I don't game.  I'm not interested in playing a video game any more complicated than Space Invaders. I'd never heard of Max Payne and didn't know this movie was based on a video game until you just told me.

You liken playing a video game to reading a book.  I'm not a movie star but if I was cast in a movie that was based on a book I'd probably read the book.  But what if the book was in French?  Am I supposed to learn French so I can read the book?

I've seen other people play video games and I think it encompasses a whole different set of skills than reading a book.  If Whalberg doesn't have those skills and isn't interested in developing them I can see where he'd elect to pass on playing the game.  If the script and the director are any good he should be able to do a good portrayal of the character without playing the game.

I was addicted to Max Payne 2 a few years ago, my boss and I would waste hours everyday at work playing it and we would see cleaners everywhere we went, those that played the game know what I am talking about. Heck, we would even "slow motion" enter the office Max Payne style... I miss that job...

It was amazingly addictive, so I could understand in hindsight that maybe not starting to play it would be best for an addictive personality kind of guy.

Though having watched the trailer I don't remember any angels of death or whatever they are in Max Payne 2, were they in the first one?

From a review on rottentomatoes.com:  "Did Wahlberg read the script, or was it hidden under the pile of money that the producers dropped at his door step?"

"The Happening", now this.  Wahlberg better get a new agent before he's back to  " Yo! It's about that time To bring forth the rhythm and the rhyme I'm a get mine so get yours I wanna see sweat comin' out your pores"
 

I've never played the game and this movie looks pretty good to me.

Who cares if he never played the game?

If I did play the game and was a fan of it, I wouldn't really care if they took liberties with the property as long as the spirit of the character was there. Thats what is most important, IMHO

I just came from the theater watching this movie and compared to other video game bombs like house of the dead and DOOM this one ranks very well. Critics are not fond of Payne but they normally are not when movies are based on video games. This one did right uy the game from what i could tell. I never played the game but knew about it.

There were only 3 scenes dedicated to the bullet time that Payne became famous for in the game and thankfully it wasn't to comical and it was used in the right way. Thank god that none of  the actual video game was cut into the movie. This type of homage rarely ever works and the only way that I have seen that work is in the movie HITMAN. The story line line wasn't as strong but it will keep your interest going. (WATCH THE CREDITS ROLL!!!) theres a scene after the movie credits that lead to a possible sequel. Of course this depends on how well this movie does in theaters.

I give this movie a Strong B

<P itxtvisited="1">This movie sucks big time, BIG TIME.  DOOM was a masterpiece compared to this although I must admit I think DOOM may be the best of the game based flicks. I'm not comparing to the games since I don't play, I'm just rating them on how good or entertaining  the movie itself was. And going by what I overheard the movie's story is completely different from the game aside from one or two things. The one bullet time scene wasn't enough to up the "cool" factor.</P><BR itxtvisited="1" /> <P itxtvisited="1"> </P><BR itxtvisited="1" /> <P itxtvisited="1">Somebody or bodies in Hollywood are under the impression that Whalberg is a star in the making or already made. Let's be honest, this guy sucks as an actor. If he doesn't have a grimace or frown then he isn't on camera, he can't emote anything, he is just terrible and keeps proving it time and time out.</P><BR itxtvisited="1" /> <P itxtvisited="1"> </P><BR itxtvisited="1" /> <P itxtvisited="1">DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY AND TIME</P>

I told you fools it would suck, Wiseguy just confirmed it.  Wise please talk more about the vulture people.

Now on the video game movies;
 

Until Hollywood starts taking them seriously like they've started doing with comic book films we are set for shit coming out most of the time.  Shame.

I played both Max Payne games.  Loved every second of both of them.  There were NO vulture/winged/angel-of-death-type people in either plot.  The weirdest thing that happened in those games was when Max got drugged and started hallucinating.  There were a lot of references to Norse mythology in particular, but there wasn't any actual supernatural happenings in either game and the plots were basically drug-bust/revenge stories.

I know I should listen to Wiseguy, since he usually seems to be on point, but I'm still curious (possibly masochistically so) about this film.  I think I might still check it out at a matinee showing.

But, I'll say in advance, that I'm totally ready to confirm Wiseguy's review after seeing some of the ads and trailers for this.  It looks like they took the setting of Max Payne and tried to turn it into a bad Matrix-meets-Constantine fiasco.

Celt, from a coupole of reviews I read the ads totally misrepresent the movie, the vulture people are drug induced hallucinations., so's the talk about "Satan raising an army".  For what it's worth, the reviews also totally panned it.

Karas, if the book was in any way, shape or form popular you probably wouldn't have a problem finding a translation.  Example:  Had no problem getting a copy of "Babylon Babies", the book on which "Babylon AD" is based.  By odd coincidence "Babylon Babies" was written by a Frenchman.

I liked Wahlberg in "Four Brothers". He does have some degree of talent. Not Oscar worthy by any means but it is there. He just keeps choosing to star in crap for movies. He doesn't have a very wide range but neither does Keanu "whoa" Reeves......who just better not frak up "The Day The Earth Stood Still" d@mmmmnit !

"I am an F........B..............I....... AGENT !!!!!!!!"