Iffy for 15+
Video game adaptation is bloody but boring.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this video game-based action movie -- which was originally rated R and still feels more like that than a PG-13 -- is extremely violent and loaded with images of characters shooting or being shot. The plot revolves around a major corporation murdering to protect the money it's making after turning a failed military performance-enhancing drug into a street drug. The lead character takes a couple of doses to take advantage of the drug's energizing properties after a near-fatal drowning, so the last 20 minutes of the film are seen, in part, through his hallucinatory perspective. In addition to the constant violence, the movie also has plenty of salty language, sexual content, and drinking.
- Families can talk about why Hollywood turns video games into movies, and whether the (theoretically) interactive experience of playing a game is different from the more passive experience of watching a movie. Does violence impact you in different ways when you're participating in it vs. just watching it? How so? Families can also discuss revenge and vengeance -- movies glamorize them, but are they, in fact, ethical things to pursue when wronged? How else can people seek out justice?
The good stuff
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Messages: The lead character is motivated by the death of his wife and baby son. A major corporation is involved in bribery, murder, drug trafficking, and other criminal activity. The villain explains how committing murder made him feel liberated, as if all his problems could now be solved by force and will.
What to watch for
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Violence: Constant extreme violence, including shootouts, shootings, knife-fights, and fistfights; blood and dismembered body parts are shown; one sequence shows a close-up of fingernails being torn from the hands of a man at the edge of a building before he falls to his death; shotgun murders, slow-motion bullet entrances and exits, explosions, and more, with dead bodies visible on screen. The closing credits are over a computer-animated collage of guns being shot, reloaded, and so on.
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Sex: Some partial glimpses of naked breasts, panty-clad bottoms, and scantily clad women; indistinct flashes of a sex scene in a flashback. Kissing. An underwear-clad woman writhes on a bed and makes sexual advances, which are rebuffed.
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Language: Strong language, including one non-sexual use of "f--k" also "s--t," "a--hole," "bitch," "piss," "hell," and more.
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Consumerism: A Macintosh computer is clearly visible.
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: Characters drink hard liquor, wine, and beer to excess (some also drink more responsibly). A character poses with a cigarette but doesn't smoke it. An experimental military performance-enhancing drug is abused and sold as a street narcotic, with supporting characters suffering fierce cravings for it. The lead character takes two doses of it to rouse himself after a near-drowning, and viewers see his resulting violent hallucinations, including black-winged demonic angel-like beings. A major corporation traffics the drug on the street.
Fan Reviews provided by
3
Too much HYPE - PAYNE-ful to watch. Grade: C-plus by MOVIES REVIEWER
I just attended the red carpet premiere of this movie adaptation of the same-titled video-game.
Present at this red carpet event, the obligingly affable Mr. Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges gave a short intro. before the start of the 100-minute movie.
More flash and hype than substance, Max Payne was mostly filmed in film-noir style.
The characters were flat and charmless.
Above-average production qualities and gimmicky special effects.
Lots of engaging unique camerawork via director John Moore.
This thriller/mystery reminded me of a stunted hybrid of Sin City, Blade Runner, and Matrix - lacking their respective unforgettable unique signatures.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed the performances by Mark Wahlberg, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, Chris O'Donnell, Mila Kunis, and Beau Bridges.
Verdict:
Yet just another PAYNE-ful video-game movie adaptation.
Star billings should rake in the crowd translating in big opening weekend at the box-office.
Recommended if you are a fan of the stars.
3
Dissappointing by screensiren
I was really looking forward to this movie coming out. I'm a 30 something female who loves sci-fi action movies. I've never played the game, but I figured that the movie would tell the story. Boy was I wrong. The storyline left me wondering why some characters were there, what they did, who the "angels" were and in general- WTF? The cinematography is beautiful though, the action was good and the acting was awesome but even all that couldn't save a lacking storyline. Seriously, do we have to play the game in order to understand the movie? What's the point of it then?
Weeks of anticipation just fizzled and now I feel dirty. Thanks for a less that great movie.
