Technical Specs

• Blu-ray
• BD-50 Dual-Layer Disc/DVD-5 Single-Layer Disc
• Two-Disc Set
• Bonus View (Profile 1.1)

Video Resolution/Codec

• 1080p/AVC MPEG-4

Aspect Ratio(s)

• 2.35:1

Audio Formats

• English DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround (48kHz/24-bit)
• English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (448kbps)
• French Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (448kbps)
• Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround (224kbps)

Subtitles/Captions

• English SDH
• French Subtitles
• Spanish Subtitles
• Korean Subtitles
• Chinese (Simplified) Subtitles
• Chinese (Traditional Mandarin) Subtitles

Supplements

• Audio Commentary
• Documentary
• Deleted Scenes
• Digital Copy

Exclusive HD Content

• Picture-in-Picture
• D-Box Enhanced

Max Payne (Blu-ray)

Fox Home Entertainment / 2008 / 103 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: January 20, 2009
List Price: $39.98 (Buy it at Amazon and save)

Reviewed by Peter M. Bracke
Monday, January 26, 2009

The Movie Itself: Our Reviewer's Take

If I have any secret guilty cinematic pleasure, it is vigilante movies. Ever since I first saw Charles Bronson kick ass in the original 'Death Wish,' I've been hooked on the naughty, subversive sugar rush of out-of-bounds societal behavior this oft-repudiated subgenre provides. Whether more mainstream fare like 'Dirty Harry,' or masterpieces like Martin Scorsese's 'Taxi Driver' (which arguably isn't really a vigilante movie, though I'd call it one), or best of all, true exploitation gems like the unjustly overlooked 'Ms. 45,' there's a great kick to be had in watching some unstable fellow go berserk, grab a semi-automatic, and start wasting people at the local laundromat.

Which is why 'Max Payne' was such a disappointment for me. Here's a flick that could have been a modern 'Death Wish,' but instead has all of its edgier elements neutered by videogame-inspired blandness -- this is a first-person shooter disguised as an actual movie.

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Based on the popular videogame of the same name, 'Max Payne' stars Mark Wahlberg as the title character. He's a burnt-out detective who, years before, saw his wife and child murdered by a trio of thugs. He killed two of the attackers, and continues to obsessively track the third, a downward spiral that eventually leads him to being framed for the murder of a party girl named Natasha (Olga Kurylenko). Soon, he's being chased by her hit-woman sister Mona (Mila Kunis), as well as just about everyone else, including BB Hensley (Beau Bridges), the head of the company where his wife worked, and Internal Affairs. Things really get crazy by the film's third act, which is so loopy I can't even describe it here.

'Max Payne' is a really messed-up movie. I never quite figured out what it wanted to be. It takes enough liberties with the source videogame that it doesn't work as a straight adaptation. As a cop-against-the-law flick it doesn't really gel either, because the numerous legal forces against Max are so convoluted and cliched we've seen it all before, and Max never really turns into a true vigilante, one-man army anyway. And as played weakly by Wahlberg (who seems to be in sleep-walk mode ever since snagging an Oscar nom for 'The Departed'), Max is just a cipher. As the protagonist it's hard to drum up much empathy for his plight, or the potentially-interesting women he comes in contact with.

Then there is the film's final third, where director John Moore ('Flight of the Phoenix,' the terrible 'Omen' remake) goes totally whacked-out crazy. Lest I ruin any surprises, all I can say is that Max ingests some hallucinogenic drugs, and a trip to the otherworld follows. I don't think I've seen a movie in recent memory that so switches gears, both narratively and visually, to such camp effect. Moore directs like he's never seen a fast-cut he didn't like, and so apes videogame conventions that I any energizing effect the switcheroo had was evaporated as exhaustion set in. 'Max Payne' has some appeal because it's just so off-the-wall, but that still doesn't make it a success as either story or visual achievement.

'Max Payne' is also oddly cast. Wahlberg, again, seems unenthused. As the film's de facto main villain BB, Bridges is not a great choice -- he seems like your bumbling uncle, and is about as intimidating as, well, Beau Bridges. And shamefully wasted are both Kurylenko, who proved to be quite memorable as a Bond girl in the recent 'Quantum of Solace,' and Kunis, a likable presence who never gets to let loose with her gun and vengeance. Like so much of 'Max Payne,' I kept waiting for its women and its anti-hero to explode. But aside from so much gunfire and explosions, this is a sad lack of urgency or purpose to the film.

All in all, 'Max Payne' is an entirely unenjoyable flick. It's just so much less than the sum of its many, many parts. Somewhere inside, it seemed a more linear, focused cop/revenge movie was hiding, it just gets lost due to an over-written script and pandering direction. 'Max Payne' is perhaps worth a rental, but only diehard fans of the videogame will probably get much out of it.

