Marvel's The Punisher Review: 6 Ups And 3 Downs

Downs...

3. Its Gun Control Message Is A Bit Muddled

The Punisher could quite easily have been an ultraviolent revenge tale, and that would've no doubt appeased a lot of viewers. It's to its credit, then, that it attempts to tackle some bigger societal issues, a lot of which it largely gets right - from a commentary on the treatment of war veterans to mental health, extremism and so on - and it deserves praise for all of that. The show is smarter than people might've initially expected, but that makes its contribution to the gun control debate more frustrating.

This is a show that was unofficially delayed after the shooting in Las Vegas, and one in which guns are absolutely everywhere, from the main character right down to the opening credits. The writers are clearly aware of the prevalence of guns and know they have to say something, which is why the gun control debate gets highlighted more than most of the other issues - some of which are just lightly touched upon in passing - and yet it doesn't seem quite sure what exactly it wants to say.

The anti-gun control debate is first seen through a far-right military vet, one who proudly supports the NRA and thinks its the liberals ruining the country. The counter-argument comes much later on, with a left-leaning politician who wants strict gun control rules, gets mocked, then later hires armed protection and, in a sense of irony that doesn't go unmentioned, asks them not to kill anyone. Both feel like caricatures, rather than meaningful contributions.

Karen Page is surprisingly pro-gun, yet offers an anti-extremism voice, and the Punisher himself blasts through people at will, and there's very little said about it at all. The show is well-placed to offer a serious commentary on the gun debate in America, and it tries to say something - but ends up saying nothing.