The Punisher: One Last Kill – A No Frills, No Holds Barred Action
Jon Bernthal really burned it all in his latest portrayal of Marvel Comics’ resident unhinged anti-hero, Frank Castle a.k.a The Punisher.
Last seen on the small screen in Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 and soon on the big one in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, One Last Kill serves both as a refresher and/or introduction to this oft-misunderstood character.
‘Third time’s the charm” as the saying goes. After mediocre showings of Werewolf by Night and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, as part of Marvel’s Special Presentation, One Last Kill finally hit the nail on the head in making this one-shot mini-feature worth your viewing on a lazy Sunday afternoon, or for a quick Friday night watch.
Fun trivia – this is actually Frank Castle’s first ‘official’ full appearance as lead since Disney / Marvel reacquired the character’s license since the two original seasons of The Punisher were produced by Netflix. Those who worry that since now The Punisher is under the watchful eye of The Big D, it will be neutered and testosterone levels watered down, fret not. Things are as explosive and combustible as ever.
One Last Kill takes place in between the two Marvel-produced Daredevil seasons and tracks Frank in his most vulnerable state of mind. Still coming to terms with the tragic loss of his family and betrayal from his former colleagues, he is at his lowest mentally and whilst physically would have beaten the crap out of us ten times out of ten, is far from his peak. Bernthal really hit the mark in portraying the extreme ends of emotions and mental state and in our books, sits on-par with Robert Downey Jr as the best casting ever done for the MCU.
All events in One Last Kill takes place in the same day as Frank’s violent past returned for payback. Following his brutal wipeout of most of the Gnucci crime family, the last surviving member, Ma Gnucci paid a visit vowing for revenge. Just like in the comics. But for obvious reasons, what’s shown on screen pales in comparison to what transpired in the comics. That does not, however make One Last Kill any less enjoyable.
What takes place next is a compilation of ways to take down goons when the protagonist is outgunned and outnumbered which would have made John Wick proud. No punches were pulled as Castle showed his extreme effectiveness paired with unhinged brutality as he blasts, maims, and burned his way against impossible odds. Now you have to realize that Frank Castle does not possess any superpower. Heck, not even enhanced healing or superhuman strength. A former elite Marine Corps Force Recon, he only has his training, experience and drive to stay alive.
Is this an essential viewing ahead of Spider-Man’s upcoming movie? Probably not. But will it help in giving more nuance to Frank’s character and motivation? Probably. We will update you once we’ve watched Spider-Man: Brand New Day of course. Some may question the necessity of One Last Kill but in our books – More Frank Castle is always a good thing!
Anyway, One Last Kill is already showing on Disney+ and while we won’t be learning much new lore, character dimension and overall world building apart from Ma Gnucci’s influence on Castle’s motivations, should cure that itch and join your list of watch throughs leading to Brand New Day which hits cinemas by end of July 2026.
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