4
Max Payne - Worth the bill! by Phantazmagoria
First off, for true fans of the series - The preview lie, they do not butcher the story all that much as would be expected!
To be honest, I might have to say that this is so far the best game-to-movie attempt that I have seen. True, at times it can be said that acting is flat; I simply explain this with the conversion - In a game, the action and play is the first thing a person goes for, second, flashy characters. Max Payne is supposed to be Dark, full of manic depressive characters that have lost all light and hope. I'd say they hit this spot on.
Fans of the game series will be very pleased I think, as well as anyone new to the story, that enjoys a rough and gritty action movie.
3
Eh... by kwdblade
Yet another movie that would of been 10 times better if it had just STUCK TO THE STORY!!! Really, how hard can it be. With a book, its different, its open to interpretation. Max Payne was a video game. It was all right there, on the screen, LAID OUT In FRONT OF YOU. Easiest freakin' job in the world. But no, they need to change things, add stupid subplots, leave important characters out and generally screw up. If you haven't played Max Payne, it might not be so bad. For me, it was disappointing.
On a good note, Marky Mark does a pretty good job as Max. Although I think they could of gotten someone alittle more gruff.
4
Its pretty good. by guitarfreak556
Well I can't say this movie is all that bad. I mean Mark is amazing and I think that if it wasn't for him the movie would have sucked. Its a movie that you can miss but when you can rent its a must see. So on a scale of 1-10 its a solid 8.
2
The Most Payneful Movie to Watch in 2008 by rondoguitardude
This movie BITES. I loved the Max Payne video games. They are two of my favorite games of all time. But this is a 3rd rate movie filled with 2nd rate actors.
The biggest complaint that I have is that the movie almost entirely fails to capture the true darkness of the Max Payne story. The violence is not shown, it is only SUGGESTED. This is probably the worst possible movie to apply that concept to. This movie should've been bloody, action-packed, and violent to the teeth. It is quite frankly boring and too plot-oriented. There is one grisly murder scene in the beginning of the movie that captured the true evil of the plot quite well. The rest of the movie is about as dark as the English countryside.
Did I mention there are 2 bullet time action scenes?
This is one of the most anti-climactic movies I've ever seen. The ending is terrible. There are no showdowns, no cool dialogue, and no last action scene. Sombody dies and then the movies over. Stay home and play the game instead.
5
MAX PAYNE by 2critique4u
I would go to see it again. It was that good. Mark Walberg was really good in this movie. There was one thing that did puzzle me about the movie. That was whether the producers wanted this movie to be seen as a horror film or a thriller. If thriller, I think they could have taken out the demons and the blue drugs.
1
Don't waste your time and money!! by brianna-chan
Okay, so I went to go see this with my friends today not knowing what it was about at all, other than the fact that it was based on a videogame.
I have to say it was the worst movie I've seen in a long LONG time. Not only was the acting and plot horrible, but the digital effects were only a step up from Power Rangers. I was laughing at the movie the entire time (and let me just tell you, I was not the only one laughing in the theatre). The superslow effects lasted too long and pretty much failed in general (wanna be Matrix, much?). Half the time the bad guys are in bird/angel costumes, which look like they stole from a nearby costume shop. And the random flashbacks about his wife and child get a tad redundent after the tenth time.
It was a complete waste of time and money that I wish could get back. But I guess I should be looking on the bright side, right? At least I got a good laugh out of it.
1
DUMB FREAKIN MOVIE by jarom
Ok so i am a teenager like 15 years old. I was bought into this movie by the cool trailers but i walked out HATING it. Literally everything about this movie sucked. I am VERY easily entertained. I very rarely hate a movie this much. The movie was booring had no plot line what-so-ever and was soooo cheezy. Save your money. i warned you. If your gonna waste your money see high school musical 3. It probably will suck but at least it wasnt 1 hour and 45 min of pure torture. DO NOT SEE THIS MOVIE.
4
Mark at it again by Scoot M16
I thought this movie was entertaining and i also thought mark did another good job. This movie had a lot of gun action and bullet action in it. You need to pay attention to the movie to understand. I thought the special effects were awsome and the color texture of the movie was sick. I loved it, go.