War & Piece.
13 Episodes. Starring: Jon Bernthal, Ben Barnes, Amber Rose Revah, Jason R. Moore, Josh Stewart, Floriana Lima, Giorgia Whigham, Alexa Davalos, Royce Johnson & Deborah Ann Woll.
It's gone! Frank Castle's Punisher just pulled his best magic trick out the 'Dark Knight' Joker hat and made that knife stuck into the end of the bar disappear. And yep...he did it using some guys face. Now how's that for a bar fight? How's that for a dark night? BANG! Bathed in blood like he was washing his face with his victims, The Punisher is not Hulk angry. He's f###### furious! And why wouldn't he be? When everyone is talking about him getting cancelled like red before he even gets to reload with his second clip. But like he says he's not the one that dies kid. He's the one that does the killing. And Castle uptop his shell and casing throne is making one now. Loading up the battle van in a no parking zone, forget pistol-whipped. Everyone's about to get sawn off shotgun slapped. As the outstanding opening episode to Castle's epic second killing season is not just killer, but in no ways is it filler. Taking in these Doors 'Roadhouse Blues' whilst watching country strong Shooter Jennings shoot for the 'Luke Cage' rivalling musical performance cameos with a cold one. Lonesome nursing a classic American watering hole bordered by cheap, porch light lonely motels and the highway were these road warriors run away from it all. This seasoned, more mature, scope focused second starts with the most beautiful love story with eyes are the soul, season standout Alexa Davalos ('The Man In The High Castle', 'The Chronicles Of Riddick', 'Defiance') over a few beers, followed by the most violent bloodbath of a bar fight. In heart and the arms that hold both that and the war that comes after love, Jon Bernthal is true grit personified in this 'Sweet Virginia', 'Wind River' of a neo western set in the smashed pool table overhead neon lights of a bar somewhere in Michigan full of wolverines...and we aren't talking about Hugh Jackman or the Fab Five. But this x-rated episode is so fantastic man we could write this whole piece about it. Just like the formidable firefight of the 'Assault On Precient 13' like epic episode. And if it wasn't 1am at the time of watching and this writer hasn't just come back from a long trip to the city then I would have binge drinking the whole series right there with a Bud. But the truck rolls on.
Reloading on this fury road, this Mad Max to be Frank is forlorn, but a formidable force. Most heroes when they hit the bad guys they get back up, but when this antihero hits them they STAY down. It's permanent. Just like Jon Bernthal will always be The Punisher, skull or crossbones. Ever since his one batch introduction to the 'Daredevil' of Hells Kitchen, like his "I am Iron Man" like courtroom declaration. After he went all Parabellum on a bunch of Irishmen after they were about to 'John Wick' his dog. And from the valley of violence that was the War Zone of his first blood season, here comes your second batch, chapter 2. And everyone's got a marker on them. Everyone wants a piece of this hit. Just wait until you put this puzzle back together. And just wait until you get to all the blue pieces. Because a seasoned vet now, Bernthal has stormed Castle's psychological walls to be Frank. This is the sames man who made the hours long walk to the 'Daredevil' set across the Brooklyn Bridge with a weighted bag as passersby shouted for him to not "f### this up". Well crossing the bridge he really hasn't. The 'Fury' of the same passion project actor who couldn't meet his newborn son until months after completing the encaged tank drama in Brad Pitt's World War. Growling in the pain he suffers and in turn doles out by the barrel, Jon is the don. The one. Right down to the last bullet in an empty clip. Showing all the chambers of this burnt souls heart. The love and loss. The beauty and the betrayal. The confliction and the conviction. Knowing that sometimes to do the right thing, you have to do much worse. Prison cell or hearse. We see heart here. Like when he falls for a new love he makes in a motel whilst wearing his wedding ring round his neck, like a soldier does dog tags for his fallen brother. Massaging his new partners shoulder with his middle finger and the base of his palm like he also does in the trailers of 'Wind River'. Must be a dear Jon nuanced trait ladies. And nothing gets more heartfelt and honest than this actors humanity. He doesn't just pay homage to his iconic characters, he gives them his life. Because behind that thumping beat of his heart is the tick tock of a time bomb ready to click clack. Because no crime, penny and dime goes without it's punishment. He even juices up some gym heads, cancelling all their memberships. And there's no Murdock now for the gavel to drop. Just the hangman's noose and the assassin's target.
Castle ragdoll launches a young lady over the watering hole moat that is the bar, whilst automatic gunfire takes out all the green bottles behind it like sixties gangster Tommy guns. That young actress being '13 Reasons Why' star Giorgia Whigham (yep daughter of character actor great Shea. But her own star). With cocky confidence hiding an aggravated anxiety in character giving us even more reasons why she's one of the next great talents out there. Someone told Castle "we're all lonely. All life is is trying not to be". So it's a good job Frank is in good company here. He's going to need all the help he can get going up against 'Dark Knight Rises' and 'Third Watch' star Josh Stewart's Catholic priest villain ready to give you last rights by his own headlocking hands under his sinister stetson. And of course the fragments of his former friend Billy Russo. Masked by his Jigsaw villain, hidden behind a 'Dark Knight' thieves theme mask and some toned down facial scars in-keeping with the new rules on that subject since the ruling on iconic inspirations like Heath Ledger's Joker. 'Westworld' star Barnes is a fair few strokes away from the attic of his portrait of 'Dorian Gray', but the scars show the real monster being unleashed after his Castle carousel crucifixion. And hospital bed flanked by a mysterious character in 'Supergirl' star Floriana Lima, there is more here than meets the eye. But of course Frank has his own agent of support in last season's 'From Paris With Love' standout Amber Rose Revah given even more script paperwork to work with here. And of course with most of his marine core gone or deserted Castle still has the chairs in the circle group counsel of veteran Jason R. Moore, who one batch to two has been the soul of this series. But it's 'Daredevil' and 'Defenders' star Deborah Ann Woll who like detective Royce Johnson, or Netflix 'Mudbound' and Defender sub-series veteran Rob Morgan deserves this year's Rosario Dawson award for Marvel's Netflix's most versatile, crossover actor. The 'Escape Room' actress like with the devil gives this killer it's heart and it's moral compass center. You know who said that thing about loneliness right? And if this really is it it won't be the same without her. Or the man-with all due respect to Dolph and the tremendous Thomas Jane and the 'Predator' actors ice lolly trick-who is the bones of Castle's skull in this Metallica heavy metal series, bludgeoned by brutality. One that as the warm and welcoming in real life Bernthal says on Kimmel, "resonates deeply with the military and law enforcement community". Still anyday they say Netflix could pull the trigger on 'The Punisher'. But we really hope this isn't the end of days for the high calibre, Netflix nuanced narratives for Marvel. Either way this fighter won't die on its knees. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Daredevil', 'Luke Cage', 'Iron Fist' (Save Them!)
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