, Tommy? - It was okay.
Learn good stuff in those fancy schools?
- Come on, show him something you learned, son. - You got a quarter?
Sure.
- Here you go. - Watch him.
Hey, that's great!
- I can do it with $10. - That's expensive for me.
Give this to Louie in the kitchen with my compliments.
Ask him to give you more cheesecake.
Lose something?
Okay, so tell me. How bad is it?
How bad?
If you didn't come home, I would be head of the family.
It's not going to be families anymore.
That's old thinking. It's clad thinking.
There'll be no more wars, no more territories.
How are you going to convince anyone?
With an act of good faith so generous...
that even Freddy Deleo will see the light.
A week from now, I've arranged...
- for 600 kilos of pure junk to come in. - 600 Ks?
$500 million worth. Everyone gets their share.
Provided they work together to make it happen.
One group on security, one at receiving...
one in collecting, one in distribution..
That wouldn't be too hard, would it?
And what do we do about the Punisher?
One thing at a time, Jim.
First we consolidate.
And then we obliterate.
Excuse me, kind sir...
but I can't help but see in you a man far luckier than me.
What?
Whatever you can spare will be sufficient.
And this old thespian...
- What the hell's a thespian? - An actor, sir.
Oh, sure.
- Thank you. - Hey!
What'd I tell you about bugging the customers?
Richie. Throw this trash out of here.
- Alright, let's go. - You can't treat me like this.
- Come on! - I demand some respect!
I'm not trash! I'm a man!
Maybe I should have tried some Eugene O'Neill.
Hi there.
Nice weather we are having for this time of year.
You were supposed to meet me here four hours ago.
I know. I know all about it. I've been hearing it all my life.
Checks, responsibility...
- Can't keep an appointment. - Where is the dope coming into?
The dope?
The dope... That. Pier 30.
But the location's not the big story.
But who'll be there is.
- Who'll be there? - Everyone.
They're all working together now.
One big, happy family...
under the fatherly wing of your old friend Gianni Franco.
Mr. P!
Happy hunting!
Allez, vite. Lls rapprochent.
I can't get this frigging thing to work.
- Very difficult... - Well, fuck you.
- Fuck you! - Fuck you!
Hey, there's $500 million out there, assholes.
Cool out! Here, check the perimeter.
Get With it!
Hello, Red 1? Come in.
Red 1, will you get off your ass?
- What? - Everything's Okay?
Yeah!
- Red 2, what have you got? - Bad kidneys. I got to pee.
So pee. Everything's okay?
Yeah. It's dead here.
The U.S. Coast guard! Cut your engines.
- What are you doing here? - We had to pull into clock.
Our hull is leaking. Down there. Have a look.
- 15 minutes late. - Jesus Christ...
- Fucking faggot frenchmen. - Here they come. Here they come!
You're 15 minutes late, you stupid dickhead.
What's the big idea?
(He)', guys, get back there!
600 kilos of dope. Seven dead wise guys.
All from different families.
Guess it's a drug deal gone bad.
Guess again.
Idiko Tanaka. She's single, in her early 40s.
She has one daughter.
A mute american girl she adopted at birth..
Who never leaves her sight.
She's a graduate from Harvard business school...
and the first female ever to head the Yakuza.
Yaku... what?
Yakuza. Japanese mafia.
- This is a long fucking way from Japan. - It is.
- What are they doing here? - I don't know.
We are about to find out.
Okay.
- Lady Tanaka. - Mr. Franco.
It is an honor. Your reputation precedes you.
As does yours.
- Please sit down. - No, thank you.
What I have to say will be brief.
We have been tracking your organization for quite some time.
Your leadership is decimated. Your soldiers are inexperienced.
Our little demonstration on Pier 30 was ample proof of that.
You're weak, Mr. Franco.
Vulnerable.
And we are not.
We could cripple all your operations - legal, as well as illegal - very easily.
- But we don't want that. - With all clue respect, Miss Tanaka...
let's cut through the bullshit.
What do you want?
- A partnership. - Define the term.
You will manage and oversee all your business on a day-to-day basis.
We will assume the duties of executive administration, investments, financial services.
- Come on! - I'm not through.
- What do you propose as a split? - 75% for us.
25% for you.
No fucking way am I going to be a salary boy to some bunch of nips.
I don't know about the rest of you guys...
but the Deleo family gives up shit. We don't work for nobody.
Who the fuck do you think you are?
We are Yakuza.
When your ancestors were still shepherds screwing sheep on the mediterranean coast...
ours were the crime lords of Asia.
I'm not offering terms, Mr. Franco, I'm making demands.
And what if we choose not to comply?
