Max Payne (2008)(20th Century Fox)

Source: 20th Century Fox

Max Payne is a maverick cop - a mythic anti-hero - determined to track down those responsible for the brutal murders of his family and partner. Hell-bent on revenge, his obsessive investigation takes him on a nightmare journey into a dark underworld. As the mystery deepens, Max is forced to battle enemies beyond the natural world and face an unthinkable betrayal.

Oscar® nominee Mark Wahlberg (The Departed) stars as Max Payne, a man who has little regard for rules - and nothing to lose - as he investigates a series of mysterious murders that could be tied to the death of his wife and child. But there are massive forces, both real and beyond imagination, that are conspiring to keep the devastating truth hidden - and Max forever silenced.

Joining Wahlberg in MAX PAYNE are Mila Kunis as Mona Sax, a beautiful Russian mobster and assassin; Olga Kurylenko (who stars in the upcoming James Bond film Quantum of Solace) as Natasha, Mona's thrill-seeking younger sister; Chris "Ludacris" Bridges as Internal Affairs Detective Jim Bravura; and Beau Bridges as Max's mentor, B.B.

"This film is not 'Minimum Payne. And it's not 'Medium Payne'. It's Max Payne," sums up director John Moore, of his new motion picture, which Moore envisioned as a neo noir action-thriller that straddles a knife-edge between reality and the unreal. And Moore, a gifted visual stylist, should know. His use of subjective camera in the film - putting us directly in Max's world and in his head, as well as the use of state-of-the-art slow-motion cameras - hurtles audiences, along with Max, on a roller-coaster ride of action, thrills, mystery and startling, supernatural-tinged imagery.

But long before Moore started pushing things to the "max," the videogame "Max Payne" had its global debut in 2001; a sequel game, "Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne," followed in 2003. Critics and fans lauded the game's stylish choreography and cinematic nature; the game's dark, edgy scenes and slow-motion gunfights played out like a graphic novel with film noir influences. Few games translate well to the big screen, but from its inception it seemed as though the story of the hard-boiled cop out for revenge was destined to be played out on the big screen.

Says producer Julie Yorn: "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."


Nevertheless, the filmmakers faced formidable challenges in bringing MAX PAYNE to the big screen. "You think the adaptation process is going to be really straightforward when there's such a clear story and back story in the game," says Yorn. "But when you get into it you realize that you have to find a way to make the film distinct and different from the game while still respecting its unique style and spirit."

The filmmakers and studio entertained hundreds of story pitches until first-time screenwriter Beau Thorne came up with a take on the material that resonated with all. "Beau found a way to bring so much texture to the material," explains Yorn. "He not only captured the emotional plight of the main character, but was also able to create a world of illusions and shadows - a supernatural quality that had never been part of the property."

The otherwordly elements added by Thorne include a winged demon that threatens Max and dispatches others to an unimaginable fate. Drawn from Norse mythology, the demon Valkyrie -- grinning, lips drawn back over twisted fangs, eyes glowing red - represents a critical clue in Max's pursuit of those who destroyed his family. Throughout the story, the demon - or elements of it - permeates the action: we hear the thunderous pounding of enormous flapping wings and get a tantalizing glimpse of a pair of wings almost lost in the shadows. The winged demon is an iconic image, and the filmmakers created other key visuals tied to the Valkyrie. Graffiti featuring a "V" pierced with a hypodermic can be seen throughout the film, as well as tattooed wings that brand some of the key characters.

Using the game materials - including the cut scenes and the script - as a springboard, Thorne set out to come up with the foundation for the film. "The game is very visually cinematic, but it also takes eight to twelve hours to beat, so there was way too much material and information for a movie," explains Thorne. "I tried to learn everything about what was in the game and then tried to figure out ways to simplify and streamline it. The challenge was to figure out how to stay faithful to the original material, but at the same time to propel it forward and make it work as a taut thriller."

With Thorne working on the script, the studio approached director John Moore, known for his distinct visual style from his three previous features, to helm the project. Moore worked closely with Thorne and the producers to shape the screenplay.

Moore likens the game-to-film adaptation process as wresting control from the player and asking him or her to sit back and let the filmmakers take it from there. The use of subjective camerawork is an important element in creating a memorable moviegoing experience. "You have to give movie audiences something exciting and kick-ass - and we thought the way to do that was to use the subjective camera - basically beating the crap out of it - and make you feel like you are Max Payne," says Moore.


To bring additional intensity and stylization to the action, Moore employed a special motion camera system called Phantom, which enabled a fresh take on the popular "bullet-time" extreme slow-motion process. "It's basically a digital hard drive that can shoot up to a thousand frames a second," Moore explains. "I didn't want to imitate the dazzling bullet-time, slow-motion work of John Woo, or of the Wachowski brothers in The Matrix, so we came up with our technique with this new system. I think we got some exciting results, which you'll see in the movie."

Moore's stylized and sometimes startling visuals bring an operatic quality that enhances the film's mix of a revenge story, disconcerting supernatural elements, and a mystery that subverts viewer expectations. At the same time, Moore insisted the movie have a realistic emotional core, much of which is conveyed by Max's quest to find the killer of his wife and child. He and his journey are defined by this traumatic event.

To that end, the actor portraying Max would have to convey the character's toughness, but at the same time be accessible to audiences on an emotional level. The role was a natural fit for Mark Wahlberg. "Mark came in with such a fierce commitment to this character," says Yorn. "He's an intense actor with a great presence, but he's also a father who loves his family, and he was really able to tap into the angst of the character."

"This is one of those roles where you cannot imagine anyone else doing it," adds Moore of Wahlberg's work in the film. "Mark is so much in tune with the guy - the way Max moves, the way the guy looks - he's absolutely flawless in his execution of him."

Wahlberg, who came to MAX PAYNE immediately following dramatic turns in The Happening and The Lovely Bones, enjoyed the opportunity to return to his action roots. "John Moore really let me push the action and the emotion," says Wahlberg. "John...he really pushes the envelope.

"I love playing action, so it was kind of nice to get back into a big action film - where I can beat the crap out of someone in a room," he adds with a laugh. "MAX PAYNE gave me the opportunity to work on some intense action to a degree that goes beyond what I did in The Departed, Four Brothers and Fear. In terms of action, Max is those characters times ten."

Embracing Max's no-hold-barred physicality, Wahlberg was also intent on bringing important emotional shadings to the character. "Max is one of the most complex roles I've ever played," says the actor. "It's an adult, sophisticated and complex character. Everything he does is driven by emotion. We learn that Max, now a burnt-out shell of a man, once had a great life. He had a beautiful wife and child, both of whom were taken away from him. And once that's gone he doesn't really see much hope for himself or for the world - he kind of gives up on hope and humanity.

"There's the easy way to play this character, which is very one-note, man-on-a-mission, brooding," Wahlberg continues. "But people are going to be surprised when they see how multilayered he really is. Max is driven by emotion, and I think audiences are going to understand why he's so committed.

See Also: Mila Kunis Is A Perfect Counterpart To Wahlberg In Max Payne