What Do The Critics Say?

"What looked to be a tectonic shift in the game to movie crossover genre has actually come out with a twist: the game has gone to the movie; and on to the comic book. That is essentially what Max Payne is: a comic book movie, filled with comic book heroes, comic book villains and the spectacular visuals that you'd expect in a top notch graphic novel. For what it is, it's fine." The Captain SIFI PI "Give 'Max Payne' the modest credit it deserves. It's a gloriously dumb, over-the-top slice of convoluted pulp fiction, and far more entertaining than I would have expected." Rossiter Drake SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER "This intense action thriller will be recalled for its exciting visuals and relentless action rather than its acting." Jarrod Walker FILMINK "Eventually, Max pieces together a conspiracy, but Max Payne spells it all out so obviously that the densest audience members will put the pieces together at least half an hour before the hero finally does." Alonso Duralde MSNBC "Beau Thorne, a recent film graduate from Texas, wrote the screenplay. His innovation was to add scary winged creatures that swoop on people who use a new and powerful illicit drug called Valkyr. These black Nazgul-like hallucinations are a form of Valkyrie, only nastier. They add computer-generated mysticism to an otherwise earthly and realistic story about drugs, crime and corporate greed. It is stylish, slick, loud and empty as the producers wanted it to be." Paul Byrnes SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

"There were moments that needed some explanation and characters that needed a quite a bit of fleshing out. But it was violent and fun and since that's why I played the game, I left the theater satisfied." Jenna Busch UGO "The film still succeeds mainly due to the dark, gritty and beautiful cinematography." Kevin McCarthy CBS RADIO "Visually compelling and with a cast willing to make the effort so that we'll take it seriously, this is a solid action film." Daniel M. Kimmel WORCESTER TELEGRAM & GAZETTE " As good as a couple of its action beats are, Max still suffers from the heartlessness that makes games emotionally inferior to movies. Nobody ever shed a tear over a video-game character's death." Roger Moore ORLANDO SENTINEL "In defence of Max Payne, it does put up a fair fight before getting beaten to a pulp by a brutally stupid script and an arrogant lack of respect for its audience. The movie does get some forward momentum happening due to the bizarre setting in which director John Moore stages the action." HERALD SUN ON-LINE

