• Release year: 2026
• Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green.
• Producer: David Chambers.
• Screenplay by: Reinaldo Marcus Green and Jon Bernthal.
• Cinematography by: Robert Elswit.
• Music by: Kris Bowers.

Shotgun Commentary: dancing wildly in the line between toxic and non-toxic masculinity.

Review

The Punisher: One Last Kill… Honestly, I really liked this sh*t. Sure, I might—completely and absolutely—be biased about this particular character, especially in the light of everything that has happened in 2026 (and the last decade, really). You might think the story is a bit of an overkill in terms of melodrama and violence, but don’t you kind of feel the same vibe every time you watch the news? It might just be me.

A strong start

The feature follows Frank Castle after the events of Daredevil: Born Again (2025–) and before Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026). If you have been following the blind vigilante’s adventures, you probably already know that Frank was in a bit of a hazy mental state and as in love with Karen (Deborah Ann Woll) as an emotionally-constipated, PTSD-ridden veteran corroding with guilt over his murdered family can be. The film touches upon both topics, and for that it deserves a very respectful slow nod.

Get ready for a very intense beginning, like… a teen listening to My Chemical Romance and crying over Kurt Cobain’s death ten years after the fact kind of intense. You have got it ALL. Manly rock music? Check. Manly screaming and grunting? Check. Shirtless pull-ups? Super check. Is there blood around? You bet, and it’s dripping like your mouth as you watch. Well… yours and the mouths of the two men sitting on each side of you if you happen to be watching on a plane in an E seat, like yours truly. Honestly, it is a nice power trip to know that your choice of entertainment is better than a self-help book and a random gang show.

But let’s get back to the testosterone nuke. If you manage to get through the first two minutes without growing a moustache, you will be attacked with a whole range of paranoias and self-harm, which is very likely why this is the only Marvel product with a big “The following is intended only for mature audiences.” Now, one could go on for far too long about what exactly “mature audiences” constitutes, but let’s not go into that rabbit hole.

A new hue

Instead, let’s talk about the rabbit hole in Castle’s mind. A surprising number of reviews have commented on how this feels like yet another origin story that nobody needed as it replays his family trauma. Well, not to be “that” person, but… no, it doesn’t? If anything, it reminds the audience that his family life wasn’t as perfect as he might like to remember, which feels a lot more realistic than the family beach parties from other versions of the vigilante.

Still, the main difference with those origin stories is that Frank’s frantic state is not caused by the loss of his family but by the loss of his purpose. Everyone he wanted to punish is now dead; his crusade is over. What now? This is the question that haunts him during half of the film. A question that has a clear answer all around him as he walks through Little Italy, now an urban war zone in which low-life gangs get their kicks terrorising and hurting helpless elders, kiddies, and adorable pups. Worry not, he is eventually forced to put on his metaphorical prescription glasses and clean out the neighbourhood. Cue the predictable, highly anticipated, delightfully satisfying bloodbath.

All in all, The Punisher: One Last Kill is a rough draft of a profound reflection on deeply rooted issues in modern society. But you’re not here for a lesson on good vs bad or the hardships of being a veteran; you are here for the gratuitous violence and the satisfaction of watching what real life denies: the real punishment of criminals who most definitely deserve it, no matter where in the social strata they are.

Advice to take from this movie:

• Sometimes the answer to your problems is staring at you right in the face.
• Anyone who hurts a dog deserves to die painfully. Don’t hurt dogs.
• If you see people that are not there, go to therapy. Any therapy. Just go.

What’s your take? Have you watched The Punisher: One Last Kill? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message on my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