Max Payne (2008)

After playing both Max Payne games, and thoroughly enjoying the complex yet well written plot as well as the action scenes, I must admit I came into this one with high expectations of something similar. However this is where Max Payne falls disappointingly flat.

To begin with the better aspects of the film, the atmosphere and sounds/music are extremely well done, and capture the dark overtones and foreboding feel of the game. The film was well cast also, Mark Wahlberg in particular was impressive, with supporting actors also performing well, even Ludicrous as Lt. Jim Bravura was okay, despite my initial skepticism.

The criticisms are much stronger however. In simple terms, the plot, especially when compared to the quality of the game, is flawed, with limited character development and key plot elements from the game overlooked the main criticisms. Without giving too much away, in terms of emotional involvement, the characters was disappointing. None of the main characters evoked any sympathy or emotion from me (unlike the game) and the villains were conspicuous in their relative absence. There are limited action scenes, and again trying not to give anything away, even the pivotal scenes towards the conclusion of the film end somewhat quickly compared to what you may expect from a film noir. This leads to the main fundamental fault of the film, in that it is way too short. For the amount of opportunities and great scenes and plot elements that the game provides, 90 minutes is disgraceful.

I suppose, for the people who haven't played the games, Max Payne might turn out to be a mildly enjoyable run-of-the-mill action film. For the others who have played the games, and are the people who will make up the majority of the audience in my opinion, Max Payne falls short. The film never at any point emulates the sense of enjoyment and immersion that the game provides and once again makes the same mistakes that other film adaptations of games have made.