Payback

Released 1999
Stars Mel Gibson, Maria Bello, Gregg Henry, James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson, William Devane, David Paymer, Deborah Kara Unger
Directed by Brian Helgeland

Payback is the most viscerally involving thriller to be released in the last several months. Granted, the plot is far from air-tight (in fact, towards the end, it begins to resemble Swiss cheese), but the adrenaline level is heightened to the point where you probably won't start noticing the flaws until the end credits have finished.

Porter (Gibson) is a thief and a killer, which puts him in good company with the sadistic Val Resnick. Together, the pair, along with an assist from Porter's wife, pulls off a $140,000 heist. But then Resnick turns greedy, shoots Porter twice, and takes all the dough. He makes a big mistake, however: not assuring that Porter is dead. Five months later, recovered from his wounds, Porter is out for revenge. With only one ally - his girlfriend, Rosie - he decides to destroy the powerful criminal organization of which Resnick is a member.

Summary by James Berardinelli

Watch for James Coburn's cameo. It's hilarious. -- Bill Alward