Mortal Human

Posts Tagged ‘max payne movie’

Max Payne: The Movie – Let me start by saying I went into this movie thinking it was going to be rubbish. The reviews were mixed but focused on a few things. Ludacris, Bullet-Time, and the loose way they adapted the story to name only 3. I played the Max Payne games and I was happy with the story in the movie. I connected to this movie in ways I usually never do when it comes to this kind of action flick. Let alone the other “video game movies”, you all loved Silent Hill and let the Resident Evil abominations ring in, but not Marky Mark as Max Payne.

Said the Max Payne Movie wasn’t noir enough (it certainly was). Said Ludacris was whack (he wasn’t, he made the role as Bravura stand out nicely). Said the adaptation was too loose, however it was relevant and carried admirable undertones. The use of the atmosphere in the game – most notably the way they bring you back to the game when  people are saying Max’s name.

I saw someone complain about the bullet time mechanic and the way it was translated to film. Bullshit. You got to, as the viewer, zone into or focus on all of the intricate details in that scene, and then rip right back into the action. I’m glad it wasn’t a direct mimic of the game mechanic (although when Mark Wahlberg was on the rampage at the end, where you were watching his face from the gun’s perspective, you could tell they were testing “game like” camera movements – changing the angle to one that is only good for the movie, and not fit for a game, yet still giving that sense of movement gamers feel – thatwas brilliant).

This movie, coming from someone who really liked Max Payne 2 and was at the least impressed by the first game, the Max Payne movie was awesome. Seeing this movie, as one of the rare movies I anticipate and even put off watching, taking in reviews for, and getting myself ready for the ride or the upset ahead, is a shining example of how full of crap the people we rely on to tell us about movies are. It makes me think one of two things when I see how bogus people’s reviews really are:

Either they are swaying the opinion to unfairly make their partners more money by making other movies “more worth your dollar”, or they are really big about letting you enjoy the movie for yourself, and feel bad for jeering with them. Personally, I’m sure it’s the former, but I’m weird. Regardless, the Max Payne movie stomped all over any other gaming movie I’ve ever seen – by far – and the Max Payne movie was better than whatever you saw instead that weekend.

Not yet, Max.