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Ah, right, the Valkyries. People have been wondering what's with all the supernatural stuff shown in the ads. No, the movie isn't concerned with spiritual battles or anything like that—neither was the game. Addicts in the film are hooked on an experimental drug called Valkyr, and to add visual interest to the film, they suffer hallucinations of demonic angels when on the verge of death. This includes Payne, who near the film's climax willingly takes Valkyr to "power-up" and go after the bad guys—kinda like Popeye eating his spinach—and thus thinks he's being pursued by these so-called Valkyries. Cool to look at, I suppose, but purposeful? No way.

Can someone actually name a successful film adaptation of a video game? Here are some common problems that Hollywood never seems to learn from:

Max really should be paying more attention to the things behind him

• Video games only need a clever premise and strong game-play to succeed. A movie needs to build a cohesive script from that premise.
  
  
• The lead character in a game doesn't need a personality to root for since you're playing the role. However, the audience does need to care about the lead in a film since he's external.
  
  
• Video games are paced well because they offer constant action. They don't save it all for the end of the movie, and at the very least, the key action is made interesting. (Even the few slow-motion parts that were the game's signature drag in this movie.)
  
  
• In a game, you don't question when characters inexplicably turn up out of the blue to support you. However, it stretches credulity in movies after two or three instances.
  
  
• Going after the bad guy in a game is challenging and exciting, because it takes a lot of time and skill. Because a movie is more "realistic," a single bullet can end it. That's precisely how underwhelming this film's finale is.
  
  

Yeah, I know, this movie is begging to be pummeled with puns—"Payne-ful to the Max," "Misses the Mark" and "Hits the Wahl-berg." But that would be more than generous to a film that puts even less thought into its writing. Max Payne is simply terrible, an insult to the gamers and action fans that would support it, and as empty and hollow as its central character. Frankly, it doesn't even deserve notoriety as one of the year's worst; it deserves to be forgotten.

>Talk About It

1. In Max Payne, we learn of the tragedy that makes him into such a hollow and unfeeling man bent on vengeance. What drives him? Is it an unusual response under the circumstances? Does Payne find hope for himself or in humanity by the film's end, or is he beyond hope?
2. Think about people you know who have lost as much as Max Payne has. With no family or friends to turn to, where do we begin to help them heal? Or do they simply need time to grieve?
3. Explain what Payne means when he says, "I don't believe in heaven. I believe in pain. I believe in fear. I believe in death." Then explain what he means later when he says, "I don't believe in heaven, but I do believe in angels."
4. What does gangster Lincoln DeNeuf (the Haitian gangster) mean by, "Max Payne has been hunting, looking for something that God wants to stay hidden … Don't be near him when judgment day comes." Was he being spiritual, or metaphorical about the state of Payne's soul?
5. Was Max justified in taking Valkyr in the film? Was he just doing what he needed to survive and gain an edge on the enemy? Or is the film pro-enhancement drugs?

The Family Corner

Max Payne is rated PG-13 for violence including intense shooting sequences, drug content, some sexuality and brief strong language. Though violent in subject, due to the shootings and beatings, it's a surprisingly bloodless film for the most part. Similarly, a topless woman in skimpy lingerie tries to seduce Max Payne by revealing as much skin as possible without going fully nude. Characters are shown taking drugs by drinking vials—including Payne himself, who sends a mixed message by using it as Popeye might use spinach. And there's plenty of profanity too, including an f-bomb and misuse of Jesus' name. Max Payne is as close to R as a PG-13 movie can be.

Photos © Copyright 20th Century Fox

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