Payback Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES PLOT SUMMARY
Porter is a small time but tough criminal, who's primary gig, is robbery. Now his friend Val Resnick needs $130,000 to pay back a criminal group known as "The Outfit". He tells Porter about some Asian couriers who carry $300,000, Porter agrees to it on the condition that they split the take. When they hit them, they discover that they only have $140,000, and Resnick says that, that's what they always carry. He pulls out a gun and shoots Porter in the back and leaves him to die. However, Porter manages to make it to a doctor, and get treated, when he recovers, he sets out to get Resnick and his share $70,000. He begins by approaching an associate of Resnick's. Porter then seeks out a prostitute named Rosie, whom he knew, she tells him where he can find Resnick, when he does he tells Resnick that he should go to his employers and ask them to give him back $70,000 of the money he gave them, Resnick says that's impossible but Porter "convinces" him to do it. Resnick then goes to his boss, Mr. Carter, who tells him that it's in their best interest to help Resnick deal with Porter. Carter orders one of his men to take Porter out but Porter's just too good for them. Resnick then asks his girlfriend who knows the people whom he and Porter stole the money from, and tells her to tell them where they can find him. When they do they are interrupted by two policemen, but they are crooked who are under the impression that Porter's going after $200,000-300,000 and are going to get it. Can Porter deal with all these people and still get his money.
| James Coburn | |
| Mel Gibson | Porter |
| Maria Bello | Rosie |
| Gregg Henry | Val Resnick |
| David Paymer | Arthur Stegman |
| Bill Duke | Det. Hicks |
| Deborah Kara Unger | Mrs. Lynn Porter |
| John Glover | Phil |
| William Devane | Carter |
| Lucy Liu | Pearl |
| Jack Conley | Det. Leary |
| Kris Kristofferson | Bronson |
| Mark Alfa | Johnny's Friend #2 |
| Kwame Amoaku | Radioman |
| Justin Ashforth | Michael, Bartender #1 |
| Len Bajenski | Fairfax Bodyguard #1 |
7.00 out of 10 (5 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Want to establish order in your own town? Don't miss this movie!
posted on 24 Aug 2009Well, Mel Gibson is an excellent actor and one of my favorite actors, but he should choose the roles of 'bad guys' more carefully. I'm used to his movies' slogans:'one against all' and 'think and shoot'. Now it's 'one against all that comes or sits' and 'shoot and shoot once more'.The movie is blase of needless violence and violent people. The amazing "Brave Heart" with the same Mel Gibson recounts about 13th century events but it seems after watching 'Payback' that people in the 13th age were more humane than now.Gibson does his best but I don't think that even he can save this movie. The plot is trite and looks like the retelling of old mob movies of the 30th-50th years. As for gangsters they seem the foolish parodies on themselves. In some episodes you start expecting to hear from them:'Dude, where's my car ?' and so on.That's why I gave '4' vote.
One Thing's For Sure, Mel's Getting Old.
posted on 04 Aug 2009I was expecting a funnier, more light-hearted film than the one that I got. There were some chuckles, but they were few and far between. Instead, most of the film was just Mel going from place to place, with a pretty annoying voice-over explaining everything that the visuals couldn't. I wasn't used to seeing Mel play such remorseless character who killed an unarmed man at the drop of a dime. And his face is starting to look leathery (sorry Mel). Other than that the movie was okay. Payback is the name of the movie and that's exactly what you're going to enjoy watching, Mel getting his revenge (especially against those two cops).
