TV REVIEW: MARVEL'S THE PUNISHER -OF GRUNTS AND BLOOD-

I have to set this straight right out: I never was a fan of the Punisher, neither in the comics or the movies.

When the character first appeared in Spider-man # 129 in 1974, he basically was more or less a costumed version of Charles Bronson from Michael Winner's DEATH WISH which was a huge hit that very same year. 

As comic books would get grittier and grittier over the following decades, the Punisher found himself not only more at home in a progressively more violent environment, but his morale code would at times get rather vague, pushing the boundaries of his decency to unpleasantly bloody extremes.

In the meantime, the character got the attention of movie producers, who tried their hands many times to translate the character to film, to rather disappointing effect. 1989 saw Dolph Lundgren take on the name, if not the skull adorned mantle of the Punisher, in a forgettable but goofily entertaining low-budget effort. It was Marvel's second effort to bring one of its character to the screen (after 1986's disastrous HOWARD THE DUCK), and it would take another 9 years until they could finally show some respectful competition to Warner Bros' handling of DC's BATMAN and SUPERMAN in  their own wildly uneven series of films. Neither the poorly distributed and abysmal Albert Puyn's CAPTAIN AMERICA in 1990, nor Oley Sassone's unreleased 1994 FANTASTIC FOUR film, did anything to help Marvel's reputation on the silver screen.

1998's BLADE changed all that, and Marvel was back on the map for good, leading with baby steps to the series of successes we are still experiencing nearly 20 years later. 

It was normal then to bring back the Punisher in a couple of new movies, to profit from this resurgence in comic book films. But the 2004 Jonathan Hensleigh film starring Thomas Jane was not only a financial disappointment, but deservedly a critical dud on par with the 1989 film (which I personally enjoyed more). A 2008 sequel, PUNISHER:WAR ZONE, starring Ray Stevenson did nothing much to improve on the situation. Some of my friends said they preferred it...I preferred to stay away.

Apart from a rather effective short film by Phil Joanou in 2012, DIRTY LAUNDRY, where Thomas Jane makes a convincing case to return as the Punisher. the character was pretty much personae non gratae by this point out of his comic book element.

This all changed when Netflix decided to introduce the character in their second season of their extraordinary adaptation of Marvel's DAREDEVIL. Right away, Jon Bernthal's interpretation of the troubled, violent and volatile exterminating angel showed more nuance, and still contained the proper amount of savagery the anti-hero needs. He was a definite standout of that otherwise strong season of ol' horn head!

Charlie Cox as Daredevil and Bernthal as The Punisher is a tense scene from Season 2 of Netflix's DAREDEVIL.

It was no surprise to learn soon after that THE PUNISHER would get his own 13 episodes series on Netflix, and may I say that I may be finally warming up to this character who has escaped my affection until now. 

Once again, Bernthal's guttural, almost primal performance is a major highlight, making Frank Castle not only a force to be reckoned with, but giving him the attributes of a wounded animal, both vulnerable and lethal at the same time. And he has plenty of opportunities through this occasionally gruesome series to crawl around mangled in pools of his own blood. But not before he's had the opportunity to exact his own breed of gory justice to his assailants. Bernthal's athletic frame and pugnacious features makes him instantly believable as an emotionally and often physically beaten mercenary. He seems to channel at times Stallone's RAMBO in his grunting brutality, and like Rambo, although he may have found a sort of peace by the end of this season, you feel that the sequel will see some personal tragedy bringing him back into this absurd world of pain and gore.

In an ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY interview, showrunner Steve Lightfoot confirms this head on: 

"If Frank just went on a journey across the show and didn’t learn anything and didn’t come to terms with his own nature somehow, then there was no redeeming quality to the story. I think he had to learn something about himself and not just finish off the bad guys; he has to change. The truth is, in the event of a Season 2, which I desperately want to do, we will very quickly find him a new war to fight, you know? [Laughs] His nature will kick back in."

The psychological wounds of war are front and centre in this series, as many supporting characters are dealing with shell-shock and PTSD from their time in the war. As one article was stating, the show is almost a Public Service Announcement for the dangers of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and it helps give relevance to a series that could be nothing more than an outlet for our baser vengeful instincts. One of the most endearing characters in fact is Curtis, played by Jason R. Moore, who is a friend of Frank Castle, the head of a support group for veterans, and a regular, one legged bad-ass.

 

Jason R. Moore as Curtis.

Actually, save for the bad guys of the piece, who all seem to have been cast from a police line-up of usual suspects, either looking dodgy, oily, or downright evil from the first moment you see them, the casting is top notch, offering Frank instantly likeable or relatable allies. But the stand-out is undoubtedly Ebon Moss-Bachrach as David Lieberman AKA Micro. Forced to fake his death, and living as a recluse, observing his family through cameras hidden through his old home, he forms an unlikely and uneasy alliance with The Punisher hoping to thwart a common foe. His story line is touching, and grounds a welcome sense of humanity through what could very well be a frigid lifeless bloodbath. His relationship with Frank brings out a certain humour and even forces a bit of warmth out of the Punisher's icy countenance. It even elicited a few tears out of this reviewer.

Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Frank Castle and Micro in Netflix's THE PUNISHER.

Don't get me wrong; it's no Hallmark special, and you may certainly not need tissues as you watch the show (except maybe to wipe the splatters of blood). It reaches new heights in violence and brutality that can be hard to watch. Episode 12 is especially cruel in an extended torture scene where Frank Castle is brought to the brink of death, as visions of his deceased wife beckons him to join her. Although the trope has been used time and time again, it manages to be extremely emotionally charged and potent amidst the buckets of blood. No mean feat.

Jon Bernthal and Ben Barnes as his old friend turned enemy, Billy Russo. Their relationship is rich and is explored well through the series, as he is the only villain that shows a welcome bit of nuance.

In the end, we can probably blame it for stretching a bit in a 13 episodes series that might have been fine with 10 or so, as is the case with some of the other Netflix Marvel shows (I'm looking at you, IRON FIST) . However, I'll give it props for escaping the tiring formulas of other comic book shows, and attempting to tackle serious issues, if at times awkwardly, like PTSD or gun control.

I'm still not a fan of The Punisher, nor his methods. He is not a hero as far as I am concerned, but someone who needs serious therapy. But showrunner Steve Lightfoot and performer Jon Bernthal have produced a strongly emotional and ferocious series that is a perfect addition to the Netflix Marvel Universe, that I will not hesitate to revisit in the future.