I'm trying to remember the last time I've been so disappointed leaving the movie theatre. 'Max Payne' is a film with two faces. On the one hand it is visually stunning, conceptually great and a feast for the eyes. The art direction, atmosphere and style have so much flair. John Moore conceptual and visual styling is a feast for the eyes. My problem is with the other hand: I need more than just style to look at if I'm going to enjoy a film. I need substance.
All of the excellent visuals and atmosphere in the world can't over-ride one severe problem: 'Max Payne' has a script devoid of the dramatic glue that transforms it from a pastiche of episodes to a flowing story. The movie is so busy being gritty and dark that it forgets to give you characters who you care about. So much time is spent trying to build up the mystery that nothing is spent on character development. The irony is that the film needed to be twenty minutes longer to help fill in some of these connections, but already feels like it runs too long. This is Beau Thorne's first script and I won't pretend to think that it is easy to do an adaptation of anything -- let alone condense hours of a video game into an hour and a half of film. Some of the problems might have been easily solved. As just an example, Max Payne is driven, bitter and solitary. Why not open the film by showing the reason he is this way instead of leaving it until the movie is half done? Brutally edited and paced, 'Max Payne' is a story headed no where and taking forever to get there. The acting isn't bad -- given the material they have to work with -- and there was some relief in watching Beau Bridges chew scenery mercilessly as the movie grinds to it's conclusion. Mark Wahlberg turns in a typical performance and manages to look disappointed that he doesn't get to swear. Chris O'Donnell and Donal Logue are under-used and both Amaury Nolasco and Mila Kunis would have benefited from more screen time and character development. I wish that 'Max Payne' had kept it's Restricted rating. Because I wanted it to be harder edged? Oh no -- an 'R' rating would have kept more people from watching it.
I will say that there were two decent action sequences and I thought they were both pretty decent. There is a good showdown in the office building ... twice. It might even be worth renting the DVD and fast-forwarding your way through a turgid boggy mess in order to see them. Unless you value style over substance though, give 'Max Payne' a pass.
All of the excellent visuals and atmosphere in the world can't over-ride one severe problem: 'Max Payne' has a script devoid of the dramatic glue that transforms it from a pastiche of episodes to a flowing story. The movie is so busy being gritty and dark that it forgets to give you characters who you care about. So much time is spent trying to build up the mystery that nothing is spent on character development. The irony is that the film needed to be twenty minutes longer to help fill in some of these connections, but already feels like it runs too long. This is Beau Thorne's first script and I won't pretend to think that it is easy to do an adaptation of anything -- let alone condense hours of a video game into an hour and a half of film. Some of the problems might have been easily solved. As just an example, Max Payne is driven, bitter and solitary. Why not open the film by showing the reason he is this way instead of leaving it until the movie is half done? Brutally edited and paced, 'Max Payne' is a story headed no where and taking forever to get there. The acting isn't bad -- given the material they have to work with -- and there was some relief in watching Beau Bridges chew scenery mercilessly as the movie grinds to it's conclusion. Mark Wahlberg turns in a typical performance and manages to look disappointed that he doesn't get to swear. Chris O'Donnell and Donal Logue are under-used and both Amaury Nolasco and Mila Kunis would have benefited from more screen time and character development. I wish that 'Max Payne' had kept it's Restricted rating. Because I wanted it to be harder edged? Oh no -- an 'R' rating would have kept more people from watching it.
I will say that there were two decent action sequences and I thought they were both pretty decent. There is a good showdown in the office building ... twice. It might even be worth renting the DVD and fast-forwarding your way through a turgid boggy mess in order to see them. Unless you value style over substance though, give 'Max Payne' a pass.