Review: "The Punisher: One Last Kill" is an Ultra Violent Emotional Roller Coaster

When we last saw Frank Castle, he was fighting his way out of one of Wilson Fisk's holding cells guarded by his anti-vigilante task force. And soon, we'll seeing him fighting side by side with everyone's favorite wall-crawler in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. But what happens in between? Marvel's latest Special Presentation puts the spotlight on Frank once again as we see him return to the streets of New York in all his psychotic, violent glory.

And yes, the violence should be the first talking point in a discussion on this new Special Presentation. And while "New Punisher Special is Violent," is far from a shocking headline, this still managed to exceed my expectations. For a special titled "One Last Kill," Castle sure does a whole lot of killing. Every action sequence and fight scene culminates in at least one moment that will trigger an involuntary look away from the screen. We've seen plenty of violence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date, especially in the recent Daredevil: Born Again, but this reaches a new level.

And while fans of the Punisher will certainly be happy with the gratuitous violence, they will be even more pleased to see that this special has all the heart and emotion that comes with this character as well. In fact, even with its modest 48-minute runtime, One Last Kill is an absolute emotional roller coaster. One minute you'll be on the edge of your seat watching a brutal knife fight that forces you to shield your eyes, and the next you're wiping tears away watching a haunted and tormented father reaching out for his lost family. You can't help with connect with and feel for Frank, even despite all of the horrible, gruesome things we've seen him do.

And that is due in large part to yet another unforgettable performance from Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle. Bernthal has joined a short list of MCU actors who have become synonymous with their Marvel character. He once again portrays the character with all of the aforementioned emotion and drama, in a way that only he can. Every bit of this character's pain can be felt in Bernthal's performance, which, at this point, comes as no surprise.

And while Bernthal does almost all of the heavy lifting in this new special, he is met with an incredible performance from Judith Light, who introduces Ma Gnucci to the MCU. She mirrors Benrthal's performance, in a way that almost (and I mean ALMOST) makes you feel badly for her character too. More importantly though, she delivers strong villain to give us our conflict.

And while seeing Frank back in his element and getting to see Bernthal bring the character to life again is great, this special doesn't scratch the itch Marvel fans are looking for right now. Coming off of the climax of Daredevil: Born Again and knowing Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday are just a few months away, a grounded, self-contained Punisher story is probably not what most are looking to see. However, Marvel's "Special Presentations" have mostly followed this model, aside from a bit of familial Guardians of the Galaxy information. Don't expect any big ramifications or explanations for the larger Marvel picture from this special.

Overall, The Punisher: One Last Kill is going to be a huge hit for fans of the character. All of the calling cards of Frank Castle are on display, especially the over-the-top violence. Bernthal's performance alone is reason to watch enough, but we also get the debut of another Marvel villain. However, if you're looking for something to fill in the gaps between now and Avengers: Doomsday or even Spider-Man: Brand New Day, this isn't it. Instead, you'll have to enjoy a self-contained Punisher story. Just be ready to look away during more than a few moments.

Marvel's The Punisher: One Last Kill is now streaming on Disney+.