Movie Review - Max Payne » Inverse Karma

Movie Review – Max Payne

Posted by Hari on Dec 26, 2008 • (0)

Max Payne, the much hyped and the most anticipated movie of the year finally hit the theatres at the end of November. I was very much excited because I have played both the parts of the game (Max Payne 1 and 2). They were one of the best FPS games and topped the ratings all over the world. The first game to introduce the concept of “bullet time” which slows down the motion all around, something adapted from The Matrix movies. The game being a run away hit people tend to expect more out of the film which is based on the game itself. I have also played Resident Evil games and have seen the movies too. They were ‘Okay’ to me since the plot is almost the same. But Resident Evil is no way in lines with Max Payne. The Max Payne game has a sound plot and the best game play ever.

max payne poster

Well, with all that said I was eager to see what the movie has in store. The movie was expected to satisfy two kinds of people, those who have played the game and those who have not! But the movie turned out to be a nightmare!! The movie starts off with Max Payne sinking into some deep ocean (which instantly reminded me of The Bourne Identity). The whole movie is narrated from the point of view of the hero, Max. The plot is entirely different from what the game tells you. Trying to be realistic!? Well okay, I’ll give that to the director. But the narration is not satisfying – at least from the point of view of someone who has played the game. Max Payne, the name itself is a pun, describing the agony and pain that Max carriers with him throughout. Those who have played the game will know of the dreams, hallucinations and the trauma that he undergoes. They certainly lack in the movie. Mark Wahlberg has done a fair job, with a rigid face and worried look, trying to go from clue to clue, people to people in search of the perpetrators who killed his wife and his baby. He is on a blood feud and seeks revenge.

The concept of bullet time is depicted in two to three scenes, but it was as though the director didn’t want to leave that out and so included it just in some places. They aren’t effectively portrayed. The characters of BB and Mona Sax are bleak too. You can very well guess the climax within the first half hour of the movie. The villain almost screams to everyone that he is the one who is the hunted, except that Max fails to realize that! The action sequences aren’t superlative too. Sometimes you feel bored of all the shooting. Overall, it’s a let down for all the game enthusiasts. The movie can be watched once though.

The Verdict: Max Pain, Min Gain!