Captain America (1990) & The Punisher (1989)

This episode of Late Fee Files, we’re cracking open two of the strangest comic-book adaptations of the late ’80s/early ’90s: Captain America (1990) and The Punisher (1989).First up, it’s Cap himself! Before Chris Evans made the shield cool again, Matt Salinger suited up as Steve Rogers in a movie that swaps Nazi villains and super-soldier action for… Italian landscapes, motorcycles, questionable science, and one of the most bizarre versions of Captain America ever put on film. Is there a good movie buried underneath that tiny shield and even tinier budget?Then we head into the sewers with Dolph Lundgren for The Punisher, a grimy, violent, surprisingly weird take on Frank Castle that famously leaves out one very important thing: the skull. Dolph may not be wearing the iconic logo, but he’s definitely bringing the ’80s action-hero energy.We’re talking low budgets, strange casting choices, comic-book accuracy, video-store memories, action-movie clichés, and the eternal question:Were these movies misunderstood gems… or should they have stayed on the shelf?