The Punisher: One Last Kill review: Frank Castle’s return is ‘brutal, bloody, and heartfelt’
As Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) searches for purpose beyond vengeance, an unexpected force drags him back into the fight.
“The following is intended only for mature audiences. Viewer discretion advised.” So begins the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s third ‘Special Presentation’, The Punisher: One Last Kill, marking the latest appearance of Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle. Given that we will soon see the murderous vigilante in the (presumably much more family-friendly) Spider-Man: Brand New Day, that opening statement plays like an especially notable promise: that the next 40 minutes or so will be full of the brutal and bloody mayhem we’ve come to expect from the Punisher. With a script from director Reinaldo Marcus Green and Bernthal himself, we certainly get that — but not before taking a dark, emotional, and winningly substantive tour through Castle’s fractured psyche.
When last we saw Frank, he was escaping from Wilson Fisk’s secret prison at the end of Daredevil: Born Again’s first season. When we rejoin him here, we find him mentally spiralling, at his wits’ end, tormented by haunting memories of his past. And now that everyone connected to the deaths of his family have paid in blood, he’s struggling to find reasons to go on living. He’ll need to figure it out quickly before it’s decided for him —there’s a price on his head, and it seems everyone in his comically crime-ridden neighbourhood is out to collect.
When it comes time for the Punisher to unleash hell, the symphony of violence that follows is ruthless and visceral.
For fans of the Punisher’s Netflix era, Castle’s internal trauma will be broadly familiar territory. But that doesn’t make this any less of a compelling watch. Frank’s biggest battle has and always will be with himself, and it’s here that Bernthal is at his vulnerable best, making you feel every ounce of Castle’s hopelessness. The gravesite conversations with the ghosts of his wife and kids in particular is the kind of deep, soulful work that stays with you.
When it comes time for the Punisher to unleash hell, the symphony of violence that follows is ruthless and visceral. Not only do fists, bats and axes fly, but there’s an abundance of skilful gunplay too. In one sequence, which evokes scenes from The Raid and John Wick, Frank repeatedly runs out of ammo before finding another weapon to fire, escalating for minutes on end. Crucially, it isn’t all action for action’s sake; there are key character moments embedded within the chaos, and it feels right that Castle works out his emotions best while in the heat of conflict.
All in all, this (beautifully) bearded man-of-few-words take on the Punisher is a far cry from the clean-shaven and quippy one teased in Brand New Day. It also feels like the truer, more authentic version of the fan-favourite anti-hero. Here’s hoping we won’t have to wait too long before we see him back in his natural element.
Reinaldo Marcus Green and Jon Bernthal locate and explore Frank Castle’s essence in brutal, bloody and heartfelt fashion.