Not so bad
posted on 11 Jul 2009Root for the bad guy? Not really. Porter may be a gangster, but he is a saint compared
with the other guys he fights against. Corrupt cops, illoyal partners, brutal gangster
bosses ... Porter got at least a sense of honor and only wants "his" money back (well, in
a way, he worked for it and it was dirty money anyway) - so, Mel Gibson plays a
character who is not so bad but pretty different from his usual characters. It's fun to
watch him play a gangster who will stop for nothing until he got his money and who
uses con tricks and brute force to get started and on his way. (9/10)
Revenge can be a wonderful thing
posted on 09 Jul 2009PAYBACK **** (out of 5 Stars) Starring-Mel Gibson, Gregg Henry, Mario Bello, David Paymer, Kris Kristofferson and William Devane Director-Brian HelgelandOh, what a tangled web we weave. Small-time crook Porter (Mel Gibson) is in quite the pickle - after a heist of $140,000 from an Asian Mob, his partner Val (Gregg Henry) and wife (Deborah Kara Unger) shot him twice in the back and left him for dead. They did not plan, however, for him to recover afterward with the aid of a street corner doctor. Now, Porter is out for revenge and the sum of $70,000, his agreed payment in the robbery gone awry.Ahh, revenge can be a wonderful thing. And it is with Payback, a rather ingenious film-noir thriller that is sprinkled with tidbits of action, comedy and suspense. It's a loose remake of the 1967 movie Point Blank, starring Lee Marvin, which I have never seen. Nonetheless, I am quite sure that this updated version has more tricks up it's sleeve than it or any other thriller for quite some time.Director/co-writer Brian Helgeland has put somewhat of an Elmore Leonard-ish spin on his newest piece of work. There's hints of Reservoir Dogs, Out of Sight and other titles related to the Quentin Tarintino genre. Call it Pulp Fiction Lite - you'll find it on the grocery shelf next to Spam. Fortunately, there are many agreeable twists that action fans are really going to enjoy, and Gibson supporters will be so utterly pleased with the film they will be calling him a saint. That is, if first they can get around the violence-level, which is rather high on the chart. But it really isn't as graphic as some critics have stated; the only real nose-turner is a torture scene involving a mini-sledgehammer that leaves most everything to your imagination.> There's much for Porter to contend with, including the Asian mob lead by Ally McBeal's Lucy Lui, who is humorous in her black-leather role. The movie also gives Gibson his best role since Braveheart, supplying him with many funny one-liners and hinting marvelously at his suicidal Martin Riggs' character in the original Lethal Weapon. Surrounded by past stars having a lot of fun, Gibson brings some kind of endearing charm to his murderous bad guy, one that makes Payback all the more enjoyable.
Mel Gibson's "Blue Period".
posted on 08 Jul 2009Depression is in the air! The look to this film is what I really enjoyed. It uses it's color schemes brilliantly. Very artsy fartsy but very very subtle and cool. I think the cinematography should at least be nominated for an oscar.
The real problem I have with Payback is the hum drum plot full of cliche after cliche, and the typicality of the male driven ego type of character Mel always seems to play. I do, however like some of the dialogue in this film, derived straight out of some old classic crime movie of the 40's or 50's. At times if you squint at the screen, you may swear your watching an old balck and white crime classic.
There are too many dry spots in this film though, and some of the bantering between all the crimelords is a bit confusing and just plain dull. I loved the character played by "Ling" (of Alley Mc Beal fame). She plays a scary dominatrix with flare and conviction! Crack that whip girl! Ouch!
Another surprisingly good Mel Gibson film.
posted on 26 May 2009Gibson has pretty much become typecast as the crazy guy who doesn't listen to authority and does things his own way. This film is little different except that he is now playing a "bad guy" (in that he is a robber and ex-pimp). Even batting for the other team, the style has remained the same.Fairly obvious is that this was written for Gibson, only perhaps Bruce Willis could have played the role as well.Definitely a case of style over substance, but it is an entertaining action film, and it seems that is all it was supposed to be, so in that sense, it is a good film because it acheived what it set out to do.
Entertaining
posted on 10 May 2009Upon seeing the previews for "Payback", I began watching this film with low expectations. Although it looked intriguing, I thought it would fall flat on its face.Surprise, surprise. "Payback" wasn't all that bad. Mel Gibson plays the bad-boy thief role quite well. There could have been a few writing decisions that would have made this remake a hell of a lot better, but all in all, it wasn't a disappointment.The action scenes were done in the spectacular "Die Hard" style, with car crashes and explosions that would make Bruce Willis and Sylvester Stallone proud. "Payback" is a fun film. If you're expecting Oscar-winning performances, you'll be disappointed. If you're expecting a fun film with lots of noise and a bit of that Mel Gibson wit we have all grown to love over the years, this film is for you.There was one scene with a ton of inconsistency (I won't give anything away here, don't worry) when a gun was in someones throat, and every time the scene changed angles, the gun was raised. When it changed angles again, the gun was back...and forth..and back...although the person's arm never moved... hmmm - strange.All in all, if you're in need to see a film this weekend, and you've already spent $50 on The Blair Witch, take a seat and see "Payback". You'll learn to love the bad guy.RATING: 3.5 out of 5
Violent, humorous, no point.