Steps are now being taken to ensure that you will.
You Americans have a great capacity for violence.
But it's wild, unfocused.
You will learn.
Good clay, gentlemen.
What do we do?
Only one thing we can.
We go to war.
What do you think you're going to do with that? Play Ms. Pac-Man or something?
- Hopefully find Castle. - No shit.
No shit.
How are we going to accomplish this little miracle?
I've accessed into all available data banks...
with information on him...
and programmed the computer to form an analysis...
Of probable locations.
Even the Punisher has to live somewhere.
Hey.
- You see this board here? - Yeah.
I've been living with it for five years. Every time he kills somebody...
I put a pin in it.
I fine-tooth every building, every alley, in this city.
The only thing that I've got to show for it...
is these little calling cards here...
and a whole bunch of these.
I've already been through this city.
I've been in it, around it, on top of it.
You name it.
How about under it?
- I get the red. I hate yellow. - The red's gross, Jenny.
I think it's totally hot.
Hi. I'm Peter bear. I really care.
And to show you it's true, I have some things to teach you.
Like what, Peter?
- Come on! - Wait up!
Hey, hold it!
Roger?
Hello?
Come out.
Come out, wherever you are.
Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble, I better get out of here on the double.
With your flair for entrances...
you should consider a career in the theater.
I'll think about it.
What are you doing here?
What would I be doing, tramping around the sewers of this great metropolis?
- Sightseeing. - Very funny.
I bring you news, you give me grief.
You know, they all think you're dead.
They'll kill each other now.
Turn the lights off when you leave.
Very clever.
And what will you do While the carnage ensues?
Take a vacation.
Yes, I hear the sewers of Paris are lovely this time of year.
And what about the children?
- What children? - The children of the new bosses...
are now counted among their losses.
They're being held for ransom by the japanese.
So the bosses will have to pay up.
Pay they will and all for naught.
The children will be sold by the slave trade. They've been bought.
My God, man, don't you see?
This is the result of your five-year killing spree.
You weakened the fathers to such degrees...
they couldn't protect their own families.
I punish the guilty.
And as a result, the innocent now suffer.
You must do something!
You must do something.
Enough of this fucking brainstorming.
Let's snatch her daughter, take her to the meeting...
with this in her mouth, then we talk.
Freddy, before you go snatching anybody, let me tell you a story...
about our Miss Tanaka.
The only person she was ever close to was her twin brother.
They grew up in a Tokyo orphanage after the second world war.
They were inseparable. They lived together their whole lives.
One clay he stuck the Yakuza for a lot of money...
which he had no intention of paying back.
Nothing happened to him because of her.
Then other people started getting the same idea.
Before she could become head of the organization...
the other leaders demanded an act of absolute loyalty.
You know what she did?
She went home...
cooked her brother a beautiful meal...
waited until he had finished...
and then slit his throat.
- Jesus. - What are you saying?
- We don't deal with her? - We can't deal with her.
You're saying there's nothing that can save our kids.
There is, but it's lying at the bottom of the harbor.
- Well, I'm going to the meeting. - Yeah. Yeah, I'm going, too.
I'm not.
Good. The money for the children.
The slave business is very profitable.
Come on. Don't cry. We're going to be okay.
We're not going to be okay. It's because of my father I'm here.
That's not true.
Then why are we here, Mr. Know-It-All?
- I don't know. - We're being held for ransom...
because our fathers are rich gangsters.
So why am I here? My father's not a gangster.
Are you kidding?
Your father's the biggest gangster and a coward.
My dad said if he didn't run from his responsibilities, there wouldn't be this mess.
- Bullshit! - You're bullshit!
Hey, stop!
Why are you fighting?
Everything is going to be all right.
I want to go home.
- And you will. - When?
Soon.
Here, here... No more tears.
Here.
- Come with me. - Leave her alone!
- Come in. - Thank you.
Here's your usual.
Every clay the children are gone, it's going to cost you money.
Take that message to your people.
Take the money. Run. Go! Go!
Hold it. Hold it. Who are these two happy campers?
Don't ask me. I can't get a word out of them.
Be still. I said, be still.
You'd think he was hiding something under there.
- May I? - Be my guest.
What the hell is this?
Trouble.
Get him out of here.
- I'll get it. - Okay.
Lieutenant?
- You're not gonna believe this. - Try me.
The kids of all the new family heads have been snatched.
They've named the Punisher as the prime suspect.
They're wrong.
- It makes sense. - I know it does. But they're wrong.
- Do you have a reason for saying that? - I've got two reasons for saying that.
My contacts tell me the kids are here.
- You sure this is it? - I'd stake my reputation on it.
