Just when Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) — a.k.a The Punisher — tries to get out, he gets pulled back in.
It’s not exactly easy to do in “Punisher – One Last Kill,” a one-off special that will serve as a bridge for Castle’s brutal, violent yet complicated character to enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
If there is a true definition of a vigilante in the MCU, it’s Castle, but the character isn’t that simple — at least not as portrayed by Bernthal.
There are layers to this tortured soul — layers that Bernthal brings out with ease that allows the audience to identify with him even though he could be considered a stone-cold killer.
Why does he receive such consideration and grace?
Castle has never really faced the demons that continues to haunt him — those being the murders of his wife and daughter some years ago. He’s walked the line of believing he was doing the right thing in taking out assorted bad guys as a New York City vigilante who sometimes partnered with others: Daredevil being the most obvious. The rationalization for acting as judge, jury and, sometimes, executioner is strong in him.
But as presented in “One Last Kill” he’s still wrestling with those demons and the violence he’s wreaked upon individuals during his assorted self-righteous crusades. That viciousness has taken such a toll on him that he is on the verge of a mental breakdown, suffering from hallucinations.
At one point in this 48-minute special, while sitting at his wife and daughter’s graves, he’s ready to shoot himself in the head. He only pauses after his daughter appears before him.
Amid all of those hallucinations, people from his past prod him to understand his purpose in life and to reconcile that with the destruction he leaves in his wake.
It takes a personal bill coming due to allow him to realize that. In his past, Castle took out the male members of the Gnucci mob family and now the family matriarch Ma Gnucci (the splendid Judith Light) is out for her revenge. She places a bounty on his head that sends every cretin from his neighborhood looking to claim it.
Ultimately, it forces Castle to face who he is as he battles what seems like an army of baddies, leaving a river of blood flowing in his neighborhood.
“One Last Kill” is brutal in its portrayal of violence, but there’s never been much subtlety with respect to the character as far as the level of carnage and language. It will be interesting to see how the character transitions to the MCU in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” which will likely be PG-13 rated.
What leaves little doubt is the strength of Bernthal’s portrayal. He turns an individual who wouldn’t seem to be the poster child for empathy and colors him with varying shades of gray. That prompts the audience to feel an emotional connection to Castle as Bernthal takes them inside his bleak, depressing existence.
This one-off bodes well for the character’s future in the MCU and it will be fun to see where Bernthal takes him. “Punisher: One Last Kill” is a must-see for Marvel fans.
Streaming: Disney+
Grade: B
George M. Thomas covers a myriad of things including sports and pop culture, but mostly sports, he thinks, for the Beacon Journal.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Jon Bernthal brings ‘The Punisher: One Last Kill’ show to Disney+
Reporting by George M. Thomas, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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