Marvel's The Punisher Spoiler-Free Review

6. Muddled Messages

The Punisher delayed its release after the mass shooting in Las Vegas, and it's easy to see why (although they'd have a hard time finding a release that isn't close to a shooting): guns are everywhere in this series, especially in the hands of its titular character.

That's not inherently a bad thing, since it's a crucial aspect of the character, but it does lead to the show having some rather muddled messages surrounding gun control. One character is a full-blown alt-right, 2nd Amendment-quoting, liberal-hating gun-lover, and we're clearly meant to feel at odds with him and the hate he espouses. At the same time as it's doing this, though, the show asks us to invest in an anti-hero who has few qualms about firing rounds into enemy skulls, treating every bullet in an almost fetishised manner.

It's important that shows don't shy away from these important conversations, and Punisher does at least attempt to tackle the gun control debate from various angles - it's just a shame that it gets very muddled in doing so.

Where it fares better, though, is in its (somewhat linked) tale of veterans and what becomes of them after the war is over. The show is surer of itself here, offering real criticism of the treatment of war vets and providing an interesting analysis of PTSD and other effects on them returning to civilian life. It's still not overly nuanced, but it's more engaging and handled with more care, and you can feel the conviction of the message it's sending.