Max Payne film fails to wow critics

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 16th October 2008
Comments (37) Stumble
Max Payne film fails to wow critics

The Max Payne movie adaptation has failed to impress critics after initial screenings.

Initial reviews are out on the new Max Payne movie adaptation starring Max Wahlberg and the news isn't good - not that it usually is for Hollywood adaptations of game franchises.

Unfortunately, while films such as Doom and Silent Hill at least weren't totally awful in our humble opinion, the early reviews for Max Payne label it as having very few redeeming qualities.

"Horrid dialogue, surprisingly bad acting across the board, and some really dodgy sound editing...helped to drive an already sub-standard plot further into the ground," reads the Ain't It Cool News review of the film.

"I never have much interest in recounting a film's plot in my reviews, and having next-to-no memory of said plot doesn't help much. Payne's after the people who killed his wife, some people turn out to double-cross him, etc etc. It's so unbelievably dull, I'm struggling to find the energy to even write about it."

"...All the buzz you've been hearing about how this film is good is coming from people whose jobs depend on it making money. Do not give it the time of day."

Ouch. So, it seems that while the plot of the film tries to stay at least kind of close to the story of the game, it falls down on every other count.

Have you ever seen a decent film adaptation of a game, or are all of them doomed to be awful and terribly made films? Let us know your thoughts in the forums.
Quote rjkoneill 16th October 2008, 12:32
it was a given really

silent hill was good - resi evil was ok [ish]

hitman was my personal fave

but most game to film conversions tend to be pap
Quote UrbanMarine 16th October 2008, 12:52
Man I loved the games and was hoping they wouldn't mess up this movie. Oh well I'm still going to go watch it.
Quote Gunsmith 16th October 2008, 13:00
critics are critics

they're also assholes so i say make your own minds up
Quote glaeken 16th October 2008, 13:29
Ummm.... Doom wasn't totally awful? Doom is by far one of the worst movies I have ever seen, let a lone a video game based movie.

Critics usually don't know what they're talking about. I won't write it off just yet.
Quote War-Rasta 16th October 2008, 13:40
I never expected much from this movie given the fact that I for the most part don't like Marky Mark's movies. I'll probably watch this movie anyways just because of how much I loved the games, but I'll probably wait 'till it's out on DVD.
Quote quack 16th October 2008, 13:41
That's MARK Wahlberg, and what do you expect? He's more wooden than Pinocchio.
Quote cjoyce1980 16th October 2008, 13:44
the animated version always seam a better option in my opinion.

take street fighter for example... live action version was piss poor at best.... manga version was top draw

why dont they just get manga to do all these big screen version... far more enjoyable to watch
Quote johnnyboy700 16th October 2008, 13:53
Hmmn, I tend not to follow critic reviews anyway but even some of the fanboy websites say this one isn't that great which is a shame, I'll still go and see it though.
Quote kempez 16th October 2008, 13:57
Quote:
Originally Posted by cjoyce1980
why dont they just get manga to do all these big screen version... far more enjoyable to watch

Because some people like watching films with real people in them? :p

In all seriousness, this should have been a good film, if they just made it follow the (excellent, in my opinion), plot of the first game and had loads of action and bullet timing. Not a fantastic film perhaps, but a solid action movie. Not keen at all on Mark Wallburg at all really, so that wasn't a great start
Quote Redbeaver 16th October 2008, 14:03
bleh it didn't even get a good marketing.... i LOVE max payne and it's only last friday i even heard of the movie coming out, ever since a rumour last year...

kinda give the low-budget vibe....
Quote Woodstock 16th October 2008, 14:18
was any one expecting a decent movie thou, the only game -> to movie ive really like was Mortal Kombat thou i would have been around 10 i guess when i watched that (scary thought, that doesnt seem that long ago)
Quote Bauul 16th October 2008, 14:20
Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodstock
was any one expecting a decent movie thou, the only game -> to movie ive really like was Mortal Kombat thou i would have been around 10 i guess when i watched that (scary thought, that doesnt seem that long ago)

The MK movie was actually kind of cool. Christopher Lambert was awesome as Raiden.
Quote Darkedge 16th October 2008, 14:42
Ain't it cool news is the most moronic hate filled up it's own arse film site on the net - it's not a surprise that pretty much the whole of Jay & Silent Bob Strike back is taking the piss out of it and it's uers/reviewers (moviepoopshoot.com was the fake now real site)

I'mm hold off and I'll still watch it sometime.
I also liked Hitman and actually feel it is one of the best game to film conversions yet.

Mainly IGNORE Ain't it Cool News - it's the website equivalent of the unfunny stupid trolls you get in every forum who think they are cool.
Quote badders 16th October 2008, 14:48
Hitman was quite good, if a little wooden.
That russian "bit 'o' stuff" made the film though!
Quote Mo_ 16th October 2008, 14:51
For people who have not seen it yet -
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Q2jAEoBz6RY&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Q2jAEoBz6RY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Quote Major 16th October 2008, 15:13
Critics are not always right, I mean, look at Lucky Number Slevin, one of the best movies I've watched, and somehow, it gets 50%.
Quote Jordan Wise 16th October 2008, 15:32
what? slevin got canned? I loved that film, funny, stylish and a pretty good plot
Quote dyzophoria 16th October 2008, 16:01
never listened to critics, i just watch the film and decide by myself. much more satisfying, be the movie crap or A+ material :)
Quote HourBeforeDawn 16th October 2008, 17:38
ehh this movie looks to me to be more of a cross between The Punisher with whole family dead bit, the Constitene with the way they are doing the evil spirits and what not, and umm one other movie that the titles escapes me at the moment lol but I will probably still go check it out.
Quote Panos 16th October 2008, 19:52
I have watch the trailers and I believe it doesn't look promishing. Also Doom was a pile of.......

