Parents' Guide to

Max Payne

By James Rocchi, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Video game adaptation is bloody but boring.

Movie PG-13 2008 99 minutes
Max Payne Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 13+

Based on 6 parent reviews

age 10+
age 15+

beast payne

This movie is freakin beast. I totally loved it. Parents should have some wisdom and only let children that are mature view this film. it contains 2 f--ks and one motherf--ker

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6):
Kids say (10):

A bloody yet pale imitation of stylish action films like Sin City and the brilliant action choreography of John Woo, Max Payne is an effects-loaded action film that's surprisingly ineffective. Part of the blame goes to Wahlberg, who seems to only deliver his lines in a low, hunched mumble or a full-throated bellow. Max is avenging his murdered wife and son, but Walhberg never generates any sympathy as Max -- it's one thing to be an anti-hero, but Max is anti-interesting.

The Max Payne video game came out in 2001 -- a lifetime ago in the accelerated timeframe of video games -- and you have to wonder why Fox is striking while the iron is, at best, lukewarm. The action is nothing viewers haven't seen before -- lifted from real action classics like Hard Boiled, Die Hard, and The Killer -- and the bizarre, monster-filled hallucinations endured by the characters who take the experimental drug just make the film feel even more ridiculously over the top. The post-credits scene includes a clear set-up for Max Payne II; the movie before the credits makes that feel more like a threat than a promise.

Movie Details

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