Rating: 
Summary: PayBack
Review: I watched this movie over and over when I first bought it..Mel Gibson plays such a hard roll as Porter..But he does it so well...He's out to avenge,what should have been his death...Everyone who comes into contact with Porter seems to come up dead...Lucy Lui also has a part in this movie which is quite funny...
Rating:
Summary: No more Mr. Nice guy
Review: This is the first offical warning: this movie is not for tender soles. Terrible violent films like Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction are likt nothing compared to Payback. Plus this is the first time that Mel Gibson is a real bad guy.The plot: First we meet two very good thieves, Porter (Gibson) and Val Resnick (Henry), who are robbing some Chinese guys. The moment struck where they have to share the booty, and Val makes 3 major mistakes: first he leaves with all the money, second he is sleeping with Porters wife, and third he shoots Porter and leaves him "death" behind. Porter survives the shot and the only thing he wants is revenge. He can't be stopped or be held away from his part of the money... Mel Gibson plays very good and the actress Maria Bello (ER) and actor Kris Kristofferson (Blade) aren't worse either. Payback turned out a breathtaking movie .
Rating:
Summary: Ultimately, it's a comedy
Review: A comedy of sorts for people with a very dark sense of humour. Payback was probably conceived as a drama. Mel Gibson's relentless pursuit of the money he was cheated out of (money which he stole in the first place) includes some brutal and stomach-churning incidents. One scene in particular, which involves Gibson and a low-life who must have regreted the day he had a nose-ring fitted, is so shocking that you've just got to laugh. Gibson could never have been expected to play the role of Porter as coldly as Lee Marvin (as Parker) did in Point Blank, the 60s thriller that Payback updates. To those that criticise Gibson for this, my response is that his talent as a comic actor far outweigh Marvin's, and as much as I enjoyed Point Blank, I found Gibson's Porter to be a much more watchable character, one who entertained me more than Marvin's character. Gibson delivers a performance that was reminiscent of Steve McQueen: slightly emotionally detached from the chaos that played around him, but always in control. I've given this 5 stars not because it's perfect but because I enjoyed it. Sometimes that's enough.
Rating: 
Summary: Over-Produced
Review: 'Payback' can't decide if it's black comedy, edgy action/thriller, or pulp fiction. In typical Hollywood fashion, this was a project pulled in too many different directions by producers, et al. There was real potential here, and I'm pleasantly surprised Mel Gibson would attempt this kind of role, but I found the film wholly unsatisfying.
Rating: 
Summary: Get ready to root for the bad guy
Review: I saw "Payback" because I am somewhat of a Mel Gibson fan. The movie, which is a remake of the Lee Marvin thriller "Point Blank," falls far short of the original film; "Payback" is nowhere near as intelligent and dazzling as the Marvin movie. Nevertheless, every action movie fan should see this movie at least once. Robber Mel Gibson is shot and left for dead by his wife and best friend after a heist. Gibson survives and seeks both revenge and stolen money that he feels rightfully belongs him. Mel Gibson saves this picture. In "Payback," there are no good guys(Only murderers, thugs, crooks, and gangsters). Mel Gibson's Porter is the quintessential antihero. Porter is a crook and a murderer; he would even steal from a homeless person. Neverthless, Gibson takes an unlikeable character like Porter and has the audience cheering for him. Gibson is the ONLY present day American action movie star who comes close to matching Steve McQueen. He has genuine acting talent and charisma. Every Mel Gibson fan and action movie buff should see "Payback" at least once.
Rating:
Summary: One dark, violent and entertaining flick
Review: Not many people know what thier lifes worth. Porter does, $70,000. Thats what was taken from him and now he is going to get it back. Career criminals Porter (Mel Gibson) and Val (Gregg Henry) rob a gang of $140,000. When they meet with his wife to split the money they double cross Porter. He is shot and left for dead. Months later Porter returns seeking his money and will climb to the top of an underworld syndicate to collect it. This film will not appeal to everyone but I really liked it. Don't go into this movie expecting the normal Mel Gibson flick because it is anything but that. This film is full of great laughs, action and violence. It has a great supporting cast including Maria Bello, David Paymer, Lucy Liu and Kris Kristofferson. The film uses very dark colors that look great and add to the atmosphere. Payback has a great script and is full of memorable moments. I highly recommended it. The film is presented in widescreen and DD 5.1 surround. Unfortunately like most Paramount DVD's the special features are lacking. It contains only two trailers and a featurette.
