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Mel Gibson, Gregg Henry, Maria Bello, Deborah Kara Unger, David Paymer ... see more see more... , Bill Duke , Jack Conley , William Devane , Kris Kristofferson , John Glover , Lucy Liu , James Coburn

Porter (Mel Gibson) is pulled into a heist by his old friend, Val (Brian De Palma regular, Gregg Henry). As they're stealing $130,000 in laundered drug money from Chinese Triads, no one is going to ca... read more read more...ll the police. Everything goes smoothly until Porter's wife, Lynn (Deborah Kara Unger), shoots Porter in the back. After Val had shown Lynn a photo of Porter in the arms of another girl (Maria Bello), the two planned the double-cross together to pay off Val's mob debts so he could return to "The Syndicate." They didn't plan well enough, though, because five months later Porter's back, a complete sociopath who wants his $70,000. Brian Helgeland, the screenwriter for L.A. Confidential and Conspiracy Theory, makes his directing debut with this adaptation of the novel The Hunter by Donald E. Westlake writing under the pseudonym, Richard Stark. The same novel served as the basis for John Boorman's Point Blank starring Lee Marvin. ~ Chris Gore, Rovi

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53% liked it

73 critics

R, 1 hr. 50 min.

Directed by: Brian Helgeland

Release Date: February 5, 1999

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DVD Release Date: July 27, 1999

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Flixster Reviews (2,708)

  • phubbs1
    April 7, 2012
    phubbs1
    OK can I just say firstly...Lucy Liu and her character, LOVE it! :D absolutely my kinda woman in every sense hehe Liu is soooo damn gorgeous. Right that's my little perversion out in the open and out of the way, yep I'm a fetish freak...deal with it.

    So apart from the delicious ... read morescenes with Liu what about the rest of the film? well its basically pretty darn good folks. In my view this is Gibson's last good film in an acting role, I also think its one of his best action thrillers too riding high alongside 'Lethal Weapon 1+2'.

    There is a quite different directors cut of this film which is suppose to be more straight forward, I cannot comment on that as yet but personally I have always liked this film and see nothing wrong with it really. Sure its a little cliched and you always know Gibson will win in the end but he does get knocked around allot which is reasonably surprising for the good looking 'hero'.
    Casting is great for all the characters here with a great slimy weaselly performance from Henry as 'Resnick', Paymer as the even more weaselly wet 'Stegman', Kristofferson is...well kinda as he always is and add some good backing in small roles from Bill Duke, John Glover and James Coburn, solid reliable casting there.

    Violence is hard fast and totally enjoyable without there being that much blood, but you know what's happening, its adult only and it rocks. Thing is its all quite believeable too, its not just ridiculous over the top violence with no sense of realism, it all works well along with Gibson's little traps and setups.
    I like the look of the film also, its almost in black and white, the picture is very bleak or washed out, kinda faded looking, shades of greys, blues, blacks and silver with not much else. Sounds odd but it sets the tone for the film whilst giving it some added class or distinction.

    You can't go wrong here really, think 'Riggs' outta 'Lethal Weapon' only he's more badass and the series of events he's involved in are more sensible and darker.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    March 30, 2012
    TheDudeLebowski65
    I've first seen Payback way back when kit was first released, and I thought it was a pretty decent film. Looking back at it over ten years on, I still feel the same way. This is still an entertaining film and despite it not being perfect, it still a mindless revenge romp that del... read moreivers thrills. Mel Gibson is good here, but compared to his other roles, this one lack a bit. Still for the most part, Payback manages to be thrilling despite its imperfections. For me this was a decent film, and it good elements to make it watchable. Payback is good to watch if you have nothing else better to watch. The film has good action, a pretty good plot, but I felt it lacked something to really make it a memorable film that would stand out. Mel Gibson here, and though he's far from the Mad Max films and Braveheart; he still manages to make this film work well enough for it to be watchable. If you love revenge flicks, then this is your film, although not great, it's still worth watching. I view this film like a popcorn action flick that is simply mindless that doesn't make you think too much. The film is a decent enough viewing experience, but you can tell that it could have been so much better too. Mel Gibson is good here, and this is actually one of better films of the 90's, aside from Braveheart. Go in with an open mind like I did, and you may not be disappointed. Payback has its flaws, but is pretty thrilling a good enough film to watch on a Friday night.
  • ythelastman89
    August 16, 2011
    ythelastman89
    This is in my opinion the only way to experience Payback. While there is a director's cut and it isn't all that bad, this is just a way better movie. Mel Gibson did something that few producers have been able to do; outclass the director and make a better movie as a result. The c... read morehanges he made were the right thing to do. This cut is so much more developed, original and just flat out cool in this edition. I think this is actually one of my favorite Mel Gibson performances because it's so reserved, yet he still manages to have the edge that is his trademark. I think one of my favorite additions here is Kris Kristofferson; this movie needed a good villain and he plays one extremely well. The rest of the cast is great here too; William Devane and James Coburn have some amazing cameos. I also like that this movie plays around with the film noir genre instead of trying to make a carbon copy of one. It has stereotypes in there, but changes them around and pokes fun at some of the cliches. This movie is incredibly easy to enjoy and in my opinion is pretty air tight. I love the way they balance the extreme violence and uncompromising nature of Mel Gibson as Porter and somehow make him a likable character. I think part of it is due to the fact that he's just an honest guy trying to get back his 70,000 dollars back. I think anyone just looking for a straight-forward, flawless action movie couldn't find much better than Payback.
  • murphmann93
    June 23, 2011
    murphmann93
    Loved this film! Scary yet at times quite funny. A must see!
  • matertenebraum
    May 13, 2011
    matertenebraum
    How much is $70,000 worth to you? I'm sure that right now 70 grand would come in real handy. But is it worth numerous beatings, getting shot, being run over and having your toes mashed by a hammer? It is to Porter.

