The Punisher: One Last Kill First Reviews: Marvel Goes Full R-Rated In Its Most Violent Project Yet
Critics say the special delivers some of the MCU’s best action ever, powered by Jon Bernthal’s ferocious performance and an unexpectedly emotional story.
Jon Bernthal reprises his role as Frank Castle, a.k.a. the Punisher, in the latest MCU Special Presentation, and the first reviews are out now. Titled The Punisher: One Last Kill, the standalone release arrives on Disney+ as a must-watch for action fans, not just Marvel devotees, with arguably a franchise-best performance from its lead and a satisfying villainous turn by Judith Light. The violence may be a bit much for some viewers, however, while others may be disappointed in the brief runtime.
This take on Frank does still feel like a return to Daredevil Season 2, Frank’s introduction, and probably this iteration’s strongest characterization to date. – Ariel Kras, Discussing Film
It can’t help but feel like we’re simply going over old ground from the character’s two Netflix seasons. – Will Salmon, GamesRadar+
If you were wanting a dramatically different take on the character from what we’ve seen in past MCU projects, you might come away slightly disappointed. – Jess Schedeen, IGN Movies
Instead of feeling like an important chapter in the Punisher’s life, it’s more like a forgettable B-plot from the old Netflix show, boosted slightly by having a bigger budget for stunts. – Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, TV Guide
Will anyone outside of diehard Marvel fans enjoy the special?
We do get…cameos from characters we know and love in the greater Marvel universe, including confirmation on how Frank feels about one character in particular. – Rachel Leishman, The Mary Sue
The biggest surprise for me was that amazing cameo. My jaw actually dropped. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
There’s precious little connective tissue between One Last Kill and [Daredevil: Born Again] (or most other MCU projects, for that matter). – Jess Schedeen, IGN Movies
It eventually goes the way of pretty much anything else the MCU touches: an empty vessel for more empty spectacle to come. – Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm
This is, effectively, the same setup as 2011’s The Raid or 2012’s Dredd, but given how much fun those films are, that’s a perfectly acceptable choice. – Will Salmon, GamesRadar+
It’s a bracing stunner…to discover the most exhilarating combat in the studio’s history in The Punisher: One Last Kill. – Nick Schager, The Daily Beast
The latter [half] amounts to some of the best action ever captured in any MCU installment. – Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm
The action is relentless, and several moments genuinely leave you stunned at how far Marvel was willing to push things…some moments are absolutely jaw-dropping. – Nagier Chambers, Big Gold Belt Media
Action sequences are colored by Frank’s inner turmoil. He’s struggling to find the will to live, and so his violence is a lot more aggressive, even for Frank. – Rachel Leishman, The Mary Sue
If you were worried that One Last Kill wasn’t going to lean into the violence, don’t be. Frank Castle literally starts his blood bath on fire. – Rachel Leishman, The Mary Sue
This is an absurdly violent production…if you thought the bracingly nasty scenes with Bullseye in Daredevil: Born Again were boundary-pushing for Marvel, then this will leave your jaw on the floor. – Will Salmon, GamesRadar+
To put it plainly, Jon Bernthal‘s anti-hero Punisher does a lot of killing in his Marvel Special Presentation. A whole lot…the violence lets loose like a firehose. – Jordan Moreau, Variety
Frank shoots, stabs, and pummels everyone he encounters in a hard-R-rated series of action scenes unlike anything we’ve seen from Marvel before. – Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com
The Punisher: One Last Kill explodes in carnage that would make most R-rated movies gasp in horror…it’s a bloodbath of shocking proportions. – Nick Schager, The Daily Beast
Does it also go deeper into the character’s mental and emotional states?