The Video: Sizing Up the Picture

Fox presents 'Max Payne' in 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video (2.40:1), and it's a generally strong presentation. The studio has also kindly included two cuts of the film (the theatrical and unrated versions, the latter with 3 minutes of extra footage), which you can access via seamless branching. It's nifty, and there is no detectable difference in terms of image quality between the the two versions.

The source is as stellar as you would expect for a new theatrical feature. Blacks are rock solid, and contrast excellent across the board -- the image has great pop and depth without looking too blown-out or "digital." Colors are usually well-saturated but not overdone, retaining a (relative) naturalness considering the comic book material, and fleshtones are accurate. The image is detailed, with only dark shadows sometimes murky and lacking clarity. There is also some sporadic (and relatively minor) edge enhancement that spoils the fun, and which appears to have been employed to offset a few softer shots. Otherwise, 'Max Payne' looks strong throughout.

The Audio: Rating the Sound

A DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround track (48kHz/24-bit) is provided for 'Max Payne,' and it's even better than the video.

'Max Payne' is highly aggressive. The surrounds are powerful during action moments, with sometimes wall-to-wall discrete sounds ricocheting from channel to channel with ease. Depth and heft to the surrounds is as strong as the front channels, with select moments achieving a full 360-degree immersive effect. Low bass reaches down to depths reserved for the best soundtracks, and the rest of the spectrum is pristinely-recorded and balanced. I also suffered no volume balance issues. And even the film's quieter moments enjoy great atmosphere and sustained surround action. There's really nothing I can complain about here.

The Supplements: Digging Into the Good Stuff

A full plate of extras are served up for 'Max Payne.' The standard set of extras are nothing unusual, but provide a good-enough overview of the making of the film. Video is presented in 1080 video, with optional English, French and Spanish subtitles.

• Audio Commentary - Probably the best extra on the disc, this is a lively and informative chat with director John Moore, visual effects supervisor Everett Burrell and production designer Daniel Dorrance. The discussion is virtually non-stop, with Moore clueing us in on his entire decision-making process from how he initially conceived of the film's videogame-fueled visual style, through the casting, story alterations, and the post-production effects. Moore certainly aids his detractors when he refers to his own film as intentionally lightweight and cliched, but in terms of pure commentary, this is a good one. (Note that the commentary is available on the unrated version of the film only.)
  
• Documentary: "Picture" (HD, 30 minutes) - A little slight (at barely a half-hour) for Fox to call this a documentary. Divided into two parts, it begins amusingly enough -- with Moore nearly railing against making-ofs -- followed by a more traditional behind-the-scenes. The usual gaggle of on-set clips and interviews pads out the more interesting stuff with a ticked-off Moore.
  
• Animated Comic (HD) - Wrapping up the main video extras is an animated 'Max Payne' graphic novel. For a shot-for-video feature it's well-animated, if unmemorable story-wise.
  
• Theatrical Trailer (HD) - Oddly, I could only find the theatrical trailer via the disc's unrated pop-up menu. There are also trailers for other Fox titles preceding the main feature.
  
• Digital Copy (SD) - Finally, on a second standard DVD disc, we have a Digital Copy of the unrated cut of the movie. It's compatible with PCs, PSP, and iTunes.
  

HD Bonus Content: Any Exclusive Goodies in There?

In addition to the standard suite of extras, Fox has thrown in some exclusives, too.

• Picture-in-Picture (HD) - There are two separate PIP tracks here. "Behind the Scenes with Director John Moore" is just as it sounds, featuring additional interview segments with the helmer, who guides us through specific scenes and other key aspects of the shoot. "Walkthroughs and Cheats - Making Max Payne" mines more of the behind-the-scenes footage found in the main documentary. Again, key scenes in the film are dissected by way of fly-on-the-wall, video diary material. All clips on the PIP tracks are accessible as stand-alone segments as well.
  
• D-Box - Finally, for you vibration-hounds, 'Max Payne' comes D-Box-enhanced, so you can give your ass a workout while you watch the movie.
  

Easter Eggs

No easter eggs reported for 'Max Payne' yet. Found an egg? Please use our tips form to let us know, and we'll credit you with the find.

Final Thoughts

'Max Payne' is not a very good movie, nor a particularly memorable videogame adaptation. It does have enough action and silliness that a rental may be in order for fans of the genre, but that's hardly a sterling recommendation. This Blu-ray earns high marks, however, for its fine video and even better audio, plus a raft of supplements and exclusives. Too bad 'Max Payne' just isn't a better flick.

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