While many movies stick to a certain genre, Max Payne, a Twentieth Century Fox film, succeeded in combining action with science fiction. Produced and directed by John Moore, this film provides an original alternative for stereotypical action films.
The story line follows Max Payne (Mark Wahlberg), a cold case cop, and his search for the murderer of his wife and baby. His refusal to continue with any other cases until his family’s case is solved results in his removal to the cold case unit, where he reviews “dead” cases that have no leads.
His anger and sorrow at arriving just minutes too late at the scene of his family’s murder drives him insane in his hunt for the culprit. His random encounters with underworld characters lead him on a trail of one murder after another while each time he is framed.
Throughout the movie there is a strong sense of the unknown. Payne never knows if he is being chased, but every twist brings a valuable source of information that then mysteriously disappears. This sense of confusion causes Payne to become more secretive and closed because he doesn’t know who he can trust.
Natasha Sax (Olga Kurylenko), a stripper Payne meets at a party, becomes a valuable source of information in his search for the infamous drug lord. When she is mysteriously murdered in a dark alley, Payne is framed for the murder and hunted by Natasha’s sister Mona Sax (Mila Kunis). Sax is seeking the same thing as Max: blood and revenge.
Every new twist of the film is surprising and unexpected. When his partner is killed, Max is reunited with former family friend B.B Hensley (Beau Bridges) who succeeds in merely following Max and distracting him. Meanwhile, the illegal hallucinative drug Valkyr is being manufactured and used with malice intent by drug lord Captain Jack Lupino (Amaury Nolasco).
Payne searches for the true mastermind behind the drug company, Astir, and new leads, legends and suspects follow. His despair is eased by the friendship he finds in Mona and their connection of revenge. His quick thinking results in intense action scenes that keep the audience entertained.
The twists and turns of the dramatic plot leave the viewer in suspense of the next move. Mark Walberg’s portrayal of troubled Payne is strong and realistic. His presence gives the film a strong sense of revenge. The realistic consequences of narcotics and danger of drugs prove to be a consistent theme throughout the plot.
The film is heavily filled with Norse mythology and legends of war angles, called Valkryie, who carry away the violent dead. Valkryie’s servers of Odin were lengended to fly over the battle fields and choose the most heroic dead to carry to paradise. The demonic angels shown in the movie give the audience chills as they appear to kill and remove their victims. Though they are seemingly real enough, the viewer never really knows if the angels are real or hallucinations.
Though the plot was intricate, some elements possessed as dark and bordered on gruesome. A scene where an ex-army man is strapped in a chair, and having a seizure because of his craving for the drug Valkyr, perhaps goes overboard. Some spiritual references and demonic beliefs also left the viewer wondering about the themes behind the movie.
Overall, the plot kept the audience entertained for the 100-minute duration. The suspenseful plot twists and emotional betrayals cause the audience to wonder about the ending throughout the movie. It’s unique video game plot provides a must-see for action lovers and their dads.
Max Payne is now playing at Edwards Cinema in River Park and is rated PG-13 for violence and realistic action sequences. For more movie reviews, visit the Oct. 22 article, Eagle Eye watches past hits.