Crafting a claustrophobic and nightmarish headspace for the now-former Punisher…[director Reinaldo Marcus Green] takes things in a more emotional direction. – Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm
Beneath all the bloodshed is a story deeply rooted in PTSD, grief, survivor’s remorse, and the psychological damage left behind after years of vengeance…what truly makes One Last Kill work is how emotionally broken Frank Castle feels underneath all the chaos. – Nagier Chambers, Big Gold Belt Media
This Marvel Special Presentation is a soul-crushing, adrenaline-fueled evolution of the character that left me emotionally exhausted in the best way possible. I wasn’t expecting to be full-on sobbing within the first act, but here we are. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
[There is one] hauntingly moving scene that most action blockbusters, no matter how tortured their macho protagonists are, wouldn’t dare show — much less a Marvel movie that normally punctuates shootouts with punchlines. – Jordan Moreau, Variety
One of the strongest dramatic performances Bernthal has delivered in the role. – Allison Rose, FlickDirect
Delivering his best performance yet as this character, Bernthal is a force of nature…it’s to his credit that he can pull off the complicated nature of a man like Frank. – Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com
We get to see Jon Bernthal at his best, pulling in all the raw emotion his performances are known for. – Julian Lytle, RIOTUS
This time he’s pushed to his breaking point…One Last Kill cements his Punisher as one of Marvel’s most singular performances. – Jordan Moreau, Variety
The special simply wouldn’t work without Bernthal’s magnetic portrayal of Frank there to carry the day. It’s practically a one-man show, and the actor shoulders that burden well. – Jess Schedeen, IGN Movies
Does Judith Light play a great Marvel villain?
While her role is relatively minor…the actress’s venomous reading of her lines helps tee up the madness that ensues (and establishes her as a truly hateful villain). – Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com
One of the project’s biggest surprises is just how compelling Judith Light is as Ma Gnucci…Rather than simply playing a stereotypical crime boss, [she] gives the character real emotional depth. – Nagier Chambers, Big Gold Belt Media
Light is compelling in the two scenes in which she’s given much of anything to do, but she’s badly underutilized, and her character is basically forgotten before the end. – Jess Schedeen, IGN Movies
How is the script?
The story isn’t complicated, and actually, that’s both the good and the bad thing about it. – Mick DeAngelo, The Playlist
Narratively speaking, One Last Kill is such a nothingburger that you may wonder why it exists at all. – Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, TV Guide
Is it too short?
The film’s 45-minute format is arguably its greatest asset…there’s only so much time to stop and navel-gaze before the violence breaks out. – Jess Schedeen, IGN Movies
I expected at least an hour, if not longer, but forty-eight minutes, including credits, was enough to give me what I needed. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
An extra 10, 20, or hell, 60 minutes would have been beneficial, but this works perfectly as a standalone tale that smashes open the door for this character’s continued exploration in the MCU. – Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com
Clocking in at a mere 48 minutes, the Special is incredibly fast-paced. During that brief runtime, it effectively and thoughtfully explores the themes of grief, PTSD, and revenge. – Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com
If only the rest of The Punisher: One Last Kill could’ve maintained the same momentum and narrative drive as its first twenty minutes. – Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm
The special…lacks the narrative weight necessary to make it feel essential viewing. – Allison Rose, FlickDirect
The Punisher: One Last Kill feels like a one-off comic, which is the point, but it also makes it a great reintroduction to Frank Castle with hope that fans can see the Punisher yet again. – Rachel Leishman, The Mary Sue
Here’s hoping it’s not the last standalone Punisher project we see on Disney+. – Jess Schedeen, IGN Movies
More Punisher, please, and hopefully with Berthal and Marcus Green together. – Julian Lytle, RIOTUS
The Punisher: One Last Kill feels like a backdoor pilot for a new solo project…if this is a taste of what we could expect from that, then Marvel Studios needs to make it happen, regardless of whether that’s on a big or small screen. – Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com
There’s a single scene in One Last Kill that could impact a huge part of Daredevil’s life moving forward. – Andy Behbakht, Screen Rant
Is it going to make us excited for Spider-Man: Brand New Day?
It doesn’t offer anything new, but should tide fans over until Spider-Man: Brand New Day. – Will Salmon, GamesRadar+
Much of the story feels designed simply to explain why Frank Castle is once again active before his return in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The same information arguably could have been delivered through a brief conversation or flashback sequence within the film itself. – Allison Rose, FlickDirect
It still remains to be seen how the M-rated Punisher will fit into this summer’s very PG-13 Spider-Man: Brand New Day. – Jordan Moreau, Variety
77%
87%