The Inside Story "This film is not 'Minimum' Payne. And it’s not 'Medium' Payne. It’s Max Payne," says director John Moore. He envisioned his latest motion picture as a neo noir action-thriller that straddles a knife-edge between reality and the unreal. And Moore, a gifted visual stylist, should know. His use of subjective camera in the film; putting us directly in Max’s world and in his head, as well as the use of state of the art slow-motion cameras; hurtles audiences, along with Max, on a roller-coaster ride of action, thrills, mystery and startling, supernatural-tinged imagery. Moore knows all about action, thrills and like Max Payne, living on the edge. On the set of "Behind Enemy Lines" (2001) Moore was nearly killed by a Tank in an action sequence. His life saved in the last moment by a quick thinking, and very brave stuntman, who dragged him from harm's way. But long before Moore started pushing things to the 'max', the videogame "Max Payne" had its global debut in 2001; a sequel game, "Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne", followed in 2003. Critics and fans lauded the game’s stylish choreography and cinematic nature; the game’s dark, edgy scenes and slow-motion gunfights played out like a graphic novel with film noir influences. Few games translate well to the big screen, but from its inception it seemed as though the story of the hard-boiled cop out for revenge was destined to be played out on the big screen. "The Max Payne videogame was developed by people who were passionate about film. From the noir-style cinematography to its characters and dialogue, the game had major cinematic influences and the material transcended the typical videogame experience," says producer Julie Yorn ("Wonderland" & "The Exorcism Of Emily Rose""). The filmmakers and studio entertained hundreds of story pitches until first-time screenwriter Beau Thorne came up with a take on the material that resonated with all. "Beau found a way to bring so much texture to the material," Yorn explained. "He not only captured the emotional plight of the main character, but was also able to create a world of illusions and shadows: a supernatural quality that had never been part of the property." The otherwordly elements added by Thorne include a winged demon that threatens Max and dispatches others to an unimaginable fate. Drawn from Norse mythology, the demon Valkyrie grinning, lips drawn back over twisted fangs, eyes glowing red, represents a critical clue in Max’s pursuit of those who destroyed his family. Using the game materials (including the cut scenes and the script) as a springboard, Thorne set out to come up with the foundation for the film. "The game is very visually cinematic, but it also takes eight to twelve hours to beat, so there was way too much material and information for a movie," Thorne offered. "I tried to learn everything about what was in the game and then tried to figure out ways to simplify and streamline it. The challenge was to figure out how to stay faithful to the original material, but at the same time to propel it forward and make it work as a taut thriller." "You have to give movie audiences something exciting and kick-ass, and we thought the way to do that was to use the subjective camera: basically beating the crap out of it, and make you feel like you are Max Payne," says Moore. To bring additional intensity and stylization to the action, Moore employed a special motion camera system called 'Phantom', which enabled a fresh take on the popular 'bullet-time' extreme slow-motion process. "It’s basically a digital hard drive that can shoot up to a thousand frames a second," Moore reveled. "I didn’t want to imitate the dazzling bullet-time, slow-motion work of John Woo, or of the Wachowski brothers in "The Matrix", so we came up with our technique with this new system. I think we got some exciting results, which you’ll see in the movie." Moore ("He Shoots, He Scores" & "Flight of the Phoenix") insisted the movie have a realistic emotional core, much of which is conveyed by Max’s quest to find the killer of his wife and child. He and his journey are defined by this traumatic event. To that end, the actor portraying Max would have to convey the character’s toughness, but at the same time be accessible to audiences on an emotional level. The role was a natural fit for 2007 BAFTA TV Award winner Mark Wahlberg ("Entourage"). "Mark came in with such a fierce commitment to this character," says Yorn. "He’s an intense actor with a great presence, but he’s also a father who loves his family, and he was really able to tap into the angst of the character." "This is one of those roles where you cannot imagine anyone else doing it," adds Moore. "Mark is so much in tune with the guy: the way Max moves, the way the guy looks; he’s absolutely flawless in his execution of him." "John Moore really let me push the action and the emotion," says 2006 NBR Award winner Wahlberg ("The Departed") who won audiences over as Bob Lee Swagger in Antoine Fuqua's "Shooter". "John, he really pushes the envelope. I love playing action, so it was kind of nice to get back into a big action film; where I can beat the crap out of someone in a room. "Max Payne" gave me the opportunity to work on some intense action to a degree that goes beyond what I did in "The Departed" (2006), "Four Brothers" (2005) and "Fear" (1996). In terms of action, Max is those characters times ten. Max is driven by emotion, and I think audiences are going to understand why he’s so committed." 