Rating:
Summary: Good performances, good action, but not a spectacular effort
Review: To quickly summarise the plot, the main character Porter (Mel Gibson) is shot by his friend and his wife and left for dead. This is after stealing money from some Triads. The rest of the movie involves Porter trying to get his money back ($70 000). Naturally, some people need to be shot, blown up, beat up, etc. for this to happen. Because Porter is a thief and a killer, the movie has a dark, anti-hero kind of tone. Adding to the atmosphere is the fact that everyone wears black or grey, there always seems to be steam coming up from the sewers, and the building are all drab and dirty. I enjoyed this movie, and was struck by the quality of the performances, and the fact that a lot of big names are involved. Of special note are Kris Kristofferson and James Coburn as two of the bad guys, and Lucy Lui as a dominatrix and member of the Triads (even when dressed in leather bikini and fishnet stockings, you had to take her more seriously than in Charlie's Angels). In addition, suberb performances are put forward by Mel and Maria Bello (why, oh why would she associate herself with Coyote Ugly?!). The action scenes are well done, and unlike the Lethal Weapon movies, the abuse that Mel's body survives is almost believable. It is also quite funny, in a wry, ironic way (like when Coburn's character complains that Mel shot a hole in his suits - "That's just mean!"). However, there's nothing really special about the film. It's just a bunch of stuff that happens, and it doens't really stand out in my mind over other action movies of the same sort. In addition, the DVD edition is very disappointing. There are no extras (except the trailers, and a "Making of" featurette that's nothing more than a glorified trailer), no director's commentary, etc. Very low value for the money - just get the tape for 1/3 the price.
Rating: 
Summary: Lightened Retelling of John Boorman's "Point Blank".
Review: Mel Gibson trades in his Charismatic, Charming Tough guy persona for an Un-Charismatic, Un-Charming Tough guy persona in "Payback", a Fun, Happier Retelling of John Boorman's now Classic Film Noir Thriller. For people who have never Seen "Point Blank", it must be Hard to Believe that Mel's is so Soft Compared to it, but it Is. Lee Marvin (in Gibson's role) and Boorman take it all Much More Seriously than Gibson and director Brian Helgeland do, and there is Barely a Smirk to be found in the 1969 Classic. Mel's version is Quite Funny, which is fine in it's own way, but because of these laughs "Payback" can Never reach the level of Intensity that the original Had. Mel plays Porter, a Stick-up man who is Doublecrossed by his Partner (Gregg Henry) and his Wife (Deborah Kara Unger). He is Robbed and left for Dead, only to return later for Swift and Violent Retribution. "Payback" has a Bleached, Blue Filtered look that fits it's Cold, Hard feel. Blue is also the colour of Cool, and the film dishes that out in spades also, Mel walks the streets with a Glint in his eye as if he owns the place, and he looks Mighty cool doing so. "Payback" is a Rough and Tumble piece of Violent Fun that will Surly please Mel's fans, Crime fans, Action fans and even Noir fans.
Rating:
Summary: MEL GIBSON IN ONE OF HIS BEST ROLES!
Review: A darkly engrossing action-thriller that is hard hitting and eerily realistic. Mel Gibson escapes his usual heroic image playing the mean and ruthless gangster, Porter. Even when playing the bad guy, Gibson is still totally irresistble and surprisingly even manages you to get to sort of even like the character. The grittily realistic dialogue is complemented by superb performances that evoke the tense atmosphere against the shockingly violent situations that occur throughout the film. Despite its deeply unpleasant content, it is still admitedly totally compelling viewing. An atmospheric movie, that is something of an underated masterpiece!
Rating:
Summary: A Great Mel Gibson Film
Review: This movie is what Get Carter (the Sylvester Stallone film) was aiming to be but failed miserably. Mel Gibson is in full mean mode here. It's a role that comes close to several of his other characters but never goes completely into Riggs mode. Even though he is made to be the bad guy right from the start it's still a little shocking and out of place when he kills a bad guy helplessly layng on the floor, although after everything this guy does to him seems to justify it. The supporting cast are all good although most aren't around long enough to appreciate. Lucy Lui is over the top creepy as a twisted dominatrix and James Coburn delivers some pretty funny lines. Unlike a lot of movies in this style I thought the ending lived up to the rest of the movie and wasn't just a sell out gun fight or quickie wrap up. It was clever and very suspenseful. Payback was a funny, mean-spirited (in a fun way) movie that I've enjoyed watching over, which is something I don't do alot any more.
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