Based on the Richard Start novel "The Hunter," which was earlier filmed by John Boorman in the classic Lee Marvin picture "Point Blank," brings the story into the modern era with Mel Gibson in the lead. Gibson plays a crook who's double crossed by his partner and wife, and left for dead. However, Gibson is not dead and works his way up the "Syndicate" ladder to get back his money, as well as revenge upon those who crossed him. Although the story takes place in a contemporary setting, the film is wonderfully retro, featuring timeless business suits, old 70s looking cars, and more anachronistic rotary phones than you can shake a stick at. The story is a pretty straightforward revenge tale, but it's filled with so many colorful moments that it's pieces add up to a greater whole. One of my favorite moments is (SPOILER ALERT!) Gibson finding his ex-wife dead in bed and lying down next to her to recall the events leading up to his double-cross in a dreamlike flashback sequence, which manages to be both surreal and melancholy. The film is also filled with clever bits of action, such as when Gibson purposefully crashes a car head on during a heist, including a nice touch of close-up of a mouthguard hitting the ground as he get's out of the car to denote Gibson's premeditation of the crash. There's also a memorable toe smashing torture sequence that's not all that graphic, but effectively unsettling. "Payback" also has some great supporting performances by Maria Bello, David Paymer, Bill Duke, Deborah Kara Unger, John Glover, William Devane, Kris Kristofferson, and James Coburn. I was particularly taken with the underused Gregg Henry as Gibson's friend who double crosses him on a caper and steals his wife, setting off the events of the film. Lucy Liu (billed at Lucy Alexis Liu) is also quite memorable as a dominatrix/torturer friend/mistress of Henry's."Payback" came out at the peak of 1990s Quentin Tarantino ripoffs, but to lump this film in with that batch of imitators does not do it justice. "Payback" is a closer cousin to Don Siegel style of crime films (i.e. "The Killers" or "Charley Varrick") than to Tarantino. It's minus the pop culture references and has it's own unique dark sense of humor. The film is shot with a color palette of black and blues that make it nicely reminiscent of the black and white film noirs that it's referencing. And to be clear, this is the original theatrical version of the film I watched, which is supposed to be vastly different than the director's cut. Thirty percent of the film was re-shot when Brian Helgeland was replaced as director. The theatrical version is said to have had more humor and a generally more breezy tone. At the time this film was released, I was dubious of Gibson's tinkering, but since then Gibson has proven himself as a brilliant filmmaker, so I was less dubious this time around. Gibson years later co-write and produced a spiritual sequel to "Payback" with "Get the Gringo," in which Gibson plays another thief with a single name, which Gibson also narrates, and where his character at one point even says how he was once married, but his wife ran off with a former business associate. Overall, "Payback" is not in the same league as "Point Blank," but it does stand on it's own as a wonderfully retro crime film with an amazingly strong cast.

