Max Payne-ful

Mark Wahlberg has made the conscious acting decision to play Mark Wahlberg. He’s gone from Dirt Diggler in Paul W. Anderson’s Boogie Nights to Mark Wahlberg in Three Kings, Planet of the Apes, and The Perfect Storm. He was reserved, quiet Mark Walhberg in The Happening. He was tough Mark Walhberg in Four Brothers. Now he’s pissed-off Mark Walhberg in Max Payne.

And that’s only part of the problem with Max Payne.

The visuals are nice to look at. The contrasting light and graphic novel ambience give the film an authentic, grungy film noir look. It’s also quick-paced, edited with kinetic energy, and the action sequences are neatly choreographed. But, I’ve seen bullet-time before, I’ve seen guns (lots and lots of guns) before, I’ve even seen jumping in the air and firing said guns. Do we need to see it again? With Mark Wahlberg no less?

Based on the video game of the same name, Mark Walhberg is a disgruntled cop out to get the person or persons responsible for murdering his wife. It’s the classic revenge set-up but it’s handled in such a predictable way you’ll know exactly whodunit within the first twenty minutes. It’s also borrowed heavily from The Manchurian Candidate, bringing together it’s sub-plot of drugged, fearless soldiers with the murder-mystery haphazardly. You can never totally immerse yourself in the character of Max Payne because you know you’re watching Walhberg flex his muscles for a hefty paycheque. This isn’t Bruce Willis as John McClane. Max Payne just doesn’t have the charisma to draw you in, and neither, sadly, does Mark ‘Muscles for Hire’ Walhberg.

Strange Conversation says: 2/10