I believe by far the best adaptation of a game on the big screen was Hitman.
And from the comics, Iron Man.
After that.....chaos.
Quote Darkefire 16th October 2008, 20:21
I'd say Tomb Raider is probably the best video game movie in terms of actual watchability (read: Angelina's funbags). Hitman might have been good if a) the plot didn't suck and b) the Hitman character wasn't the stupidest dolt ever (when a hot slightly-drunk chick pushes you on the bed, climbs on top of you and starts pulling off her dress, the appropriate response is to do what evolution commands you to, not stick her with a needle full of sedative).
Quote UrbanMarine 16th October 2008, 20:31
@Dark. TR was a good movie and AJ played Lara very well.

Hitmans plot did suck and I hate how they cut out his up bring. As for Agent 47’s personality its meant to be professional, cold and full of darkness. Getting a hot piece of ass isn't on the agenda of a carefully programmed assassin such as 47. You might be better off watching a James Bond movie. Super spies get ass 24/7 and assassins kick ass 24/7 which is funny because Olga Kurylenko is playing a bond girl in the new bond movie.
Quote jweller 16th October 2008, 21:25
There doesn't seem to be much correlation between good/bad reviews and someone deciding to see a particular film. I know it doesn't for me. I think we scifi enthusiasts pretty much always go see the "blockbusters" regardless.

I've discovered that if a film is universally disliked by critics I'll usually like and visa versa if they universally love it I will hate it. Go figure.
Quote Goty 16th October 2008, 21:36
I absolutely refuse to believe that Mila Kunis didn' come out looking good.
Quote Amon 16th October 2008, 23:00
No Weisz. No Mona.
Quote azrael- 16th October 2008, 23:10
Best game-to-movie translation for me is definitely Silent Hill. It's almost perfect.

Doom I gave a chance because critics often get it wrong with these kinds of movies. With Doom, sadly they weren't. Had they stuck to a story that resembles Doom 3 more, it may have been better.

Tomb Raider 1 and 2 also very reasonably good. The opening scene from TR2 actually reminded me a lot of the (early) games.

Hitman I actually found entertaining, even if it also threw the games' back story overboard.
Quote metarinka 17th October 2008, 00:17
I think the problem with games to movies is that they underestimate the audience.Hitman was a perfect examph a le the took a series of games about a cold assasin with a really twisted life story and made it into an espionage film about explosions, gun shoot outs and girls who show boobage. It's really pandering to the lowest common denominator and hoping for sales off the name recognition, not off the content of often times deep or intersting stories. I think the movie industry thinks we as gamers all sit in our parents basement with mountain dew and cheeto stained hands waiting for the next thing to explode or a sideboob from angelina jolie.
I had hopes that max payne coulda been good cause it's a decent film noir plot ahh well I'll still see it
Quote notatoad 17th October 2008, 01:32
Quote:
Originally Posted by Redbeaver
bleh it didn't even get a good marketing.... i LOVE max payne and it's only last friday i even heard of the movie coming out, ever since a rumour last year...

kinda give the low-budget vibe....

have you been living in a cave? between adblock and torrented tv i don't see a lot of advertising, but even i've seen this thing all over the place. plus walhberg has been really outdoing himself in the cockiness department, getting all kinds of press for saying things like it's a better film than the dark knight.
Quote Haltech 17th October 2008, 02:36
Max Payne movie adaptation starring Max Wahlberg"

Got alittle antzy writing Max? Technically is suppose to be be Mark

But yes, I have found critics to be very bad judges on movies so Ill still see it.
Quote roshan 17th October 2008, 05:15
Quote:
Originally Posted by dyzophoria
never listened to critics, i just watch the film and decide by myself. much more satisfying, be the movie crap or A+ material :)
But you might spend one hour and deside movie is crap.So one hour is gone.If critics say max P is a crap.Then it is a crap.Doom movie also a bad one .play games instead of watching addaptations
Quote Xir 17th October 2008, 12:01
... it's not even Uwe Bolll....Buuuh!

:D
Quote UrbanMarine 17th October 2008, 14:17
Uwe Boll is directing the Far Cry movie :( The only movie i like of his was Postal.
Quote Xir 21st October 2008, 09:17
I know...can't explain how he got his main character cast though...Till Schweiger should know better ;-)
Quote strjms72 21st October 2008, 09:47
this movie looks sikk!
Quote MiNiMaL_FuSS 21st October 2008, 23:12
hitman was shockingly bad, they could of hired some actors for it at least.
Silent hill was bad, but no worse than mst horros are now.
Resident evils ahev just gone form bad to worse.
Doom had it's good mom,ents, in a brainless action way, but i'd never buy it or watch it again.
Mortal combat was good because it new it was bad, it welcomed the cheesey with open arms and embraced it.
Quote themax 21st October 2008, 23:29
Despite the critics I believe the movie has topped the Box Office over the weekend here in the US; given though the offering wasn't very good anyway among movies that have released. It was competing with the likes of Beverly Hills Chihuahua.
Quote UncertainGod 23rd October 2008, 17:22
Just finished watching this and it is very clear that there is a really good film in here somewhere, however the people responsible for the cinematic cut should run for there lives as the are guilty of butchering this story. The Performances are good, the style and tone of the film is superb but the way this edit has been thrown together and very obviously has had some largish chuck cut out destroys the rhythm of the entire thing. Such a shame.
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