Payback is the third interpretation of Donald E. Westlake's novel The Hunter (1962), written under the pseudonym Richard Stark. A crime thriller novel, the first of the Parker novels. The other films are John Boorman's Point Blank (1967), starring Lee Marvin and Ringo Lam's Full Contact (1992), starring Chow Yun-fat. Payback was directed by Brian Helgeland and written Brian Helgeland (screenplay) and Terry Hayes (screenplay), (theatrical cut). Cinematography was by Ericson Core, and music was by Chris Boardman. The film stars Mel Gibson as Porter, Gregg Henry as Val Resnick, Maria Bello as Rosie, Lucy Liu as Pearl, Deborah Kara Unger as Lynn Porter, David Paymer as Arthur Stegman, Bill Duke as Detective Hicks, Jack Conley as Detective Leary, John Glover as Phil, William Devane as Carter, James Coburn as Fairfax, Kris Kristofferson as Bronson (Theatrical Cut), Sally Kellerman as Bronson (Director's Cut), Trevor St. John as Johnny Bronson (Theatrical Cut), Freddy Rodriguez as Valet, Manu Tupou as Pawnbroker. There are two versions out there the theatrical release and the director's cut.I've seen both versions. The best film version in my opinion would be roughly, the theatrical release with the narration and blue tint then go with the director's cut (but keeping the blue tint) to the ambiguous end. I'd keep the beating also. The film looks great in a Noir-ish way. It homages beautifully classic noir with it voice over narration, the heavy use of stylistics and locations that evoke cinematic memory. Gregg Henry is impressive he evokes the spirit of Dan Duryea.Unfortunately the film goes somewhat slowly off the rails with various scenarios, i.e. Porter cutting a gas line under a an 80s Lincoln which would be physically impossible to do, you can't squeeze under that type of car, no way, and the unneeded extraneous additions of dominatrix Pearl (Liu ) and the Chinese Tong machine gun battle where it veers off into Action film and touches on Tarantino land, when it didn't have to, a shame. The majority of Films Noir were simple stories when you overload then with action sequences you tip the film past the noir tipping point it becomes more of the Action Genre, for me anyway. Give it a fair shake your personal noir tuning fork may accept it more than mine does. Watch also the Film Soleil adaptation of the novel, Point Blank (1967), for a comparison, same story set in California. I haven't seen Chow Yun-fat's Full Contact (1992). Screencaps are from the Paramount DVD. 6.5-7/10

Payback, my favourite Mel Gibson film, is ol' Mel at his down and dirtiest, in a lovely lowbrow, hard boiled neo noir that kicks you in the nuts and laughs in your face. Gibson plays Porter, a nasty, violent criminal who's betrayed by his strung out whore bag wife (Deborah Kara Unger), and volatile nutbar of a partner (Gregg Henry, coked up and starting fights with anything that has a pulse), following a heist. They shoot him up real good, and take his share of the payout. This pisses Porter off well and good. After recovering, he climbs his way up the corporate ladder of crime, one bullet, punch, kick and slice at a time, to get his 24,000$ bucks. He's not looking for a million, or to take over anyone's organization, just his cut, which becomes a running joke, and a nice character nuance for Gibson to play on. He's a scrappy mess as the ultimate spit on antihero, and it's a blast to watch him maul anyone in his path in a reckless spree of delightful wanton violence to get what's his. Gibsons is at his best when he's playing bad, and here's he's the worst apple of the bunch, a burnt out scumbag on a one way road to self destruction, but thanks to his skills and natural charm, we just can't help but root for the guy. Kris Kristofferson icily plays a crime syndicate honcho, Maria Bello is the hooker with a heart of gold, James Coburn provides comic relief as a hysterical mob boss (Thats just mean, man!!), Bill Duke and Jack Conley leave a trail of slime as corrupt cops, and there's great stuff from William Devane, David Paymer, and a startingly young Lucy Liu as an enthusiastic Triad S&M hooker. It's a happily nihilistic, slash and burn ode to noir, with a snappy, black comedy screenplay and every actor willing to take a bite.

Mel Gibson is at the top of his form playing a nasty, sociopathic, violent, but exceptionally witty career criminal. Disturbingly, I am pretty certain that this role isn't much of a stretch for him, which is why he so easily wears it like a second skin. You know how you always think of the perfect thing to say ten minutes too late, well, in this flick Mel never misses a beat, and it's quite entertaining. The violence is pretty much non-stop from beginning to end, but it is non-stop with very high production values and mostly not excessively graphic, much of it actually played for sick humor. There's a complete lack of characters with any redeeming traits at all in this movie. There is not one single person that you would like to have anything to do with in real life. It is just degrees from really, really bad to completely, utterly horrible, which is why you wind up rooting for Mel--he's just the best looking and least reprehensible out of a despicable line-up. With all that said, this film grabs your attention at the beginning and never lets go. The script is particularly clever, and there are no bad performances (although, obviously, Kris Kristofferson's serious acting career is more expired than year-old warm milk). Therefore, I must do two things. First, I have to give this film full marks, because it perfectly accomplished everything it set out to do. Second, I have to take a shower, because I feel kind of dirty.