1999 and 2000 YoungStar Award winner Mila Kunis ("That '70s Show") was cast as Mona Sax, the beautiful Russian mobster who teams with Max Payne to avenge her sister’s death. The role required an actress who had the ability to be tough: to be able to hold her own with Max Payne and be believable doing so. "Mila just bowled us over,' says Moore. "She wasn’t an obvious choice, but she just wears Mona so well. She and Mark have terrific chemistry; they are a great hardball team in the movie, which is so essential. We needed someone who would not be just a fop or foil to Max; we needed somebody who had to be that character and convey her own agenda. I think Mila’s just knocked it out of the park." "I’ve always wanted to be in an action movie; I have a side to me that loves to kick butt," says the star of "Forgetting Sarah Marshall. "Mona is fierce and feisty and not willing to play second fiddle to anyone. I’d say that she and Max are very evenly matched." To help her convey Mona’s formidable physical and weapons skills, Kunis underwent an intensive training program. By the end of her training period, Kunis made it seem like martial combat and weapons handling was something she’d been doing her entire life. "It’s crazy," she says. "I had never fired a gun before and here I am playing an assassin." "But let me tell you, I’m really great at shooting guns now! The physical part of this film has definitely been fun. I did some boxing and a little bit of martial arts work." One aspect of the character for which Kunis didn’t have to train was speaking Russian. Kunis, who hails from that country, showcases her linguistic skills in a key scene in which she berates her troubled sister Natasha, played by Olga Kurylenko (model turned actress who appeared as Nika Boronina in "Hitman"). Another real-life Russian émigré, Kurylenko, will soon be seen with Daniel Craig in the latest James Bond film: "Quantum of Solace." Kurylenko’s Natasha is a femme fatale in the classic tradition. She is introduced to Max at a party and is instantly drawn to him. But her beauty and seductive charms are lost on Max, who is interested in Natasha only for the information she can provide that may help him on his quest. Trying to help Max sort through the web of intrigue, mystery, violence and supernatural terror is B.B. Hensley, a former cop and mentor to Max. B.B. now runs security for the huge pharmaceutical company Aesir. Veteran actor and two time Golden Globe winner Beau Bridges (1992 & 1994). With a career spanning more than four decades, Bridges has portrayed a myriad of characters, showing different facets of himself and bringing authority and believability to every role he plays. "B.B. has a mask on. You’re really never sure who the real person is, whether he’s a good guy or a bad guy. The style of this film is very mysterious; there are twists and turns and sudden changes in characters. As an actor it’s a wonderful thing to be a part of," says the three time EMMY Award winner (1992, 1993 & 1997). Internal Affairs Agent Jim Bravura, a no-nonsense official who has taken a personal interest in Max’s case is played by famed hip-hop star and 2006 Black Reel Award winner Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges ("Crash"). "Bravura is the one person in the film that you feel has a sense of what’s going on," says Ludacris. "He knows there’s a story behind Max’s actions, and he’s determined to uncover the truth. Internal Affairs guys aren’t usually the most likable." Amaury Nolasco, who plays Fernando Sucre in TV'S "Prison Break", was cast as Jack Lupino, a combat vet now ensconced in the drug underworld. "I was really intrigued by Lupino’s darkness," says Nolasco. "He’s beyond tough, but in some ways he’s a very sad character. He basically lacks a soul. He was a guinea pig in an experiment: and something went very wrong. In that way, he’s more of a victim than a villain." 1998 Blockbuster Entertainment Award winner Chris O’Donnell ("Batman and Robin") was cast as Jason Colvin, an executive at a pharmaceuticals giant that figures in Max’s nightmare journey of redemption. Colvin is a pawn who is in way over his head in a high-stakes plot that has ensnared not only Max, but which threatens the lives of untold others. "Max Payne is in a dark place. "There’s a saying in the Gaelic language: cóbhoh an dólra, which means that nature is understanding your mood, that nature has a sympathy for you. We thought what better way to reflect Max Payne’s mood than to have everything dark or shadowy until finally, at the end, the sun breaks into his life," says Moore. "Max is a very solitary figure surrounded by chaos and conspiracy. The one image I found most impactful is where we find him just sitting alone in the kitchen with the light streaming through the window," concept artist Chris Rosewarne ("Doom" & "Hostel Part II") recalls. "That, to me, is Max Payne." Synopsis