If I had one.
Do You got a spare?
- What? - One of those.
If they're holding the kids here, it's with a fucking arsenal.
You move left instead of right, you're dead.
The critics said the same thing about my Hamlet.
Stay here.
Watch your back.
That was a very expensive question...
you asked at our place the other night.
It cost us nearly 2 million dollars in cash.
How much pain do you think that buys?
Is the question true/false or multiple choice?
Neither.
Who sent you?
Batman.
Do you get the impression I don't believe you?
Do you think I give a shit?
You handle your pain very well.
Let's see how well you handle the pain of others.
Now will you tell me?
You're a very stubborn man.
I have an appointment.
I will leave you in the hands of Mr. Ito.
He will keep you alive much longer than you care to be.
Goodbye.
Hey.
Have a nice clay.
Wait.
Come here.
I've got something to say.
Sayonara.
I don't want to stretch this out, so why don't you tell me where the kids are.
Deserted warehouse. Avenue "A".
Take care of the little ones.
Thank you for your cooperation.
You could spend your whole life down here...
and not find one damn clue.
- Yeah, we could get lucky. - The eternal optimist?
Look who's talking. Five years with no leads.
Now you're tramping around the sewers on a computer's hunch.
- How come? - How come what?
How come you never gave up?
I know what it's like to be given up on.
- Who gave up on you? - Everybody.
- Except him, right? - That's right.
So, what happened?
You know how you go out for a drink after work?
In my case it was the drink before work...
the drink during work, and finally the drink instead of work.
Then it became a problem. Nobody wanted to deal with it.
Especially me.
Before I knew it, I was busted down to collecting empty shell casings...
on the firing range.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Then along comes Frank Castle with a shiny new detective badge...
and he says he wants to learn from the guy who wrote the book...
on busting bad guys. Me.
He took me into his life, Helped me get my act together...
and showed me how to be a cop again.
So I'm thinking: "What's a little sewer shit for a friend?"
You know, when we get our kids back, I'll rip her fucking heart out with my bare hands.
I swear.
None for me. I'm on medication.
Hey, salud.
Here's to the safe return of our children.
- Salud. - Salud.
Here we go.
So, Mr. Franco decided not to attend.
- A wise decision. - What are you talking about?
You fucking bitch!
Come on! What are you waiting for? You're going to kill us, do it!
I already have.
Champagner.
The glasses.
Thirsty, Mr. Deleo?
Since you have refused the drink...
please, accept the chaser.
Black coffee, Ed.
Thanks.
Hey, that's my bus! Hey!
Hey, that's my stop!
Hey!
Hey! You missed my stop.
Sorry.
Thank you.
Don't mention it.
The kid's ready. The boat sails in an hour.
Hey, I want you to meet Jimmy.
Wake UP!
It's all right. Don't be afraid.
I'm here to take you home.
Come on. Let's go.
Let's go.
Come on. Run. Run. Into the bus.
Move it. Move it.
- They took Tommy away. - What?
- Down the corridor. - Cathy! Where's Cathy?
Get in the bus. Come on.
Stay in the bus, okay? Stay here.
Tommy.
- Where's Cathy? - I don't know.
Come on.
I came down for my dolly.
Run to the bus, Cathy.
Let him go!
Shoot him!
- Get down! - Where's Tommy?
They've got him. I'll get him back.
- All right. Let's go. - Go! Go!
Hold on!
- Stay down! - I'm scared!
Shit! Cops!
Hold on!
Hold your fire!
- Come on, kids. Come on. Over here. - Hurry. Hurry.
Is my mommy here?
Hurry!
It's okay!
Hello, Frank.
How you been?
- Busy. - I know.
I know you have been.
I'm in charge of the body count.
- What the hell happened, Frank? - Frank is dead.
All right?
I see.
So you decided everybody else had to be dead, too.
- Is that it? - Nah.
If you're guilty, you're dead.
Courts decide who's guilty, not cops.
"They hereby swear to uphold the law."
Remember?
I've been looking for you for five years, man.
Why the hell didn't you come to me for help?
- I didn't need your help. - You're sick. You know that, don't you?
- No, I'm not. - What do you call 125 murders in 5 years?
- Work in progress. - God damn you! Look!
It's no fucking joke here.
They are going to electrocute you...
and there's nothing I can do anything about.
Talk to me, man. Let me in! Let me in!
They were my fuckin' family, too, Frank. They were my family, too.
Let me in, God damn it! Let me in!
I see. You want to die. Is that it?
Well, fuck you. Go ahead and die.
The Frank I knew died five years ago.
Fuck you!
Open this door!
No! Please don't!
