Mark Wahlberg in Max Payne (From Milford Mercury)

Mark Wahlberg in Max Payne

9:10am Sunday 26th April 2009

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Max Payne (15)

Police officer Max Payne (Mark Wahlberg) returns home to find his wife Michelle (Marianthi Evans) and baby daughter slain by an intruder.

Unable to rest until he unmasks the killer, Max scours every open case file and draws inspiration from his mentor BB (Beau Bridges), who urges patience.

A tip-off from a snitch leads to a nightclub where Max meets Natasha (Olga Kurylenko) and her sister Mona (Mila Kunis). The former dies in an alleyway and police units discover Max’s stolen wallet at the scene, fingering him for the crime.

While the cop tries to clear his name and outrun Internal Affairs detective Jim Bravura (Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges), the real culprit — tormented soldier of war Jack Lupino (Amaury Nolasco) — seeks out the people closest to Max, determined to inflict more pain.

John Moore’s tiresome video game-to-movie adaptation plods wearily through a plot that straddles reality and drug-induced fantasy on the crime-riddled streets of New York City.

Fans of Max Payne will recognise characters and certain plot elements, like the conspiracy surrounding an experimental drug. The film also employs the slow motion bullet time effect, which was a key factor of the video game’s appeal.

However, Moore's vision is a poor substitute for the visceral thrill that comes from grabbing a game controller and taking charge of the hero. Viewers don’t feel engaged with any of the characters, nor do they get a sense of Max’s simmering rage.

Wahlberg is inexpressive as the eponymous good cop on a mission, shooting first and thinking later — if at all — as Moore’s film builds to a lacklustre final showdown.

The lack of dramatic momentum also makes the 94-minute running time feel considerably longer.

RATING: ** DAMON SMITH

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