Mel Gibson's latest movie Payback is less than spectacular. Although the tagline is "Get Ready to Root for the Bad Guy," Porter (Gibson) isn't really the bad guy in this movie. He's just one of the bad guys with even worse guys after him. Even though the movie would like to portray Porter as the bad guy, wherein the first five minutes he steals money from a Vietnam Vet, leaves no tip for a waitress, and steals a businessman's wallet, proceeding to use it to buy suits, watches, and get cash. Even though the movie is filled with kinky sex with a dominatrix and prostitutes, even though there is plenty of blood, guns, and ripped out nose-piercings, this movie still just doesn't measure up.

The story tries to piece together bits and pieces that seem at times to be plucked out of nowhere, and even though they kept it simple enough for a seven-year-old to follow, it's just not a great shred of story-telling. Based on The Hunter and rewritten for the novel Payback by Richard Stark, at the end of the movie it seems that there was just so much of the book that they couldn't include and they just left the holes open. To complicate this movie even more, it just so happens that everything just falls into place for Porter even without his trying. Although they would like you to think that he thought up the complicated plot and all of the traps by himself, it's just not probable and may be explained in the book how this two-timing con-artist outsmarts everyone and comes out on top (surprise, surprise).

Even though this movie had its flaws, most of the time it was entertaining, with only a few times when I got bored, but it certainly isn't worth paying over 7.00 for. It's good entertainment that's only worth a matinee price. If you're looking to see Mel Gibson play the part of the beat-up, bleeding profusely, pain withstanding, same old good/bad guy, this is the movie for you.

Genres: Action, Crime, Comedy
Rated: R
Runtime: 110 minutes
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