| | | Get ready to root for the bad guy.
Features: DVD, Widescreen, Dolby, Digital Audio, English, Dolby Digital (5.1), Dolby Surround Sound
Porter (Gibson) is a career criminal bent on revenge after his partners in a street heist pump metal into him and take off with his $70,000 cut. Little do these thugs know is that if you plan to double-cross Porter, you'd better make sure he's dead. Porter resurfaces, wading into a lurid urban underworld of syndicate kingpins, cops on the take, sniveling informants and deadly gangs. Porter wants his money back and the way he sets out to get it assures that, from beginning to heartpounding end, Payback pays off big.
"...fast and furious!" ABC Radio
"[Mel Gibson]... gives one of his strongest performances..." Dallas Morning News
"Taught, tough and mean, Payback is terrific!" Joel Siegel, Good Morning America
Editor's Note
Mel Gibson is Porter, a ruthless criminal, who is gunned down by his wife and friend after they rob an Asian gang. When Porter survives the attack, he makes it his mission to exact revenge on his friend, who has used the robbery money to buy his way into a powerful syndicate. Added to the mix are crooked police officers, members of the syndicate, and the Asian gang, who are out for a bit of revenge themselves. Based on the series of novels by Donald E. Westlake, which were translated to the screen previously in John Boorman's POINT BLANK (1967).
| Features | English Dolby Surround | | French Dolby Surround | | Theatrical Trailer | | English 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital | | Widescreen Version | | English Subtitles | | Behind-The-Scenes Featurette | | Interactive Menus | | Scene Selection |
| Technical Info
|
Release Information
| | Studio: Paramount |
| Release Date: 1/25/2005 |
| Running Time: 101 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1999 | | Catalog ID: 336327 | | UPC: 00097363363279 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English [CC], English, French Dubbed | | Available Subtitles: English | | Video: Color |
| Cast & Crew
|
| | Professional Reviews | Entertainment Weekly
"...[PAYBACK] carries a low-down, vicious charge..." 03/12/1999 p.45Box Office
"...[With] a grittily compelling performance from Gibson..." 04/01/1999 p.237 USA Today
"...This movie has it all..." 02/05/1999 p.11E Chicago Sun-Times
"...Gibson has a whimsical charm..." 02/05/1999 p.31 Sight and Sound
"[A] satisfyingly uncompromising neo-noir, a fine valentine to the era of Siegel's CHARLEY VARRICK and Friedkin's THE FRENCH C ONNECTION." 08/01/2007 p.89 Boxoffice Magazine 0 of 10
...An intermittently engaging crime thriller that fuses elements of '30s era film noir with '70s era exploitation, the film is first and foremost a showpiece for Gibson, who steps out of his usual "good guy" shoes for a shot at playing a murderous, vengeful hood in search of stolen loot... Apart from two or three genuinely clever twists, Payback... is surprisingly derivative, although not unwatchable, salvaged by the overall stylishness of the execution and a grittily compelling performance from Gibson. As Porter, Gibson owns the film wholesale, making otherwise pedestrian contrivances seem almost credible while investing what should be a thoroughly reprehensible character with a twisted integrity that, at times, seems almost laudable. Viewers expecting a more pyrotechnic actioner, however, will likely be disappointed by the workmanlike pacing and dearth of major action scenes. Most of the film's thrills occur in fits and starts, bridging the gaps between the noir-like connect-the-dots detective work. Praiseworthy technical credits include Chris Boardman's retro-funk, Lalo Schifrin-esque score and cinematographer Ericson Core's grainy, monochromatic vision of urban and human sludge. - Wade Major
TNT's Rough Cut 0 of 10
Mel Gibson teams up (again) with writer-director Brian Helgeland (Conspiracy Theory, L.A. Confidential) to produce this entertaining festival of bullets and bad-asses... Paced more like a crime novel than a script for the silver screen, the film unwinds quickly as Porter shoots and grimaces his way through his revenge, one bad guy at a time. Though violent, the film is light-hearted and soaked with the usual Gibson charm, tempered slightly because he's a "bad guy," a role different from his previous ones mainly in that he's willing to steal cigarettes. Payback is [Helgeland's] directorial debut, and it shows -- the pacing is strange, it's more like a crime novel than a movie, developing little interest in anyone -- and if the lead were played by anyone else, the whole thing would likely fall flat. However, Gibson's screen presence, along with some predictably snappy dialogue and frequent violence keep the film interesting... - Marcus Sakey
