Djdoubt03
10-19-2008, 01:02 AM
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide1.jpg
Hard-boiled cop and video game icon
Come October 17, Mark Wahlberg takes the lead role in the movie Max Payne, based on the hard-boiled cop and video game icon, Max Payne. For gamers, the thought of their favorite characters becoming Hollywood stars conjures such horrific film failures such as Super Mario Bros, Double Dragon and any Uwe Boll flick. This time, however, early trailers and promotional materials have struck the right chord with fans. So what should you know about the man with nothing to lose before shelling out your cash at the box office?
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide2.jpg
A NYC detective living the American dream
The Max Payne saga began in 2001 when a relatively unknown Finnish developer named Remedy crafted the original title for the PC, Xbox and PlayStation 2. Billed as the ultimate tribute to classic John Woo films, Max Payne tells the story of an NYC detective living the American dream, until a gang of junkies violently murders his family, sending Payne on a vengeful rampage to discover the truth. This seemingly average plot was narrated with a film noir style reminiscent of the hard-boiled detective fiction found in the early 1930s.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide3.jpg
Moonlighting Programmers' New Roles
The graphic novel cut scenes utilized by Remedy throughout the game compounded the narrative style of Max Payne. These scenes featured a cast of live actors made up of Remedy employees, including the lead writer and original face of Max, Sam Lake, who would then be photographed and heavily manipulated into the final, visual novel results. This method of storytelling was used again in the sequel, Max Payne 2, but real actors replaced the moonlighting programmers.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide4.jpg
Love that Bullet Time
Max Payne was one of the first video games to incorporate the slow motion effect known as "bullet time" into gameplay. While Remedy originally intended to utilize this technique as an homage to the epic-slow-motion-doves-fluttering-about-the-air moments found in John Woo films, critics and players couldn't help but draw comparisons to the then popular Matrix films. Either way, bullet time helped Remedy push over seven million copies of the game worldwide.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide5.jpg
Writer Swap
Shortly after the release of Max Payne, Collision Entertainment paid for the rights to create a full length feature film. A year later in 2002, Dimension Films entered the fray as a distributor, bringing with them Shawn Ryan of "The Shield" fame to pen the script. By 2005, however, Max Payne's film debut hadn't gotten off the ground, much less the planning stages and so both Dimension and Ryan exited the project, leaving Collision Entertainment to shop the project around until 20th Century Fox took up the reigns along with first time film writer, Beau Thorne.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide6.jpg
Max Payne's Barbie Connection
While not developed by Remedy, Rockstar Leeds (then known as Mobius Interactive) ported Max Payne to Nintendo's Game Boy Advance and, in the process, crafted one of the only Mature rated titles in the platform's history. For an isometric take on a third-person shooter, it was actually quite decent. Not only did it retain Max's signature bullet time gameplay, but it also featured most of the graphic novel cut scenes, complete with voice acting. Not bad for a developer previously known for making video games like American Idol and Barbie Horse Adventures.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide7.jpg
Max Payne's Second Coming
In 2003, Remedy released Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne. The video game was a massive upgrade as just about every respect including greatly enhanced graphics, improved bullet time mechanics and a more emotional narrative. Staying true to their innovative roots, Max Payne 2 is also one of the first games to incorporate the Havok 2.0 physics engine for more realistic carnage. While a well deserved critical success, it was a commercial failure, finding its way to bargain bins around the world in a matter of weeks.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide8b.jpg
Developers Leap to Alan Wake
As Remedy is hard at work on their next big game, Alan Wake in 2007, 20th Century Fox is going ahead with the film adaptation of Max Payne, placing John Moore (Behind Enemy Lines, The Omen) behind the camera with Mark Wahlberg (The Departed, The Italian Job, The Funky Bunch) taking up the lead role. By the time filming begins in early 2008, Mila Kunis, Beau Bridges, Chris O'Donnell, Nelly Furtado and rapper Ludacris have joined the cast as well.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide9b.jpg
Wahlberg's Afraid of Games?
After Wahlberg's performance in The Departed, few seemed willing to question his ability to take up the role of Max Payne. That is, of course, until San Diego's International Comic-Con where he opened up about his lack of studying for his role, or should we say, refusal to do so. "I didn't want to play [the game] because I have an addictive personality," said Wahlberg, worrying it would affect his family life. "I don't want to be spending 14 hours on the video game and then eight hours on the set. It's not going to work out." Internet nerd rage leaned towards the boiling point with this statement.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide10.jpg
Now Walhberg's First Video Game Stint?
