The Punisher: One Last Kill 'CGI' Shot Was Mocked for Looking Like a GTA Cutscene, but It Turns Out It Was Done for Real

· IGN

The Punisher: One Last Kill has been the subject of online mockery following a wonky-looking shot that many believed was CG, but was actually done for real.

The latest Marvel Special Presentation sees Frank Castle thrust back into a world of violence after his neighborhood becomes overrun with crime and chaos. He kills dozens of criminals with plenty of flair, and one Max Payne-esque stunt sees him diving backwards off a rooftop while shooting at a foe. It looks pretty smooth until it cuts to a shot of Castle landing on some kind of AC unit.

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Fans mocked the shot as it looked like it featured unfinished visual effects, with the AC unit exploding with what some said looked like video game-esque physics and a model that flails its limbs somewhat robotically. To top it all off, Jon Bernthal's face is visible, and he doesn't emote or make any kind of expression after taking a major tumble.

Fans dunked on the scene, saying it resembled a video game. "It genuinely looks like a GTA cutscene, man," said one viewer. “The Punisher: One Last Kill has one of the worst CGI animations I have seen in years. [...] How is it possible that Jon Bernthal turns into a PS4 graphics replica of Joel Miller from The Last Of Us?" asked another.

Many suspected that the entire shot was CG, but it turns out it wasn't. The Hollywood Reporter said its sources indicated that the stunt was a real in-camera shot, with Bernthal performing the beginning of the fall and an actual stuntman performing the impact. The only notable VFX work, THR said, was a face replacement to put Bernthal's face over the stunt double's.

So, why does the shot look so rough? Well, there may be a few reasons. Bernthal's CGI face probably shouldn't have been as visible, as it immediately signals to the viewer that he isn't real, even if it's just his face that is being digitally altered. There's also a slow-mo effect that may detract from the impact, making it feel awkward. Finally, it appears some kind of camera shake was added to try to sell the impact a bit more, but it only adds to the feeling that the shot is fake.

Despite this scene getting ripped apart on social media, fans are enjoying the brutality of the special. IGN's. The Punisher: One Last Kill review returned a 7/10. We said: "The Punisher: One Last Kill doesn’t do anything particularly new with Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle, but it strips down the Netflix series’ formula into a lean, mean, and entertaining short story."

Jon Bernthal's Punisher will return in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is set to release on July 31st, 2026.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

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