Check out our Daredevil review for Episode 1, Episode 2 and Episode 3.
Looks like the Irish gets some balls with old blood from the Ireland comes to hell’s kitchen to exact some revenge on The Punisher that has been tearing through his family. And of course there’s the issue of the stolen money. Which one Finn, the Irish Mob top brass, loves more is up to interpretation. Plus we get a little bit more insite into the conspiracy filled events surrounding both Frank’s near death experience and death of his wife and kids.
⚠ SPOILERS AHEAD ⚠
The Punisher is rarely seen, but his presence is surely felt. Especially when it comes to the Irish Mob. He’s left a hefty amount of the dead mobsters in his wake. Enough to get Irish Mob Boss Finn to travel all the way to Hell’s Kitchen to oversea the return of the money (the Frank Castle stole) and Frank Castle, aka the Punisher. And seeing Finn’s son counts amongst the dead bodies, he’s not all too happy.
Now the Irish Mob goes on a mini rampage through Hell’s Kitchen in search of The Punisher. They eventually come upon his little poorly hidden away man cave of weapons and guns, and it’s not too long they find his whereabouts. The carousel in the park. Where his family died. Where the Punisher was born. He gets nabbed by the Irish, not of course with taking out a handful of gangsters with some close quarters, well placed gunshots. Say what you want about the Punisher, he’s an bison. Drugged, tazed, still manages to stand somewhat.
Karen does some digging into Frank’s past and discovers via an ex-hospital orderly that when Frank Castle was shot in the head during the gang shoot out that killed his family, with the ‘suits; and a DNR order was placed on him, which points to a conspiracy of the highest order. Someone wanted Frank dead. Even before he became The Punisher. A marine and family man.
What happens next is a grimey little torture scene that had Jon Bernthal bring out his inner Shane. Repeatedly pummelled in the face, drilled in the foot, with no surgical precision I might add, would have had a normal guy at least pass out. Not The Punisher. Sure we get he’s tough. But if Daredevil can give him a love tap in the face and he goes unconscious, surely a series of punches to the head or drill to the foot would have him faint at least. All we can say is that with the amount of blood in his mouth, that red colouring and syrup must have given him diabetes.
Nabbed, it’s up to Daredevil whose been hot on The Punisher’s trail to save him from the Irish. And its good to see Murdock back to his acrobatic fighting style powering his way through the mob. But the Punisher kinda had his escaped planned from, well, digging a razor-blade out of a wound in his forearm (ew!), managing to cut himself free, slice throats with the blade and arm himself with a shotgun. All very convenient, provided the Irish Mob didn’t restrain him with handcuffs.
Daredevil helps Punisher escape, carving a bloody, yet non-fatal path (not to the Punisher’s liking) through the remain Irish mob goons to take refuge in a cemetery. And nothing makes you reflect on life more than death, and Frank speaks on his daughter, and the tragic loss and pain is made very raw and clear in those final scenes.
And truly I can’t think of anyone who can play the extremes of deep sorrow and righteous anger. Frank remiscences on his life as a soldier, detailing his only fear was never dying on the battlefield or seeing fellow soldiers blown away. It was on his way home from war, thinking some divine irony would snuff out his chance to see his daughter and family. And the ‘Penny And Dime’ reference Frank mutters with every pulling of the trigger is given significance; it was his daughters favourite story. And with a guy with that much regret and pain, it’s only fair someone like the Punisher spread that type of wealth around.
Daredevil hand’s over The Punisher, and the credit for his capture, to the police. Karen getting hot and heavy with the Double D, everything is on the up and up for Murdock. And as such, enter stage right: a sultry Elektra lay-waits Matt in his home. She’s already a danger from the very fact it to Matt a while to sense her presence in the apartment. And a guy with super-sensitive hearing, that’s saying a lot.
As it goes the episode wasn’t as momentous, and Karen’s panting at the sexy touch of Murdock in that rain scene seems overly-exaggerated near the end (or maybe my touch game is poor). And The Punisher’s run seems a bit short. Surely, he’s not done. And would be interesting to see the dynamic between her and someone like The Punisher.
RATING: 2.5 out of 5 stars
We know this is not the end of Frank despite being in custody. We’re just starting to learn more about his past and situation. But now Elektra’s in the picture, we are sure Murdock’s baggage will get a lot more enticing.
“So what do you guys think of Episode 4? Let’s hear it in the comment section below or via Twitter!