Max Payne is a maverick cop, a mythic anti-hero, determined to track down those responsible for the brutal murders of his wife and child. When he meets the mysterious Natasha, life takes a turn for the worse. She is violently murdered and Max is a prime suspect. Then his former partner stumbles on a clue. It leads to his death too. Once again he is the prime suspect. It doesn't get any easier. Now Natasha's sister, Mona Sax, wants her pound of Max Payne flesh. Hell-bent on revenge, Max Payne's obsessive investigation takes him on a nightmare journey into a dark underworld. As the mystery deepens, Max is forced to battle enemies beyond the natural world and face an unthinkable betrayal. With little regard for rules, and nothing to lose, he will unravel a series of mysterious murders that now appear to be tied to the death of his family. But there are massive forces, both real and beyond imagination, conspiring to keep the devastating, corporate truth hidden. With Mona Sax as an ally, Max will be hard to silence.

The Verdict "Gamers will be split over "Max Payne". Some will find it a satisfying transposing from game to screen. Others will find it lacks the games edge. I can't think of one 'game' film that has made a huge impact either at the box-office with 'game' fans or with your regular cinemagoers. 'Gamer' productions tend to split audiences and in general fail to endear themselves to 'punters', who run the risk of wasting their hard earned cinema bucks. One of the biggest factors in the failure of 'gamer' films 'making it big-time' is, simply put: the thrill is in playing the game. It's the personal involvement at grass roots level. The fight to survive the personal challenge. The thrill of succeeding. These critical components are hard to incorporate in a big screen production that relies on replacing the 'game' images (that have been burnt into the brains of 'gamers'), with real life human beings. And it gets even tougher, when the biggest slice of the market, hasn't even heard of Max Payne. Visually it looks good. The dark, wintery settings match the plight of the main character, while the winged valkyrien creatures add a spark. As you'd expect, there's plenty of shoot em up scenes in which, yes, our hero comes through virtually unscathed despite facing massive firepower. Wahlberg plays it like it a game character: his Max Payne initially comes across as wooden, lifeless and rarely endearing. And yet, despite the films flaws, contradiction sets in. You do end up cheering for him. You do want him to find the answer to the inexplicable murder of both his wife and child. You hope closure will bring the peace Max Payne seeks. I'm sure some will, at films end, be hoping for a sequel. Worth a look at. 3 STARS." Crew Bytes "MAX PAYNE" was .......
directed by John Moore ["Jack's Bicycle" and "The Omen"]; set decoration by Carolyn 'Cal' Loucks ["Don't Say A Word", "Shall We Dance" and "The Incredible Hulk"]; art direction by Andrew M. Stearn ["Chicago", "Four Brothers" and "The Incredible Hulk"]; costume design by George L Little ["Behind Enemy Lines", "Flight of the Phoenix" and "The Omen"]; production design by Daniel T Dorrance ["Maverick", "Saving Private Ryan" and "Collateral"]; edited by Dan Zimmerman ["The Omen" and "AVPR: Aliens vs Predator - Requiem"]; cinematography by Jonathan Sela ["Soul Plane", "Dreamland" and "The Omen"]; original music by Marco Beltrami ["The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada", "Red Eye" and "Die Hard 4.0"]. Who's Who

Mark Wahlberg Mila Kunis Olga Kurylenko Beau Bridges Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges Chris O'Donnell Donal Logue Amaury Nolasco Kate Burton Rothaford Gray Joel Gordon Jamie Hector Andrew Friedman Marianthi Evans Nelly Furtado Jay Hunter Maxwell McCabe-Lokos Stephen R. Hart Martin 'Mako' Hindy Herbert Johnson Philip Williams Warren Belle Ted Atherton Rico Simonini Conrad Pla Larry Wheatley Janice Nguyen

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Max Payne Mona Sax Natasha BB Hensley Jim Bravura Jason Colvin Alex Balder Jack Lupino Nicole Horne Joe Salle Owen Green Lincoln DeNeuf Trevor Michelle Payne Christa Balder Pawnshop Man Doug Tattoo Artist Owner Demon Train Attendant Sergeant Adams Detective Detective Shipman Detective Sergeant Amerini Captain Bowen Bartender Detective

Run Time 100 minutes Rated MA15+ [AUST] Copyright ©2008 - 20TH Century Fox Films - All Rights Reserved ©2008 All Rights Reserved The Movie Pages - Protected by Australian, International, Copyright & Trademark Laws.