Movie video games seem to be quite a conundrum for film makers. Somehow the transition from one medium to another destroys the quality. Its like having a really good idea on paper, but when it comes time for implementation it just completely falls through. Really good stories somehow just fall through when being made into movies, and Max Payne is no exception. Max Payne(video game), however, was actually a decent game. So when thousands of loyal Max Payne gamers went to see the film, Max Payne, I am undoubtedly sure they were pissed off, and would have rioted in the streets if their moms would have extended their curfew to 11:00 pm.

So here's the basic rundown for the video games of Max Payne: one night Max Payne goes home and finds his wife and young daughter murdered by druggies. Two years later he works as a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). He infiltrates the Russian Mafia, the distributor of a drug called Valkyr. As he starts to dig deeper he discovers that the corporation responsible for this drug is tied to the murder of his wife.

The basic premise of the film is essentially the same. Max Payne played by Mark Walhberg, finds his wife murdered and goes on a rampage for the murder of his wife. Except in this rendition, the movie was panned by both moviegoers and critics alike. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a generous 19% freshness rating, well that's better than most video game movies

“A critic can stay alert through movies that would put elephants into comas, but I doubt most people will stay awake for Max Payne.”
-San Francisco Chronicle

“A weak little sister to Sin City.”
-New York Post

One of the funnier reviews:

“Sexy girls and lots of automatic weapons are involved in an occasionally coherent plot.”
-Washington Post

One brave(idiotic?) critic gave praise to the film:
“Max Payne is a junkyard dog of a film that is true to its video-game roots even as it transcends them.”
-Philadelphia Inquirer

The general consensus is that while the film has good visuals, film's success is hampered by an illogical, incomprehensible plot.



Bottomline: Avoid the movie, play the game, and in the end watching the movie Max Payne is really just a Pain.