Review of Payback (1999) by Brian R — 21 Jan 2010

To prepare myself for the next Mel Gibson movie, Edge of Darkness, I've decided to watch all his films leading up to Signs...

PAYBACK is a throwback to the self-narrating, wisecracking, film-noir movies our parents used to watch all the time...except this one has more blood, drugs, and lucy lu getting turned on by pain. Porter (Gibson) agrees to help his buddy Val rob asian triads who carry around a breifcase full of money. The case is supposed to contain between $350,000 and half a million. Val needs 130,000 to pay off past mob debts and earn his way back into "The Outfit". When the loot adds up to 140,000, Porter thinks they are still splitting it 50/50...wrong. He's screwed over, left for dead, and pissed. Through a series of fun but cliche'd events Porter tries to get his portion of the money and have some revenge.

The movie is shot using a faded blue/grey color pattern that actually does make the film more gritty. Gisbon is a wise-cracking, fun angry scruffy con man who also manages to pull off being swave every once and a while. When he puts on the Lethal Weapon mad face we know the other dude is gonna get seriously hurt. But he also does this "seriously..ugh, but im tired and I dont wannnna beat the crap outta him...sigh..."-facial expression that rocks. When he asks for information and people dont comply he just rolls his eyes like "heeeeere we go...siigh"...and the next thing you know, the other dude is on the ground or bleeding...its great.

The plus side is that while it is bloody and very adult it does feel like an older movie. The puns are cheesy but well done, the action is cool and not too too over-the-top, and all the acting is outstanding, especially from the character Val. I hated this guy. When he gets what's comin to him I may have chuckled a bit. And thats why the movie gets an 80%. It's good for a viewing every once and a while but certainly wont be on anyone's top 10 list. I wish Gibson played this type of guy in more movies. He's great at it. In the end I felt satisfied and my girlfriend who wasnt too happy about being forced to sit through it turned to me and said "That was kinda good...he kicked ass!".

I'm sure this film is insanely cheap on Amazon right now so the next time ur buying some blurays or something and need 1 more purchase to get the free shipping...just nab this. It's a good way to spend a couple hours....and, strangely, you'll feel kinda cool and badass after you watch it....in fact, after watching this, and given a better script/director..Gibson would have been outstanding as Max Payne.

I heard there's an "alternate" version of this movie called Payback:Straight-Up, the director's cut. I LOOOOVE director's cuts cuz you get to see what the studio wanted, and then what the true vision was supposed to look like. It's got a different ending, altered stories, and some of the side-topics are gone completely!! I'm watching it tomorrow and i'll let you know what I think.

In summary...Mel Gibson = A, Payback = B+.