[Review] The Punisher Season 1: A Marvel Series Unlike Its Predecessors!

Netflix and Marvel's latest series, The Punisher, finally launched last week after a delay. This time, The Punisher's story is completely unrelated to The Defenders and the narratives of the other four heroes. Will its quality see an uplift?

First, I'd like to thank Netflix for providing me with the first six episodes, allowing for an early viewing. In fact, I had already finished the first six episodes by late September, originally expecting the remaining seven to be released concurrently at the New York Comic Con in early October. However, the tragic shooting in Las Vegas occurred on October 1st. Given the series' abundance of gun violence and other violent elements, Netflix and Marvel, out of consideration for the audience's feelings, canceled the series' launch event and delayed its release. I must admit, by the time the series launched last week, I no longer remembered the detailed content of the first six episodes, so I decided to watch the entire series before writing this review.

Before the series premiered, I had mentioned in an article about its trailer that, based on the character of The Punisher/Frank Castle (played by Jon Bernthal) and his performance in Daredevil Season 2 last year, this series was undoubtedly the most bloody and violent among the Marvel-Netflix collaborations. It's no wonder the series was delayed due to the Las Vegas shooting. However, after watching the first six episodes, I felt the series wasn't as bloody or violent as I had imagined, and didn't even have many action scenes. After watching the entire series, I finally understood why its subject matter is so sensitive. Episodes 8 to 10 delve into themes of terrorism and gun control, which are incredibly sensitive topics in the current climate. Furthermore, the last three episodes are exceptionally bloody, featuring numerous fight scenes, gunfights, and torture, solidifying its place as the most violent and gory series in the Marvel-Netflix partnership. Honestly, with the current global situation where bloody events are constantly unfolding (as recently happened in Egypt), there's simply no perfect time to release a series like this.

As I might have mentioned in previous reviews, among the Marvel-Netflix collaborations, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage did not involve the main "The Hand" storyline and each had very distinct themes, resulting in higher quality than Daredevil and Iron Fist. Aside from cameo appearances by Karen (Deborah Ann Woll) and a few minor characters, The Punisher is essentially a standalone story, completely unrelated to the aforementioned series. Moreover, the series deeply explores the plight of American military veterans and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), offering audiences not just entertainment but also insight into these issues, which is quite meaningful. In war, soldiers are forced to do many unforgettable things for their country and for survival. Even upon returning home, their consciousness might still feel like it's on the battlefield, unable to let go of past memories, thus preventing them from starting new lives. As a global superpower, the United States has participated in numerous conflicts over the years, leaving not only impacts in those regions but also indelible marks on the lives of its soldiers. Upon returning home, veterans often struggle to receive adequate support and adapt to their new identity, leading to a sense of being lost. In the series, a young veteran named Lewis Wilson embodies this; he prefers living in a hole he dug in his backyard rather than accepting treatment and help, ultimately meeting a tragic end.

On the other hand, the protagonist, The Punisher/Frank Castle, is himself a veteran. His actions and personality are profoundly shaped by his past experiences. Furthermore, his family's deaths, stemming from events during his service, haunt him, leaving him tormented by PTSD. At the beginning of the series, he had ostensibly put aside his Punisher persona, living anonymously. However, he later becomes entangled in matters involving the CIA and Homeland Security, forcing him to don his mantle once again. While many of Frank's motivations throughout the process are to protect those around him, his desire for revenge seems even stronger when he injures or kills enemies; he simply cannot let go of past blood debts. Even in the latter part of the series, when he seemingly decides to move past things and attends a veterans' support group, the series' message in this regard remains somewhat unclear, almost lost. Nevertheless, Jon Bernthal expertly portrays Frank's complex psychological state, whether it's his hardened, ruthless, or struggling side, his performance is spot-on. I believe that in addition to his role as Shane in The Walking Dead, audiences will now also remember him as The Punisher, marking this as a significant performance in his career.

Aside from Frank Castle, the series' other protagonist is likely Department of Homeland Security agent Dinah Madani (played by Amber Rose Revah). She continues the strong, multi-dimensional female character tradition seen in previous Marvel and Netflix series. As a Homeland Security agent, she discovers Frank Castle is still alive, and while pursuing him, she realizes he might not be as evil or insane as others claim. Later, she uncovers a larger conspiracy, forcing her to confront enemies from various backgrounds alone, unsure whom to trust. Beyond portraying her as a formidable and capable character, the script also depicts her living under a cloud after losing her partner and her journey to recover. Amber Rose Revah skillfully embodies her transformation before and after experiencing trauma, with some scenes being particularly moving. As for the series' antagonists, William Rawlins (Paul Schulze) and Billy Russo (Ben Barnes), they are certainly less compelling than some previous villains. However, I quite appreciate the script's development of Billy Russo's character, detailing how he becomes Jigsaw from the comics.

A common flaw in several Marvel-Netflix collaborations is having too many episodes for the richness of the story, leading to a tight first half and a loose second half. The Punisher still suffers from this problem; 13 episodes are simply too many. However, this time, The Punisher isn't tight at the beginning and loose at the end; instead, it's tight at the beginning and end, and loose in the middle, highlighting this common issue. The initial episodes, which establish the backgrounds of Frank Castle and David Lieberman / Micro (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and set up subsequent storylines, can understandably have a slower pace. But in the following episodes, the plot seems to stagnate, and even some fight and action scenes fail to improve the overall rhythm. By Episode 10, the series attempts a change in narrative style, incorporating a "Rashomon" approach, which sounds somewhat fresh. However, I didn't quite understand their intention and felt it further highlighted their lack of sufficient story to fill 13 episodes. Simultaneously, these episodes also introduce the theme of gun control, heavily laden with political implications, reflecting current events in the U.S. Yet, the script's portrayal in this regard is not particularly profound, seeming more like an attempt to fill episodes, thereby wasting this controversial subject. I believe if the series had been condensed to 6 to 8 episodes, the pacing would have been much tighter, and the entire series would have been far more watchable.

Regardless, The Punisher is a relatively fresh attempt for Marvel and Netflix, and its themes concerning veterans and PTSD are quite meaningful. However, the series once again highlights the common flaw of having too many episodes. I wonder if this issue will persist in the upcoming second seasons of Jessica Jones and Luke Cage, or if there will be improvements? This series' style is very different from previous ones, and it thoroughly reintroduces the character of Frank Castle/The Punisher to the audience. I wonder what stories they will bring to this character next? Marvel and Netflix have not yet renewed the series for a second season, so everything awaits future announcements.