Trapped in a world of mayhem, anguish, and despair, Max Payne is determined to avenge the murder of his wife and daughter. His journey of vengeance takes him down a road most of us would walk away from at first sight.
In this video game gone to movie, Max Payne is played by Oscar nominee Mark Wahlberg. Wahlberg is supported by Mila Kunis, who played the character from television’s That ’70s Show who frequently traded jokes with Ashton Kutcher.
Kunis slashes her way through Max Payne as a Russian assassin who’s come to find the killer of her sister, played by Olga Kurylenko (also the new Bond girl). Investigating these atrocities is none other than rapper Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, playing the internal affairs detective Jim Bravura.
On the brink of death, Payne becomes inspired by a vision of his dead wife and child. His wife distinctively says to him, “You’re not done yet.” He then musters up the energy to rally from the clutches of death. While regaining his composure, Payne takes a muscle-enhancing drug called Valkyrie, which is planted on him by the bad guys. On this intoxicant, Payne experiences the underworld that has taken everything dear to him.
Much of the film hides itself in the underground of this enhancement drug. Many scenes display wings tattooed on users of the drug. Valkyrie users find themselves in a dimension of the underworld that purges the surface of humanity and can very well exterminate their existence on Earth. Only users of the drug experience these real-to-life nightmares, while outsiders view them as hallucinations or insane side-effects.
Although making the transition from video game to movie hasn’t been done all that well in the past, director John Moore’s effort far surpasses his predecessors. Instead of making the entire film’s style appear like a video game, or removing that element,Moore integrates the video game’s theme well. While scenes of slow-motion action may seem a little misplaced to those who have never played the game, loyal fans will applaud the reference. The cinematography really takes hold of you.
The film provides a minimalist background for the main character, Max Payne. With another five to ten minutes of character development, the film would solidify the gaps that leave some things unanswered. Audience members might be left with confusion about the subplot.
When it comes to making video games into movies, directors must walk a thin line. Loyal gamer fans will look for flaws in the film’s adaptation, and moviegoers unfamiliar with the video game could fail to connect. John Moore does a fine job walking the line, making a solid adventure/thriller that will appeal to both groups.
In this video game gone to movie, Max Payne is played by Oscar nominee Mark Wahlberg. Wahlberg is supported by Mila Kunis, who played the character from television’s That ’70s Show who frequently traded jokes with Ashton Kutcher.
Kunis slashes her way through Max Payne as a Russian assassin who’s come to find the killer of her sister, played by Olga Kurylenko (also the new Bond girl). Investigating these atrocities is none other than rapper Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, playing the internal affairs detective Jim Bravura.
On the brink of death, Payne becomes inspired by a vision of his dead wife and child. His wife distinctively says to him, “You’re not done yet.” He then musters up the energy to rally from the clutches of death. While regaining his composure, Payne takes a muscle-enhancing drug called Valkyrie, which is planted on him by the bad guys. On this intoxicant, Payne experiences the underworld that has taken everything dear to him.
Much of the film hides itself in the underground of this enhancement drug. Many scenes display wings tattooed on users of the drug. Valkyrie users find themselves in a dimension of the underworld that purges the surface of humanity and can very well exterminate their existence on Earth. Only users of the drug experience these real-to-life nightmares, while outsiders view them as hallucinations or insane side-effects.
Although making the transition from video game to movie hasn’t been done all that well in the past, director John Moore’s effort far surpasses his predecessors. Instead of making the entire film’s style appear like a video game, or removing that element,Moore integrates the video game’s theme well. While scenes of slow-motion action may seem a little misplaced to those who have never played the game, loyal fans will applaud the reference. The cinematography really takes hold of you.
The film provides a minimalist background for the main character, Max Payne. With another five to ten minutes of character development, the film would solidify the gaps that leave some things unanswered. Audience members might be left with confusion about the subplot.
When it comes to making video games into movies, directors must walk a thin line. Loyal gamer fans will look for flaws in the film’s adaptation, and moviegoers unfamiliar with the video game could fail to connect. John Moore does a fine job walking the line, making a solid adventure/thriller that will appeal to both groups.
