PAYBACK (1999)

MORGAN'S RATING

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.

Mel Gibson (Porter), Gregg Henry (Val Resnick), Maria Bello (Rosie), David Paymer (Arthur Stegman), Bill Duke (Detective Hicks), Deborah Kara Unger (Mrs. Lynn Porter), John Glover (Phil), William Devane (Carter), Lucy Liu (Pearl), Jack Conley (Detective Leary), Kris Kristofferson (Bronson), Mark Alfa (Johnny's Friend), Kwame Amoaku (Radioman), Justin Ashforth (Michael the Bartender), Len Bajenski (Fairbax Bodyguard), Kate Buddeke (Counter Girl), Price Carson (Bronson's Heavy), Roddy Chiong (Chow Thug), Art Cohan (Bronson's Heavy), Andrew Cooper (Whipping Boy), James Deuter (Tailor), Doc Duhame (Fatboy), David Dunard (Doctor), Nathan Effron (Johnny's Friend), Brian Heinberg (Bartender), Jeff Imada (Chow's Bodyguard), Michael Park Ingram (Chow's Thug), Robert Kim (Chow's Courier), Turk Muller (Black Suit), Yasen Peyankov (Panhandler), Ed Pfeifer (Edward Johnson), Katrina Phillips (Bank Teller), Freddy Rodriguez (Punk Messenger), Michael Skewes (Fairfax Bodyguard), Trevor St. John (Johnny Bronson), Lee Stepp (Bar Patron), Tedd Taskey (Waiter), Manu Tupou (Pawnbroker), Marc Vinn (Gray), James Coburn (Justin Fairfax, uncredited).

GET READY TO ROOT FOR THE BAD GUY.

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

DIRECTOR: Brian Helgeland. WRITERS: Brian Helgeland and Terry Hayes, and based on the novel The Hunter by Donald E. Westlake. PRODUCER: Bruce Davey. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Stephen McEveety. ORIGINAL MUSIC: Chris Boardman. DISTRIBUTOR: Paramount Pictures.

QUOTES

Bronson: Tell me where John is and I'll finish you quick. I promise you won't have to find out what your left ball takes like.

Porter: Crooked cops. Do they come in any other way? If I'd been just a little dumber, I could have joined the force myself.

Stegman: It's ok, Val, this meal's on me. Val: Do you see me reaching for my fucking wallet?!

FACTS

Pearl: [seductively] I've got a few minutes. Porter: So go boil an egg.

RELEASE DATE: February 5th, 1999 (USA) BOX OFFICE OPENING: $21.2 million (USA) BOX OFFICE RESULT: $81.5 million (USA) BUDGET: $50 million (USA) SHOOTING DATES: October 1997 -- January 1998 RE-SHOOTS: June 1998 -- August 1998 - 30% of the film was re-shot when Brian Helgeland was replaced as director. - For release in Australia, the U.S. tagline was changed to "Get ready for CHEER for the bad guy" because Mel Gibson himself pointed out, in Australia, 'to root' is slang for "to have sexual intercourse". - Almost all of the telephones in the movie (even the one in the limousine) are rotary, not tough-tone.

Porter: Not many people know what their life's worth is. I do. Seventy grand. That's what they took from me. And that's what I was going to get back.

Porter: We were going for breakfast...in Canada. We made a deal; if she'd stop hookin', I'd stop shooting people. [pause] Porter: Maybe we were aiming high.

[After knocking Rosie down] Val: Hubba, hubba, hubba! I knew I'd seen that ass before.

Val: The problem with kicking a Chow's ass is an hour later you wanna do it again.

"Direction is choppy, the interplay between the characters is perfunctory, although not as perfunctory as the unearned ending." -- Jay Carr, Boston Globe

CRITICAL COMMENTS

"This movie is packed with surprises, gunfire and humor; it's a fun action flick you shouldn't miss." -- Ross Anthony, Hollywood Report Card

"There is much cleverness and ingenuity in Payback." -- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times

"It's a good strong shot for fans who like their crime stories rough and no-nonsense." -- Bob Fenster, Arizona Republic

"So generic that it sometimes approaches the self-parody of a Naked Gun movie!" -- Kevin Maynard, Mr. Showbiz

"Sadism is the film's only real subject, and it's only real life as well." -- Owen Gleiberman, EW

"What it lacks in originality, Payback tries to make up for in sadistic gore. " -- Stephen Holden, New York Times