posted on 28 Apr 20096/10. This is the style of film that I default to; action/adventure. It is on the violent side of the norm' (it is an 18) but not sickeningly so. The violence is mostly given a Hollywood glamour except where it comes from the main character. Mel manages a 'reservoir dogs' type of casualness when he pulls out his shooters.There is a large dose of farce in the script. The bad guys persist in offering 130 grand even though Porter (played by Mel) only asks for 70. The chinese mafia appear as bungling fools. The sado-masochistic prostitute is plain silly.There is no social comment, little plot or mystery, no exploration of the character's nature, ie; no "point" to the movie. Though most of the humour worked well this was not a sufficient counterpoint to the high level of violence. I was entertained though because Porter is a rounded character with some redeeming features that allow you to care about him. Just.Only go to this movie if you are a regular and you like the style. If you are a Gibo' fan; be careful. Porter is not a hero but a social parasite. If you go expecting Lethal Weapon you will be disappointed.
My Money Yes Or No?
posted on 11 Apr 2009That is the phrase that has made this movie one of the best anti-hero flicks you can ever see. A remake of the 1967 Point Blank it out performs the other well. Most people see this as light hearted but somehow Marvin's ice cold Walker never did the job instead of shooting he was more or less waiting for the action to settle down around him as he made his moves. Gibson however plays the character Parker from Donald E. Westlake's novels cold. As the ruthless and cold blooded Porter he scours the city seeking out his money. During a deal gone wrong his partner shoots him, takes off with his wife, and then gives the money to the outfit. As part of a coke deal he wasted Henry plays Val well and to the point but he sticks around for to long as trying to be colder and harder then the Mal in the novel. What makes this movie shine is performances by Coburn, Kirstoffson, Paymer, and Devane they are all cut throat seeking for a way out. Coburn and Kristoffoson give turns as the two premier crime bosses trying to stiff out Porter. While Paymer plays a greedy cab owner and Devane plays the boss of the hitmen. Well put together and directed this changes the themes and tones to fit well with todays standard story lines. Not a standard however is that Porter shoots people a change from Marvin's side line. I'm all ready rooting for the bad guy.
** 1/2 stars Violent but as always Mel is great
posted on 08 Apr 2009Payback is a movie full of unneeded violence and the plot does not make sense but Mel Gibson even as the one doing the pain is great. He is a bad guy in this movie but you are rooting for him because he was wronged by his wife and his friend. By the end you wonder why all that has happened was worth it just for some money.PLOT: Mel Gibson is shot and left for dead by his wife and friend because they wanted his half of the money after a job is done. He decides to get revenge on the people that wronged him and also get the money he deserves.VIEWS: The only reason to watch this movie is for Mel Gibson. Even when he is in the most danger, he still acts cool and jokes. Otherwise beware because the violence will get to you and you will wonder if it was all worth it for a little sum of money.SCENES TO WATCH FOR: Lucy Liu meets Mel.
Mel Gibson destroys his enemies in this shocking, violent film...
posted on 31 Mar 2009"Payback " is an exceptional film. Owner of an enviable rhythm, excellent actors, a precise and well-written script and a great direction, "Payback " marks for showing actor Mel Gibson in a very different characterization than his fans are accustomed to see. In this film, he is Porter, a cold , cruel and bad until his medulla, a man who is not afraid of anything!however, Porter ends being deceived by his wife and his best friend, he got shot and left to die, after an assault. His wife and his friend flee with the money, and they leave him close to death. Porter escapes and begins to plan his revenge. "Payback " is an extremely innovative film, and as people could conclude, it isn't nor a little similar to the series " Lethal Weapon ", on the contrary, "Payback " is populated by merciless and unscrupulous criminals, it has a distressing and oppressive climate, almost enhanced by the picture in black-and-white, an agile assembly and memorable scenes. Based on the book " The Hunter ", that was already filmed by John Boorman, with Lee Marvin, "Payback " follows the original plot with fidelity in certain moments, but when it reaches the end, it strays completely of the premise of the book.
