It has been seven years since Frank Castle’s last solo outing, and now, The Punisher: One Last Kill is streaming on Disney+. For those who missed it, this new TV special follows a major moment in Frank’s life that happens between the two-season Punisher series and Daredevil: Born Again.
Given his appearance in Born Again, as well as his upcoming role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, it makes sense that The Punisher is the third Special Presentation in the MCU. Instead of being just a side story to Born Again or Brand New Day, we were pleasantly surprised to find that One Last Kill is a proper outing for The Punisher that centers around his character motivations and trauma. And of course, there’s plenty of brutal action here that should delight fans of the previous series.
[Note: There are no major spoilers in this review, though some initial plot points will be talked about.]
Before getting into the action, this 40-ish minute-long special starts off quite slowly, which is a good thing. Instead of immediate action, the first 15 minutes of the special episode show Frank’s headspace, which is filled with trauma about his family and crew.
For fans of the character, the appearance of these “ghosts” that haunt Frank should make for compelling viewing. This part of the episode also helps set the tone for what’s about to happen next.
After these parts, we are introduced to a character involved with Frank’s past. This sets up the crux of the Special Presentation, which is an all-out brawl with Frank having to go through a veritable horde of enemies.
In a way, the setup for this event happens a bit too fast and can seem a bit contrived. There are also moments in the episode that give Frank a bit more humanity, though for us, these didn’t completely work, as most of the second half shows the Punisher with seriously brutal and violent takedowns.
This is not a big issue, though, as the massive fight sequence in this special is a gripping watch. We were impressed by just how visceral the impact of the action scenes is, and they’re even complemented by great music choices, which add to how compelling it feels to watch.
By the end, the special explains the current status of Frank Castle, and this works well to explain his state in Born Again, as well as the upcoming Spider-Man movie. Thankfully, there are no distracting callbacks to the other MCU projects, as this special puts the focus squarely on Frank.
While watching the episode, we kind of wished that the Punisher got his own movie, as we can see that a lean, 90-minute version of this special could work well. On the flip side, there’s an argument to be made that this 40-minute special works better, as the length means the brutality of the action doesn’t overstay its welcome.
The Punisher: One Last Kill Verdict
In all, One Last Kill is an exciting watch for fans of the Punisher, as it delves into Frank’s mental state, all while delivering intense and violent action. While some setup to the action can feel a bit convenient, this is still a worthy watch.
The Punisher: One Last Kill is now streaming on Disney+ worldwide