In a few moments, Frank Castle, the ex-police officer...
who's waged a one-Man war against organized crime for the past five years...
will be escorted to court to face an unprecedented 125 first-degree murder charges.
There's still no news as to the whereabouts of Tommy Franco...
the son of crime boss Gianni Franco.
Where's Berkowitz?
Hurting.
- What happened between you two? - What the fuck do you care?
Hey, I care. I'm his partner.
He carried the burden for a long time by himself.
He needed help, and you weren't there.
I was the next best thing.
He resigned from the force after seeing you.
He lived for the clay he found you.
That's all he had, and now you've taken that away.
He's your best friend.
Why do you want to take him down with you?
You were his life before this ever happened...
and you've been his life ever since, and you fucking well know that!
How long do you think someone can live after you've cut out their heart?
A long time.
Like you? Is that what you want for Jake?
To live like you?
- Call him. - What?
I said, call him.
Nighty-Night, asshole.
Let him be.
What happened to your family wasn't supposed to.
If I could undo it, I would, but I can't.
I swear this on the life of my son Thomas Anthony.
I want him back.
I can't do it myself, or I would.
I need you, Castle.
I'll give you anything you want. I'll do anything you wish.
Say something.
Fuck you.
Let me put it another way.
A life for a life.
I'm not going to ask you twice, Castle.
Well?
Okay. Okay, I'll do it.
But understand...
When this is over, you're dead.
The elevator stops at 40. They're on 41.
We need a key to get there, which the lobby guard has in the lobby.
Five minutes. Push the first button.
What's that going to do?
- Blow out the lights. - Sir, just in case,
It's been an honor to have known you.
Likewise.
Castle, here's some body armor for you.
Just in case.
Here. Just in case.
Have it your way.
15 minutes.
- You hit the second button. - What's that going to blow out?
Everything else.
Hey.
- I got to take a leak. - Be my guest.
That's fine.
I don't know what the boss will say about a yellow stain on the seat.
Hey, hey, man! That's skin back there. Take it easy.
What?
Are you going to handle the equipment for me?
In front.
- Can I ask you a question? - What?
Is an IQ test required for this job?
No.
I didn't think so.
Hey, man, I got the pizza.
Can I ask you a question?
What's the reason behind you killing all those guys?
There's a limit to revenge.
Well, I guess, I haven't reached mine yet.
Which way?
Not that way.
You go that way.
You all right?
Don't worry about this poor, old slob.
Get on the case. Do the job.
Hey, hey, Take care of this guy.
I'll operate under my own steam. Thank you.
Here. Hold this.
Dad!
Tommy!
How long is it gonna take to get an elevator?
It's hard to say.
Elevators are very temperamental things.
So are cops who don't like being jerked around. Now how long?
- 10 minutes. - How long? Hey, how long?
Five minutes?
Mr. Franco.
How nice to see you again.
Let him go.
You've gotten everything you wanted.
Not quite yet.
Take another step, Mr. Franco.
Well, you can't win here.
- You kill him, I kill you. - And who loses more?
Certainly not me.
- What do you want? - On your knees.
On your knees!
Put the gun in your mouth.
You have my word he will live.
- How do I know you'll keep it? - You don't.
But some chance is better than no chance.
All the way in. Pull that trigger, Mr. Franco.
NOW! Now!
This is part of your education. You watch.
Goodbye, Mr. Franco.
All right, guys. Let's go.
Tommy?
Dad!
Tommy!
Let me have a look at you. Care to walk?
- Yeah. - Okay. Come on.
Wait outside, my son.
Come on. I'll see to him.
- I can help him. - Wait outside, Tommy.
I must compliment you, Castle.
You've clone something I never dreamed possible.
You've wiped out the competition.
Thanks to you, there's only me.
In five years' time, my new organization...
will be the most powerful crime syndicate on earth...
and that boy whose life you saved will inherit all of it.
And the only thing he will have to fear...
I'm about to eliminate.
You gave me back my son. Thank you very much.
I'm in your debt.
- See you in hell, Castle. - Dad!
Tommy!
Dad, Stop!
Swap'-!
Dad, get off him!
Dad?
Dad...
I'm going to kill you.
Good.
Maybe if you get it over with now...
you won't grow up to be like him.
Come on.
Do it.
What the hell?
All right. Split up.
Frank?
You're a good boy, Tommy.
Grow up to be a good man.
Because if not...
I'll be waiting.
Are you all right?
Which way did he go?
Frank!
I still talk to God sometimes.
I ask him if what I'm doing is right or wrong.
I'm still waiting for an answer.
And until I get one, I'll be out here.
Waiting. Watching.
The guilty will be punished.