First reactions to Marvel's Punisher special compare it to The Raid and say it's like a comic "come to life"

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Fresh off the release of the Daredevil: Born Again season 2 finale, Marvel's new Punisher special is out this week. Early reactions from critics to The Punisher: One Last Kill have been trickling in – and it's fair to say they're pretty mixed.

The standalone story sees Jon Bernthal return once again as Frank Castle after the events of the first season of Daredevil: Born Again season 1. The story sees him trying to live a life free of revenge as the rise of a new criminal empire pulls him back into the fight.

Critics and early viewers have been praising the action in the new special, calling it "raw" and "brutal". However, early critiques focus around the Disney Plus film retreading old ground for the character who already starred in a two season origin story on Netflix.

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One writer Cody Leach wrote on X: "#ThePunisherOneLastKill delivers on Frank Castle laying waste to bad guys and Bernthal is awesome as always. That said, I don’t understand the point of this as a 45 min standalone. We re-explore his origin and set him up to now be in full Punisher mode. We’ve done this already…"

Meanwhile, Comic Book Movie's Josh Wilding compared it to Gareth Evans' beloved action hit The Raid writing that it's "a relentless, no-holds-barred exploration of grief and PTSD, and an ultra-violent pitch-perfect take on #ThePunisher. This is @jonnybernthal's magnum opus as Frank Castle. Marvel meets The Raid."

Collider's Maggie Lovitt added that it's a "true" return to character for Frank Castle. "The special is a heavy, introspective look at where Frank's head is as of late – and while it does retread some narrative beats that the Netflix run handled well, what Jon and Reinaldo Marcus Green have done here is really special," she wrote on X. "Bernthal's Frank Castle has always been more emotional, and seeing him process big emotions while also fighting for his life is always a good time."

Check out some more first reactions below.

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#ThePunisherOneLastKill is way too familiar with its subject matter, but makes up for it with solid action and cool cinematography.It fails to leave a mark, but it is enjoyable enough, especially seeing Jon Bernthal as Punisher again.Full review coming to @Feature_First pic.twitter.com/DX1IvRUe7xMay 12, 2026

#ThePunisherOneLastKill is an emotional ticking time bomb that slowly builds before erupting into a Raw, Brutal, Explosive finaleIf you love Bernthal’s Punisher, you’re going to LOVE this. The action is raw, vicious & gives the feeling of watching a Punisher comic come to life pic.twitter.com/BgdPIY82FGMay 12, 2026

Punisher: One Last Kill absolutely delivers.This feels less like we’re watching Frank Castle from the outside and more like we’re trapped inside his head, the war, the trauma, the rage, and the violence all closing in around him.Jon Bernthal is once again incredible as Frank! pic.twitter.com/pmqTTIKb1PMay 12, 2026

The Punisher: One Last Kill is basically 20 mins of Frank continuing to mope about his family, and 20 mins of him brutally murdering people. I guess that IS what a lot of fans of the character want to see, but I was hoping for a little more meat on the bone. Bernthal is as great… pic.twitter.com/fcgHEIhk26May 12, 2026

The Punisher: One Last Kill arrives on Disney Plus on May 12 in the US and May 13 in the UK. This marks the last time we'll see Bernthal on screen until the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day in July. For more on the MCU, here's our guide to how to watch all the Marvel movies in order.

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Fay WatsonDeputy Entertainment Editor

I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I've also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.

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