    I'm sure you're aware of the plot to this film (vengence, old fl... read moreames and mucho violence) but that barely scratches the surface of this brilliant little noir. Whilst the story is basic the nuts and bolts used to make it are complex, twisting and not quite what you expect. For a start there are the characters. No good guys. Not one. Porter is a criminal. He's not even a particularly nice one. He's a killer, a thief, a thug, a gambler, a cheater, a liar and I bet he doesn't even pay his taxes. Likewise everybody else. Sadists, murderers, corrupt cops, drug dealers, gang members, mobsters, hookers. They're all here in their various shades of bad.

    The success of this film relies on two people: Gibson and screenwriter/director Brian Helgeland. With the lead gleefully playing against his nice guy image Porter is as nasty as they come but still retains such charm and Gibsons trademark grin that not for one moment do you dislike him. He's cool in a way that Bruce Willis' Jackal never was. He quietly slipped across continents with hi-tech equipment in various guises waiting for his moment. Porter just walks into the hoods house with nothing but a revolver and asks for his money back. A lot of the comments I've read say that Porter is mean. He isn't. He'll just do what it takes to get his money back. He has nothing to loose so why not do it anyway. Porter is who Riggs would be if he'd never met Murtaugh. Out of control, against massive odds but just crazy enough not to give a damn.

    Helgeland shows real talent as a director in his first time outing. As a scriptwriter he's always been in the upper classes with a talent for mixing unrepentant violence with uneasy humour. Here he shows he can tell a damn good story along with writing it. Nothing happens the way it's supposed to. We're used to good guys threatening to kill but always really bluffing. Porter isn't. He'll ask for what he wants, he doesn't get it, BANG, you're dead. People die at the wrong time too. Characters that are supposed to last until the end die in the middle while minors that only just arrive survive only to get whacked by the finish anyway. The motivation is all wrong as well. 70,000 is chump change to these people. The mobsters are wearing suits worth more than that. But Porter wants that and nothing more. He spends most of the film correcting people who think he's after more.