"Payback " was very criticized and it divided the opinions. I think the film is nothing else than a crime-drama that revisits the works of the seventies, that seems to really have been filmed in the past, saying in a better form, the film rescues the feeling that " Point Blank " and " The French Connection " offered us! The film is extraordinary, watch it!if you liked "Sharky's Machine ", with Burt Reynolds, or liked "Hard Time ", you cannot lose this film! Get ready to root for the bad guy!!
entertaining, with lots of clever twists
posted on 27 Mar 2009I don't know why this movie didn't do well at the boxoffice; it's far better than the lame Conspiracy Theory. Mel's character in this one is a departure from his usual friendly everyday Joe. And although the plot at first seems simple, it actually contains a number of clever plot devices that, in all, makes this an entertaining movie to see.
Very "ORIGINAL" !!
posted on 19 Mar 2009I Have never seen a movie short of "Assault on Precinct 13", where Maria Bello played on with Mel Gibson then in this one! Simply a terrific ride! The movie was to me so neat and Original, I have seen it several times. I even did the same with the movie "Assault on..", I hope Maria will do well on her present project. I have come to be more aware of her acting "prowess" from seeing "Assault on Preceinct 13". I think she is a great and sweet new talent! I hope she does very well in everything she does. Also, I think Maria should do more with Mel. And to think I was born just a year earlier than she and I too almost went to Villanova as she did. :) Congrats Maria !!
Entertaining..
posted on 15 Mar 2009Payback which is based on the novel "The Hunter" by Richard Stark tells the story of Porter (Mel Gibson), a anti-hero and a total bad guy, but still the bad guy you'll end up cheering for. Now, Porter is a professional robber and one day Porter, Sal Resnick (Gregg Henry) and Porter's wife, Mrs. Lynn Porter (Deborah Kara Unger) decide to robs Chow's pay-roll and gain an amount of $140.000 (meaning; $70.000 a piece). When they hit (and I mean literally hit) Chow's men, they easily get away with $170.000, but when it comes to splitting up the money, poor Porter get's back-stabbed by his wife and Val Resnick, who leave Porter to die in his own pool of blood and two bullets in the back. But unfortunately for Val Resnick, Porter survives and is looking for a bloody revenge. Porter which has nothing to live for, except for getting his $70.000 back and the fancy prostitute called Rosie (Maria Bello), which is an sort of ex-girlfriend.Well, this movie is all about Porter getting his bloody revenge and of course his $70.000, nothing more. Actually, Payback, is fun to watch and has sort of a well made twists when the end is near.I gave this movie, Payback, 7/10, it's not a masterpiece, but really entertaining, and I thought Mel Gibson did an excellent job, being that tough good-bad guy.
I went to this movie with bad feelings about it, but when it was over i realized this movie rocks
posted on 13 Mar 2009I really did not want to see this film in the beginning because I'm not much of a Mel Gibson fan, but my dad wanted to see it, so i did. After the movie i was so glad that i saw this film. I've seen other Mel Gibson films but this one is the best. It had the same feel as another movie i enjoyed, Out of Sight. The characters were great and the movie is action-packed and very humorous.Mel Gibson playing the anti-hero was a change. He did the part very well and you enjoy every moment he is on screen. Maria Bello was also good as his Callgirl-fling. She has great screen presence and we should see her in more films. The movie surprised me so it gets *** out of ****
Payback Pays Off
posted on 12 Mar 2009What a straightforward, action packed flick this was with no confusing sidebar twists or excess baggage plots. This is the first film I've seen Gibson portray a character only described as a good-bad guy. This time he has the upperhand (most of the time) and does a bit of the damage control; It's always the real bad guys that get that privelage. Without giving away too much of the film's minor portion of comical slapstick, there is one scene where Gibson's character Porter is repeatedly slapped in the back of the head by one of the movie's shadier characters (this is a funny scene, especially when America remembers a time when Mel was US Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive in the past). His dead panned expressions and deep serious voice let the bad guys know he is not kidding around. Lucy Liu, from Ally McBeal fame, turns in one of the most kinkiest performances without actually using any nudity ! She adds quite a sensational spark to the movie. All in all, from the previous mixed reviews, people should take it for what it is; A typical action/comedy/drama flick done Mel Gibson style !Mel's antics rate top 5 stars and the story rates 3 stars. It was also a real hoot to see some old Hollywood heavyweights: James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson, and William DeVane. The only question is still why all that for 70 grand ?
Disgusting, gratuitous violence.
posted on 26 Aug 2009Violence for violence sake. EVERY scene. I couldn't stomach this movie and left after 30 minutes. My husband was surprised I lasted that long. Reading other people's comments I'm glad we left when we did. What really disgusted me is that parents brought little kids to this movie!