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Max Payne (2008)

Director: John Moore

Time Out rating

Average user rating
16 reviews

Synopsis

We’ve had ‘Hitman’, we’ve had ‘Doom’, we’ve had ‘Silent Hill’, now it’s the turn of popular computer game ‘Max Payne’ to receive the big screen treatment. The film features the always lovable Mark Wahlberg as its eponymous star, a grizzled, trigger-happy cop whose family and partner are brutally murdered. He decides to embark on a maverick revenge mission, venturing into the underworld to find those responsible and met out bloody pay back. Once there, Payne discovers that the enemies he faces are very powerful, and must call on his training and natural (violent) instincts to help him survive.

Movie review

From Time Out London

‘Max Payne’ is to the original computer game what ‘Sin City’ was to the graphic novel, a neo-noir revenge thriller whose flashy monochrome visuals cannot disguise its black-and-white morality and obsession with skimpily dressed femmes fatale and phallic firepower.

Mark Wahlberg is convincingly monomaniacal as Max Payne, a rogue cop seeking vengeance for the murder of his wife and child. Fortunately for him, Max’s search overlaps with a Russian mobster’s search for her strung-out sister, Natasha (Bond girl Olga Kurylenko).

Unfortunately for them,  drug that induces hallucinations of flying demons has turned ex-soldier Jack Lupino (Amaury Nolasco) into a killing machine. Beau Bridges has fun as Max’s mentor, now head of security for secretive pharma corporation Aesir.John Moore directs the hell out of the action, while Jonathan Sela’s glistening photography captures the snow and rain that fall on these bloody New York streets. But you’d have to be on crack not to guess the ‘surprise’ finale.

Author: Nigel Floyd

Time Out London Issue 1995, 13-19 November, 2008


User reviews of this film

  • Daniel A said...
    Posted on Aug 04 2010 00:38 I'd heard many bad reviews of this film both by film critics and fans of the game, but I found for a cheap copy and gave it a spin and I was pleasantly surprised. Although the film differs from the original story considerably and several great characters were ignored or only hinted at while others were slotted in from nowhere, the film's over-all feel was greatly remminiscent of the game. The plot was a bit swiss cheese with many loose ends, but the film was certainly worth at least one watch if only for the not-overdone slow-mo action and gritty drug-fuelled fantasy.
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  • jordan harding said...
    Posted on Aug 29 2009 15:25 when i first played the games i was like wow. theyre probably the best games ever to be released then i saw there was a movie coming out i though great and when i watched it well i was more than impressed although they should have stuck to the games a little more because they went off the story line at some points but over great film and well worth the watch dont listen to those who say this film is rubbish its really not
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  • Simon said...
    Posted on Dec 12 2008 16:47 Like i said, people who find te film rubbish are insane because they ovibously havn't ever heard of Max Payne before and have never played the games....
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  • Simon said...
    Posted on Dec 12 2008 16:43 I love Max Payne.
    I got the first game, and loved it then went on to get the second, and same story there........Then i found out that there was a movie of max payne coming out, i had to see it of course, watched and guess what...It was amazing.
    Looking forward to Max Payne 2 film, but as for the first i would recommend watching it several times......oh and if you dont understand the movie then well.....you should of played the games first!
    My Rating "**********" 10/10
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  • Adam said...
    Posted on Nov 22 2008 14:21 max payne is one of the best films i have seen so far!!
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  • seph said...
    Posted on Nov 22 2008 11:50 absolutly awful
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  • hollie said...
    Posted on Nov 21 2008 15:50 i actually liked this film lol
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  • Joe said...
    Posted on Nov 19 2008 19:31 my word! if u wnt 2 bcum clinically depressed plz go waste ur money and see this film. the movie is torn to pieces with flaws, confusion and just overall poor directing. the plot, if there is 1 is totally obscene and the initial character focuses are pointless. total waste of time. i feel sorry 4 the fairly good cast who have had their reputations dented by it. how can any1 rate this above the minimum!
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  • Nelly said...
    Posted on Nov 19 2008 19:26 That is in one of my worst three films i have EVER seen. What a load of tripe, yes tripe. If i could give 0 stars i would. Do not watch it and do not give the directors any of your money. It is just that bad.
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  • hjjh said...
    Posted on Nov 19 2008 18:16 Yes is good
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  • MUHAMMED YOUSEEF said...
    Posted on Nov 17 2008 12:54 well i luv max payne as agame and i always said it must be amovie but not by mark whale berg he doesnt fit the charecter eactly like like moveis of 007 this new actor craig deosnt fit it prosnan is the best an for max payune i prefer Cage .Gipson .SEGAL IF HE IS ALIVE YET COZ WHALBERG IS STILL YOUNG ACCORDING TO THIS GIANTS BIG STARS
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  • Max Payne Sucks said...
    Posted on Nov 16 2008 16:10 Max Payne is such a bloody waste of time and money. The cast is good but thats about it. It sucks!!!
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  • kaylee said...
    Posted on Nov 16 2008 13:25 im ment to be going to see it later today with my boy, but i hate action films, hrm do you think this is an exeption?
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  • natalie said...
    Posted on Nov 16 2008 12:35 jst off 2 c it in 2 mins wi me friends it beta be good or else i want my money bk lv me
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  • Chris said...
    Posted on Nov 15 2008 00:13 just got back from the cinema, amazing film! 10/10 definately one before you die! i was abit iffy about the thought of wahlberg playing max but he played it brilliantly, good story line, altho cant go wrong with max payne!
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Cast & crew

Director: John Moore

Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Chris O'Donnell, Donal Logue

Genre(s): Action/Adventure

Rated: 15

Duration: 100 mins

UK Release: Nov 14 2008
US Release: Oct 17 2008

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