On P List of Movie Reviews
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Payback (1999)
Rate:
5
Viewed:
8/23
8/23:
Is Payback the correct title for this comic-book Mel Gibson picture?
From start to finish, the dominant theme has been pain. Some of it, especially the threshold, is unbelievable. So, why not call
the film Pain? Anyway, everything has been silly and cartoonish. The premise is impossible to believe: one guy takes on
the entire mob by getting rid of the top heads. Yet I hardly see foot soldiers which should number in the hundreds. At the same
time, he can be easily taken by surprise.
Mel Gibson is Mel Gibson while the rest of the cast is fine. There's nobody to like despite the misleading tagline: "Get Ready
to Root for the Bad Guy." The color image is weird; Ericson Core must have been a wannabe student of Gordon Willis' school of
dark cinematography.
All in all, Payback is high on sadomasochism but low on entertainment.