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This is the Mel Gibson (Porter) version of PAYBACK (Get Ready to Root For the Good Bad Guy) that I've been looking for, I have the Director's Cut version and I'm really not into Porter being killed off.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
OK movie. Lots of violence. If you watch this film, make sure you view this version and not the one labeled "director's cut", which is really a totally different movie for about the last 25%.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I saw the movie Payback with Mel Gibson when it first came out in it's original release and I really enjoy it. When the Director's Cut version came out I ordered it, figuring it would be the same original version but with additional cut footage. BOY, WAS I WRONG!! The Director's Cut version STINKS!!! The plot and ending is different and even charcters are sometimes changed. Compared to the original version, the D.C. version is more of a 'touchy, feely, gentler, story telling' thing. I even broke the D.C. DVD to symbolically 'erase' that P.O.S. from my mind!! And I ordered a DVD copy of the ORIGINAL and that's what this review is about! IF you want to see a GOOD, TOUGH MOVIE, get the earlier ORIGINAL VERSION and avoid the D.C. AT ALL COSTS!! WHAT WAS THAT DIRECTOR THINKING????Read full review
Not one of Mel Gibson's better films, but still entertaining. Filmed in the same sort of genre as Eastwood's "Dirty Harry" series or Bronson's "Death Wish" films, this film finds Gibson as Porter, a genuine bad-ass, who along with his wacky friend Val Resnik, decides to rob a bunch of Asian Mafia members for $130K. The heist goes well, but Porter doesn't know that the split has already been decided, all $130K for Val, and two bullets in the back for Porter - from his wife! Presuming Porter is dead, Val uses the money to buy his way back into the Mob. Porter's wife is a junkie so Val keeps her happy with drugs as she lives her life as a hooker. Problem is, Porter isn't dead. After about six months of healing and lying low, he resurfaces with a real urge to find Val. First he finds his wife, who is terrified that he is going to kill her. He has no such plan, but is intent on making her clean up. He throws away all of her junk, but she has a stash and OD's and dies. Porter finds her dead the next morning, just in time for her dope dealer to show up with more drugs. Porter encourages the guy to tell him where the dope is coming from and goes to visit the guy. The guy's name is Stegman, and he has two dirty cops in his pocket who are ready to shakedown anybody they can. When Porter shows up, Stegman tries to shine him on, but soon finds out that Porter isn't the kind who takes NO for an answer. He makes it pretty clear that unless Stegman gets in touch with Resnik, and delivers his message, that Porter wants his $70,000 - NOW, that he is a dead man. Stegman puts the dirty cops on Porter, and now they want the money too. Porter used to drive for a girl (hooker) named Rosie. His ex-wife saw a picture of Rosie and Porter and that's why she shot him. Rosie thinks Porter is dead, and is surprised when he calls. He enlists her help in finding Val. She tells Porter that Val beat he up a year before an she is obviously afraid of him. Porter pays Val a visit and gives him a day to get his money back. Val agrees, but all along plans a double cross and tries to turn him over to the Asians. Just about when Porter is about to be killed, the two crooked cops show up - protecting their investment! The "Outfit" finds out that Val is in deep trouble with Porter, and tries to take him out, but Porter kills all four guys sent. He is staying with Rosie, and when Val comes to kill him, he just left. Val begins beating Rosie, but Porter returns suddenly and kills him. Rosie and Porter go into hiding, and now Porter goes after Val's bosses. He winds up killing many of them and taking the head guy's son as a hostage until the $70K is returned. Of course they say NO, but in typical "B" movie style he gets what he wants. After killing Resnik, he plants his gun with the cop's prints on it, along with one of the cop's badges next to the body, framing both for murder. Stegman tries to turn Porter over to the mob, but the Asians show up just in time and kill Stegman. The mob guys snatch Porter, looking for the boss' son. After a bit of torture, Porter leads them to his ex-wife's apartment, which was rigged with a bomb on the telephone line. He is locked inside the car trunk and they go inside to rescue the boss' son. Porter escapes from the trunk and places a call to the telephone inside killing all of the mob guys. He now has all $130K that Resnik gave them. He drives away and meets Rosie. Together they go off to Canada.Read full review
Mel Gibson leads a fine ensemble cast in a film noire about a criminal, shot by his wife and a co-criminal, who only wants a fair exchange, once he recovers. A great example of how simply listening and cutting losses, rather than assuming a man bent on revenge is insane, would have saved a lot of trouble for the criminal outfit. Brutish and violent, psychotic behavior toward a deserving audience of criminals, this is a film for adults, not for the young or squeamish.
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