MAX  PAYNE      www.maxpayne-derfilm.de                 Germany/ German CH    in theaters on 20.11.08

preview  by dalia "gryphon_spirit" di giacomo ___        

for press preview, thanks to Warner Bros. (Transatlantic) Inc. Zürich Branch /distributor for 20th Century Fox in Switzerland

ANGELS, VALKYR AND VALKYRIES

"The Devil is building his army. 

Max Payne is looking for something that God wants to stay hidden. 

That is what makes him more dangerous." 

“This film is not ‘Minimum Payne. And it’s not ‘Medium Payne’. It’s Max Payne,” sums up director John Moore" (The Omen, Behind Enemy Lines) . Actually this movie is not bad,  marked by action scenes who see the protagonist, the cop May Payne, fully soaked with obsessive revenge by investigating mysterious and brutal murders among which the murder of his wife, his child and, later on, of his partner too. Soon we dive into a decadent cold "underworld", made of betrayal, intrigues, human exploitment through a new kind of drug that finally opens up a door to deliric visions, extreme violence and why not? a door to another dimension with creatures beyond our physical world. Oscar® nominee Mark Wahlberg (The Departed), who stars here as Max Payne indeed, delivers one of his best performance, much better than in The Happening. Wahlberg well personifies the much determined hero that even needs to get anti-hero characteristics in order to defeat the enemies. The noir touch is glowing, mixed with psychic and occult influences that can be compared with a couple of elements shown in films like Constantine, or Blade, or The Matrix. In my opinion May Payne doesn't reach the level of these mentioned movies and is no art masterpiece, however is a movie that keeps the attention alive and offers some good time to those who love brutal cop action à la video game, mixed with dark and decadent ingredients. The fact that "Max Payne" is so unreal makes it  even very real some time, yet the fact that sometimes it seems real, even more it looks so unreal scene after scene. It may seem absurd but we shouldn't forget that the topic is the adaptation of the very cinematic videogames "Max Payne" (2001) and “Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne,” followed in 2003. Producer Julie Yorn says : “The ‘Max Payne’ videogame was developed by people who were passionate about film. From the noir-style cinematography to its characters and dialogue, the game had major cinematic influences and the material transcended the typical videogame experience.” Actually the vision of this film lets much imagination free yet the story is straightforward, aggressive, not simple, and characterized by all the elements of a thriller. A kind of graphic novel with a good cold oriented photography and impulsive sound effects. 

But, after all, nothing of this has truly interested me. Because what i thought to be interesting is the connection that could be exist between certain pharmaceutical drugs and the activation of hyper sensorial sensibility. In Max Payne's world of shadows and fear, the otherwordly elements, drawn for Norse mythology, almost get demonic qualities that threaten and kill. Winged demonic "valkiries" are the supernatural terror unleashed in the brain (and not only) by a pharmadrug named  Valkyr (released by the huge pharmaceutical company Aesir, where Max Payne's wife was working too) that should enhance the strength and ferocity of soldiers. Soon this drug fully shows its side effect on all who assume it (max Payne too); it was tested in particular on the combat veteran John Lupino,  who becomes a ferocious berserker (whose headquarter is called Ragna Rock -!!!-) set in direct delirant contact with these supernatural beings. Actor Amaury Nolasco (who portrays a  prison escapee on the hit series Prison Break) tells: . “I was really intrigued by Lupino’s darkness,” “He’s beyond tough, but in some ways he’s a very sad character. He basically lacks a soul. He was a guinea pig in an experiment – and something went very wrong. In that way, he’s more of a victim than a villain.” If Lupino is just a terrible executor, so who is the true villain? Max Payne will find the solution in this dark, snowy monochromatic dirty New York where only at the end the sun will appear. In the meanwhile, Max Payne will be helped by Mona Sax (Mila Kunis), the Russian mobster who teams with him to avenge her sister’s death Natasha, played by a scarlet/ "femme fatale" Olga Kurylenko (a James Bond girl in the film "Quantum of Solace"). Also Internal Affairs Agent Jim Bravura takes personal interest in Max’s actions and will soon understand that a true motivation for Payne's behavior, something that must be uncovered. 

Shot in USA and in Canada (Toronto/Hamilton), this movie has all ingredients for a brilliant cocktail, tattooed wings included. But the result is maybe not so brilliant: sometimes there is too exaggeration or "painful" affinities with The Matrix (just think of the scene in slow motion, or  some logistic imperfections, but, all in all, Max Payne can be seen and enjoyed  (don't forget to see the last scene after the final credits!). 

Already well known curiosity: singer Nelly Furtado appears shortly as Christa Balder, Wife of Max Payne's partner Alex Balder. Less known curiosity: in the Edda, Valkyries are given names like Skǫgul (“Fight, Rage”) Gjǫll/Göll (“Battle Cry”)...

Finally: more than a mention for the cool song by Metsuo played during the credits.

Max Payne: "I do believe in angels"

rating: 7,5/10

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