    While based on the same source material as Point Blank, Payback is nothing like it stylistically. The first used understated violence. Payback goes for the jugular and rips it out with copious amounts of rheseus negative. It's hard to see this film working without this combo of star and director. If you had, say Sylvester Stallone or Nicolas Cage and Richard Donner or Joel Schumacher in charge you'd just have a bunch of nasty people doing nasty things with none of the ghoulishly comic touches that make Porter cool. Be thankful it's the combination it is and then go and see it. If you like thrillers you'll love this.
  • fb733768972
    March 20, 2011
    fb733768972
    I have always been a fan of Mel Gibson, but watching this film was like the timespan of brushing your teeth. This film is always interesting, but it begins very slow, progresses very slow, and the pace never get's faster. By the end of the film, you role the toothpaste as hard as... read more your possibly can to get the rest of it, and the story unfolds. So for the 100 minute film that it is, 90 minutes is curiousness of what the outcome is going to be, which I did not mind, but it was far to boring at points and needed to get moving. Which is exactly what I saw in the directors eyes, because when the film can't seem to go any further, random actions occur, and within 5 minutes about 5-10 people die and the conclusion of the film is here. I am not say it is a waste of time, but it is definitely something I have seen many times in the past, and many times to come. Payback is a really average revenge story that was pretty boring, but still interesting. Unless your a die hard Mel Gibson fan, I say steer clear from this for a while, even though it is mildly enjoyable!
  • 76Majikat
    February 19, 2011
    76Majikat
    One of my old favourites, which is unfortunately dating. Took a little while to warm up, but the sneaky tactics of the man who has nothing to lose, makes for an intersesting revenge plot, certainly one of Gibson's better films.
  • MrMarakai
    January 13, 2011
    MrMarakai
    "L.A. Confidential" screenwriter Brian Helgeland makes his directorial debut with this remake of John Boorman's "Point Blank". The commanding presence of Lee Marvin may be gone but this time we get an uncompromising, bad-ass Mel Gibson taking centre stage.
    Armed robber Porter (G... read moreibson), is double-crossed, shot in the back and left for dead by his ambitious partner Resnick (Gregg Henry) and junkie wife (Deborah Kara Unger), who also take $70,000 from him. Once, the bullets are removed and he's fighting fit again, he chases down a parade of low lives in a violent bid to get even and grab his share of the loot.
    We are introduced to Porter during the opening credits as he steals from a homeless man, doesn't tip his waitress, and basically just shows a mean-spirited disregard for everyone around him. He's a deliciously nasty character and probably Gibson's finest role to date. This is a gritty modern noir with everything you could possibly want. It has the voice-over, an anti-hero, arch enemies, femme fatales and also a sense of humour. Not to mention having a great seventies feel to it, and boasting three prominent seventies actors in William Devane, Kris Kristofferson & James Coburn as the crime lord's Porter is out to get. Despite all this though, it seems everything I liked about this film was - surprisingly - the studio's doing. Helgeland was sacked during the making of the film and as a result, he released his director's cut at a later date. One of these studio additions is a wonderful monochromatic look with the colour desaturated, adding further weight to a Film-Noir. I haven't seen Helgeland's cut yet but I doubt it'll change my opinion of this version and I never thought I'd find myself saying I like what a studio has done to a film.
    All the performances are delightfully sleazy or menacing with the highlights being Gregg Henry who lends some excellent support as Porter's sleazy double-crossing partner and Gibson has never been better. Like a cross between the ruthlessness of his "Mad Max" and craziness of his "Lethal Weapon" characters.
    It may leave a bad taste for some but I found this to be an uncompromising and highly enjoyable guilty pleasure.
  • SirPant
    January 25, 2010
    SirPant
    Payback is a weird tribute to film noir, with Gibson playing an odd mix of Dirty Harry, Philip Marlowe and....himself. It's ok, a bit predictable maybe, could have done with at least one twist but, it is what it is, a very average revenge film.
  • ScoopOnline
    December 8, 2009
    ScoopOnline
    One of the greatest Movie with Mel Gibson.

View All Payback Reviews

Critic Reviews

Jeff Strickler
November 6, 2002
Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Demonstrates why Mel Gibson is a movie star: He can take mediocre material and through sheer willpower -- not to mention oodles of charm -- make it work. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
June 18, 2002
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

A higher class of thriller. Full Review

Liam Lacey
March 22, 2002
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

It quickly slides into a Lethal Weapon without Danny Glover, complete with blowups and wisecracks, gratuitous torture scenes and Gibson in familiar form as the twinkling rascal who makes a virtue out ... Full Review

Peter Travers
May 11, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

In the popcorn sense, it certainly delivers on mindless escapism. In the artistic sense, let's just say that Payback is a long way from Point Blank.

Kenneth Turan
February 14, 2001
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

It's undone not so much by the shadow of Lee Marvin falling heavily on it (which it does) as by the twin obstacles of big star image and, more to the point, excessive violence. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

There is much cleverness and ingenuity in Payback. Full Review

Owen Gleiberman
January 1, 2000
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

Sadism is the film's only real subject, and its only real life as well. Full Review

Michael O'Sullivan
January 1, 2000
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post

A sharp and funny script, understated acting, stylish. Full Review

(CNN.com) Paul Clinton
January 1, 2000
(CNN.com) Paul Clinton, CNN.com

This film is riddled with cliches and impossible situations. Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

It is well written, contains a flock of colorful characters, and gives star Mel Gibson a number of great one-liners. Full Review

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Payback Trivia

  • in the film of (payback) what is the name of the star?  Answer »
  • In "Payback", in the apartment scene, after Lucy Liu finished kicking Gregg Henry's ass, she says to Mel Gibson: "I've got a few minutes". What was Mel Gibson's answer?  Answer »
  • Near the end of the movie Payback, how many toes does Porter (Mel Gibson) get hammered?  Answer »
  • The Mel Gibson film Payback was released in which year?  Answer »
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