I pride myself on having a healthy sense of cynicisim. But every so often, I succumb to the hype machine, despite the fact that I should know better. Case in point: my desire to see Punisher: War Zone, a new flick based on the Marvel comic about a vigilante anti-hero, which opens on December 5th. I know deep down that this movie is probably best left for Netflix. So in an attempt to convince myself that it's okay to blow $12 in these tough economic times, I thought I’d share five reasons why I want to see this movie:

1. The star: Ray Stevenson portrays Frank Castle, a dude waging a one-man war on the mob to the chagrin of the FBI. I like the fact that the producers didn't go with a huge box office name. Plus, I've always felt that Stevenson did a great job portraying Titus Pullo on HBO’s Rome.

2. The music: The film’s soundtrack (which hits shelves on Nov. 25th) features “War Zone,” which is Rob Zombie’s first new tune in three years. The soundtrack also features Hatebreed covering Sepultura’s “Refuse/Resist,” a teaser from the band’s upcoming covers album. Slipknot, Static-X, Senses Fail, Rise Against, and 7 Days Away all contributed new tracks to the soundtrack, which will serve as previews for their upcoming 2009 releases. There's even a track ["Genesis"] from French electro duo du jour, Justice.

3. The trailer is filled with enticing lines: “We’re fighting a war. This is just the beginning.”

4. The website is pretty entertaining and has a mash-up contest: If I apply myself, I can win an Xbox Arcade and copy of Gears of War 2. That would pay for the ticket fivefold.

5. Violence: Frank Castle blows a lot of bad guys away without any remorse. Any chance we can hire him to set a few bankers straight?