Perhaps it was inexorable that a game which revolutionized gaming, would be made into a movie by a big studio. Everything is all right with that thought, except the last two words: big studio. Though, perhaps ironically, it is due to those very two words that the money needed to make such a movie was put up to begin with. The problem with studios is that they don't really like to break new ground or venture into dark, or even daring, plot territory. Then if they do, it is all too often simplistically sensational with the usual clichés tagging along. "Doom" was a perfect example of this.
"Max Payne" is on one hand a good movie and that is visually. There is lots of interesting detail and the nighttime noir cinematography is actually pretty good AND a very acceptable representation of the game's visuals. However, visually, big studio films are very frequently stunning so that doesn't really make it that much of a surprise, but rather a relief for fans of the game that maybe they got this adaptation down very well.
It is not too long into the movie that those very visuals become to seem like a tease. Director John Moore does some pretty interesting things with them - even though those flying demon things are in the game, the visualization of the drug present throughout the game is pretty interesting. It is odd, but not in a bad way. The problems arise with *hold your breath* the plot. Surprised? They get pretty close to making a good adaptation, include good visuals with some new twists, but they mess up the plot... GAH! It's frustrating. The plot seems like it was written by someone who read a one paragraph summary of the game's plot and then compressed it even further by heavily editing the darker plot points in the game's third act.
They say give credit where credit's due and here there is SOME credit to be given. For one, the action editing isn't "hyperfastinsane" and the shootouts are pretty good for the few of them that there are here - though, very strangely "bullet-time" is only shown in one scene and it is not a very good one at that. But again, the visuals are overall good. Though, in the end this is noir film with too little noir, an action film with too little action, and a conspiracy thriller with an underdeveloped and wholly uninspired plot. --- 5/10
BsCDb Classification: 13+ --- violence
"Max Payne" is on one hand a good movie and that is visually. There is lots of interesting detail and the nighttime noir cinematography is actually pretty good AND a very acceptable representation of the game's visuals. However, visually, big studio films are very frequently stunning so that doesn't really make it that much of a surprise, but rather a relief for fans of the game that maybe they got this adaptation down very well.
It is not too long into the movie that those very visuals become to seem like a tease. Director John Moore does some pretty interesting things with them - even though those flying demon things are in the game, the visualization of the drug present throughout the game is pretty interesting. It is odd, but not in a bad way. The problems arise with *hold your breath* the plot. Surprised? They get pretty close to making a good adaptation, include good visuals with some new twists, but they mess up the plot... GAH! It's frustrating. The plot seems like it was written by someone who read a one paragraph summary of the game's plot and then compressed it even further by heavily editing the darker plot points in the game's third act.
They say give credit where credit's due and here there is SOME credit to be given. For one, the action editing isn't "hyperfastinsane" and the shootouts are pretty good for the few of them that there are here - though, very strangely "bullet-time" is only shown in one scene and it is not a very good one at that. But again, the visuals are overall good. Though, in the end this is noir film with too little noir, an action film with too little action, and a conspiracy thriller with an underdeveloped and wholly uninspired plot. --- 5/10
BsCDb Classification: 13+ --- violence