Shawn Baichoo Takes No Prisoners In The New Shortfilm, THE PUNISHER: NO MERCY

After releasing their first teaser in May and circulating through this summer’s film festival circuit, the Montreal-based independent action film group, The Kombat Krew, unveiled their new Marvel short fan film, The Punisher: No Mercy. Directed by independent filmmaker, co-producer/writer J. Ambrus, the shortfilm was shot between October and November 2012 for 3.5 non-consecutive shooting days with actor, indie action star and stunt coordinator, Shawn Baichoo in a unique portrayal of the Marvel character opposite actors James Malloch and Giancarlo Caltabiano.

The short film also stars actress and martial arts perfomer Amber Goldfarb in the role of fellow Marvel anti-heroine in red, Elektra, which for Baichoo was, as he explains, a particular casting choice waiting to happen over the last several years. “Amber and I knew each other vaguely from theatre school (she graduated a few years after me), but I got to know her when we worked on Assassin’s Creed II together. Appropriately enough, I was designing a fight for it and she was the actress cast to kick some ass. After that we started training together and doing small projects and became good friends, and so when the idea for PNM came up, I thought she’d be a shoe-in for Elektra. In fact, we wrote in Elektra because of her, not the other way around (i.e. writing the part and then trying to cast it)!”

Baichoo and I later chatted on a mildly controversial topic as of recent surrounding famous superheroes and casting choices for movies, a subject we proceeded after discussing his own experimental creative measures for playing Frank Castle. As far as criticisms go, Baichoo has already garnered a lot of praise for his approach toward the role, including the overall look and narration that takes place. In contrast, he also recognizes some criticisms from hardcore fans over the issue of Baichoo playing a bald emulation of the beloved skull-wearing ass kicker. However, he makes no apologies in his illustration of the character, and continues to focus on the upsides to presenting a different type of image for the role, including one in particular. “One of the ups of having a bald Punisher (Baldisher?) is that my head almost looks skull-like in some shots, adding to the menace and symbolism I find.” he says. “I see Frank as a force of nature, an angel of death. He’s barely human any more. That gets a bit lost when he looks like some young handsome man with a neat little haircut.”

Baichoo has plans to follow up The Punisher: No Mercy in later projects, provided the viewing numbers are good, in addition to other superhero projects. So feel free to check it out in the embed below, and follow Baichoo on twitter @ShawnBaichoo for more exciting content in the months ahead.

You can also find Twitter and Facebook links to subscribe to the shortfilm in the YouTube description.

SYNOPSIS:

Expect no deals, no compromises and no mercy in this fan-adaptation of Marvel’s foremost anti-hero, The Punisher! In “The Punisher: No Mercy” Frank Castle pursues his dark crusade of brutal justice against criminals who prey on the innocent. They may think they’re above the law, and they may be right, but they’re not above punishment, they’re not above HIM.