|
| |
|
|
| |
__USERID__
http://www.buy.com/prod/payback/q/loc/322/40115034.html
|
|
|
| Customer Reviews | ![]() | | Cinematography |  4 | | Plot | 4 | | Acting | 4 | | Overall Satisfaction | 4 |
| |
5 of 5 'Payback' is a great 'Payoff' Monday, March 20, 2000
http://www.geocities.com/carboiii/CINEMACITE.html from Lewisville, Tx
This movie is not your typical Mel Gibson movie. He's not good, and he's not too bad, he's the classic anti-hero. This film is filmed in a
very dark way, the scenery is gloomy and bleak,
but the acting is fantastic. Mel Gibson plays a
shady-type character bent on getting back the
money that was stolen from him, no more, and no
less. He is relentless in his quest, and there is
no stopping him. That's the fun part about the film, is watching this quest. Like I said before,
don't expect Mel to be his typical charming self,
in fact, they go out of their way early in the film, to point out that he is not. Once you get
use to seeing him in this type of role, you'll
love this movie. Was this review helpful?  
3 of 5 Enjoy it ! Thursday, February 10, 2000
John from California
This is a nice movie, Gibson play a great huy in this movie. I do enjoy this movie ! Was this review helpful?
4 of 5 Mel is a good bad guy Tuesday, December 28, 1999
Crash from Tulsa, Ok
Mel is great as a bad guy, good movie, worth seeing. Was this review helpful?
5 of 5 I was rooting for the bad guy...Mel Gibson Saturday, October 09, 1999
artbell83 from Douglas, Georgia
This is one crazy would love to own it on DVD and watch it again and again. Was this review helpful?
4 of 5 EVERY ONE IS DIRTY Monday, August 16, 1999
Pluck from Port Neches, TX
There is not one innocent person in this whole movie. Gibson is great in this anti-hero role! Was this review helpful?
5 of 5 An excellent time - Gibson does a great job Sunday, August 08, 1999
A Viewer from Montclair, NJ
This is definately worth your time if you are a fan of Mel Gibson. The movie is violent, but Gibson is so smooth, it's definately impressive. It all fits together well. Was this review helpful?
5 of 5 Friday, August 06, 1999
A Viewer from
The antihero is one of the best ideas in movies and books going. You know this guy does not fit the mold, that he has done some really bad things in the past, but you then have to admire his qualities, including loyalty and his ability to get the job don Was this review helpful?
5 of 5 A good time with a bad guy Tuesday, August 03, 1999
Mule from Raleigh, NC
Mel is once again great. It is finally a relief to have a movie where you can root for the guy who is no hero or politicaly correct wuss. Somebody that is so bad that you can't help but like him. The reference to this movie being trash is a load of bull. A good movie that takes you away and leaves you saying man he is a bad s.o.b. . Was this review helpful?
2 of 5 Total Mindless Violence Sunday, August 01, 1999
A Viewer from Marietta, GA
If you took away Mel Gibson, this wouldn't even be a 'D' movie. It is violence for the sake of shock, only. It doesn't have a plot, the only acting involves pointing a gun at someone, and its silly to boot. I love Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, and most action movies. I hate for the makers of movies to think, we as a movie going (or buying)public are stupid. Seeing this movie in the Theater, or buying it now, just encourages makers of trash to continue to produce trash. If you must throw money away, rent this before you buy, maybe that will discourage you from purchasing it. Was this review helpful?
5 of 5 Great Movie For Some Fun And Entertainment Tuesday, July 27, 1999
jfelicia from Bloomington, IN
This is such an ideal movie for Mel Gibson. In this story Mel provides a non-continuous narration of this story which gives a great deal of insight into more than one character of this movie. Although Mel Gibson did not have to change his performance too much from his famous Lethal Weapon legacy, it was still perfect for the role played here. I would suggest this film to be very entertaining, but questionable for certain ages at certain points in this movie. That is to say I would not characterize this as a Family Show, but as an Action film directed to a mature audience. Was this review helpful?
|
Look For Similar Products By Category
|
