Mark Wahlberg Is... Max Payne?!? Videogame movie directed by John Moore Source: Variety
Ever since his Oscar nomination earlier this year for his scintillating turn in Martin Scorsese’s The Departed, Mark Wahlberg has been busy making a whole bunch of ‘serious’ movies, as befits an Oscar nominee.
Films like Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones, in which he plays a grieving and disconnected father. Or M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening, in which he plays the patriarch of a family on the run from a planet-threatening crisis. Or Darren Aronofsky’s The Fighter, in which he plays… well, you can work it out.
After that triple dose of heavy, Wahlberg has clearly decided to have some fun. Which is why he’s signed on to play Max Payne, in 20th Century Fox’s movie version of the videogame of the same name, about a cop - haunted by the loss of his family – investigating a series of mysterious murders, and ultimately encountering an evil adversary.
Now, this is pretty big news. Apart, obviously, from Angelina Jolie and the Tomb Raider movies, A-list stars have given movies based on videogames a wide, wide, wide berth. Mainly because most of them, from the Resident Evil flicks to Silent Hill to, God help us, Super Mario Bros., are crapola of the kind that make you curse those who made them for cursing those who watch them.
Can Max Payne buck the trend? Well, Empire is pleased to note that John Moore – the ebullient Irish director whose remake of The Omen was better than it had any right to be – is on board to call the shots, so the film will at least look good. (Beau Thorne wrote the script – pre-strike, we’re guessing)
But we have to confess that we’re slightly worried about how Max Payne will stand out from all the other ‘cop on a rollercoaster rampage of revenge’ flicks we’ve seen over the years. Max Payne, the game, had a bullet-time gimmick that allowed you to slow down the action and take out multiple bad guys – but since that was inspired by The Matrix, it’s going to be very hard for Max Payne the movie to incorporate that.
Still, Wahlberg’s signature on the line that is dotted is a good sign. Shooting starts early next year.
Max Payne is one of those gaming properties precisely because it was like playing a film noir. Otherwise it was very cliched as it goes - that was rather the point. A film might miss the point somewhat. ... Read More
Max Payne 1 & 2 = Classic Film Noir Detective versus The Matrix 1.
If they keep it like that, and NOT turn it into a one in a million cop-flick, it will be a very cool film. ... Read More
Glad to see Moore actually get into something (it's been 18 months since The Omen remake) but after buying the rights for the sensational novel The Book Of Lost Things and getting offered the job on a cool picture likeVirulants (middle east vampire flick) I'am dissapointed he's gone and decided to make a videogame movie.
Still Max Payne's got an interesting story and Wahlberg on his day can be a great actor, so maybe it's not all bad......oh wait I forgot....ITS A V... Read More
I've been waiting for this news ever since i bought the first game some 5 years ago. Don't no if Wahlberg's the right choice though.
He doesn't have the tools for the role, but who knows, maybe i'll be surprised ... Read More
I think this is great news, Max Payne is on my list of 5 games that have the best chance of being great films, as long as they ditch bullet tme for the film and put more focus on story other than action I really dont see why this can't be terrific ... Read More
The 'bullet-time' camera procedure/process is just a method, just because it was first blown up by The Matrix doesn't mean other films shouldn't employ the method if it will enhance the scene or movie. I tire of people ripping on certain films for using methods that other films used in the past, labelling them copy-cats or what have you. It's like saying Con Air is just a Citizen Kane rip off because it used cameras to capture images and actors to play roles. ... Read More
This could be a good film. I liked Behind Enemy Lines, and John Moore's direction was quite stylish.
sp;
Max Payne, the game, had a bullet-time gimmick that allowed you to slow down the action and take out multiple bad guys – but since that was inspired by The Matrix, it’s going to be very hard for Max Payne the movie to incorporate that.
not put it in the movie? You can never have too much bullet-time! ... Read More
I'm actually really optimistic about this. I thought he could carry off Shooter amazingly well so the action won't be a problem i don't think. Hopefully, the story will through up a few surprises though and be different to other films of the genre... ... Read More
