Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Brutal
- brooding
- paranoid
- bleak
- late night
- action movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly agreed that stylish production design and action could not overcome an illogical, overdirected plot and weak screenplay.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Max Payne’s investigation is motivated by the murder of his wife and baby, turning police work into a personal revenge quest.
The film places its detective mystery in a cold, shadowy New York rendered through bleak neo-noir imagery.
A street drug causes hideous hallucinations and becomes central to the accumulating bodies and mystery.
The adaptation centers on an armed loner, assassins, and heightened action associated with the Max Payne video game series.
Films like Max Payne, and why
Sin City
Shares a bleak neo-noir atmosphere, revenge-driven crime investigation, and stylized urban action.
L.A. Confidential
Combines hard-boiled detective work, organized crime, fatalistic violence, and a grim visual style.
The Crow
Features a haunted protagonist pursuing conspiratorial criminals through a dark, rain-soaked city.
Hitman
Comparable for video game adaptation elements, vigilante themes, and heightened action spectacle.
Movie Details
- Director
- John Moore
- Release Date
- 2008-10-15
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Rating
- 5.4 / 10 (2335)
Cast
- Mark Wahlberg
- Mila Kunis
- Beau Bridges
- Ludacris
- Chris O'Donnell
- Donal Logue
- Amaury Nolasco
- Kate Burton
- Olga Kurylenko
- Rothaford Gray
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Starz Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Max Payne about?
- A grieving New York detective hunts his family’s killer while a hallucinogenic drug conspiracy turns the city into a fatalistic nightmare.
- What is Max Payne like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Max Payne as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Max Payne violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Max Payne as brutal.
- What did critics think of Max Payne?
- Critics broadly agreed that stylish production design and action could not overcome an illogical, overdirected plot and weak screenplay.
- Which films are like Max Payne?
- Films with a similar feel include Sin City, L.A. Confidential, The Crow, and Hitman.
- How long is Max Payne?
- Max Payne runs 100 minutes.
- Where can I watch Max Payne?
- In United States, Max Payne streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Starz Apple TV channel.
