Based on a video game, the new Mark Wahlberg vehicle MAX PAYNE returns him to the role of the anti-hero, this time in the form of Max Payne.  Director John Moore (responsible for THE OMEN and FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX remakes) ventures again into dark territory.

The story concerns a disturbed DEA agent, Payne, now in charge of cold (unsolved) cases.  Reason he opted for that position is so that he can come up with further clues as to the events leading to the death of his beloved wife and young son.  This mystery action flick has him dealing with darker forces and corporate conspiracy.  But with the aide of a beautiful kick-***censored*** assassin, Mona Sax (Mila Kunis), Payne gets his revenge.

I am not a video game fan, but from what I hear the film is quite different from the game.  It is expected so as the script has more plot than most films of this genre.  Still, Beau Thorne’s script is all over the place.  The narrative hardly holds interest.  The film also has an odd feel with some confusing segments explained in voiceover flashback.

The action scenes at least, are well executed – often with a combination of fast and slow motion (a la THE MATRIX films).  The romantic interest is notably missing.  Though an uncomfortable romance often mars the pace of an action flick, its absence here makes one wonder of the relevance of the female character.  The film also lacks a central villain, though it eventually settles on Max’s ex-partner (Beau Bridges).  Cinematography is dark in a world where the sun hardly shines or light bulbs and fluorescent lamps do not seem to exist.  The editing is impressive, the best one demonstrated during the office shoot-out sequence.

Despite good acting efforts by Wahlberg and Bridges, MAX PAYNE remains a lackluster affair as a result of an unsustainable narrative.