But can anyone really blame Mr. Wahlberg for his fear of video games? The man starred in the 1992 Sega CD tragedy, Marky Mark: Make My Video, back when he was the leader of the vibration feeling Funky Bunch. He isn't alone in this ensemble as his co-star, Beau Bridges, played the role of Jimmy Wood's father in 1989's (totally awesome) Nintendo-ad-turned-film, The Wizard. Chris O'Donnell starred in those awful Batman films in the '90s, meaning his likeness has been plastered on even worse games. Ludacris looks to be the only winner amongst the cast, only starring in the Def Jam series of brawlers.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide11.jpg
Ludacris, Games and Movie Creds
Being the only cast member not scarred for life by a vicious video game outing, we fully expect that Ludacris has studied his character from the video game which just so happens to be ... a crusty, old white man. The role of Deputy Police Chief Jim Bravura is definitely the biggest curve ball in Max's transition from game to film, but fans have plenty of other details to fret over.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide12.jpg
Please... not another Constantine
The much bemoaned Valkyrie that seem to be the entire focus of early trailers have been driving fans up the walls. Is Max Payne going the way of Constantine, battling mythological demons and the devil's army? Or are the Valkyrie just visual representations of the maddening trips caused by the designer drug Valkyr, a vital piece of the games original plot? There's enough evidence to make a case for both conclusions, with the language and physicality of the beasts leaning towards the former and the Valkyr symbols and other visual aides hinting towards the latter. At the very least, the Aesir Corporation, the creators of the drug, have been spotted in multiple clips, ensuring their involvement.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide13.jpg
[Bullet Time Galore
One aspect of the film that doesn't seem up for debate is the usage of bullet time. There's so much slow motion going on you'd think it were directed by Jonathan Blow. From diving about the screen, firing shotguns backwards and all sorts of other tricks, prepare to see Mark Wahlberg frame by frame by frame. Think of it as a throwback to his Calvin Klein modeling days, only with less nudity and more automatic weapons.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide14.jpg
DVD Extras for Gamers
As if to satiate the rabid fan base, a recently released trailer for the film was done up in a graphic novel fashion and even went as far to use some select quotes direct from Remedy's original title. Along with this extra goody, director John Moore told GameDaily that he plans to include a special Gamer Dedicated Cut of the film with the DVD release. "It's a little slower and a little more atmospheric," said Moore of his special cut. "The movie you see in the theaters will be an intense experience and the movie you see on DVD will be as intense an experience with some extra sensibilities for people who really adore the game."
Source (http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/max-payne-the-movie-primer)
Hard-boiled cop and video game icon
Come October 17, Mark Wahlberg takes the lead role in the movie Max Payne, based on the hard-boiled cop and video game icon, Max Payne. For gamers, the thought of their favorite characters becoming Hollywood stars conjures such horrific film failures such as Super Mario Bros, Double Dragon and any Uwe Boll flick. This time, however, early trailers and promotional materials have struck the right chord with fans. So what should you know about the man with nothing to lose before shelling out your cash at the box office?
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide2.jpg
A NYC detective living the American dream
The Max Payne saga began in 2001 when a relatively unknown Finnish developer named Remedy crafted the original title for the PC, Xbox and PlayStation 2. Billed as the ultimate tribute to classic John Woo films, Max Payne tells the story of an NYC detective living the American dream, until a gang of junkies violently murders his family, sending Payne on a vengeful rampage to discover the truth. This seemingly average plot was narrated with a film noir style reminiscent of the hard-boiled detective fiction found in the early 1930s.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide3.jpg
Moonlighting Programmers' New Roles
The graphic novel cut scenes utilized by Remedy throughout the game compounded the narrative style of Max Payne. These scenes featured a cast of live actors made up of Remedy employees, including the lead writer and original face of Max, Sam Lake, who would then be photographed and heavily manipulated into the final, visual novel results. This method of storytelling was used again in the sequel, Max Payne 2, but real actors replaced the moonlighting programmers.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide4.jpg
Love that Bullet Time
Max Payne was one of the first video games to incorporate the slow motion effect known as "bullet time" into gameplay. While Remedy originally intended to utilize this technique as an homage to the epic-slow-motion-doves-fluttering-about-the-air moments found in John Woo films, critics and players couldn't help but draw comparisons to the then popular Matrix films. Either way, bullet time helped Remedy push over seven million copies of the game worldwide.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide5.jpg
Writer Swap
Shortly after the release of Max Payne, Collision Entertainment paid for the rights to create a full length feature film. A year later in 2002, Dimension Films entered the fray as a distributor, bringing with them Shawn Ryan of "The Shield" fame to pen the script. By 2005, however, Max Payne's film debut hadn't gotten off the ground, much less the planning stages and so both Dimension and Ryan exited the project, leaving Collision Entertainment to shop the project around until 20th Century Fox took up the reigns along with first time film writer, Beau Thorne.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide6.jpg
Max Payne's Barbie Connection
While not developed by Remedy, Rockstar Leeds (then known as Mobius Interactive) ported Max Payne to Nintendo's Game Boy Advance and, in the process, crafted one of the only Mature rated titles in the platform's history. For an isometric take on a third-person shooter, it was actually quite decent. Not only did it retain Max's signature bullet time gameplay, but it also featured most of the graphic novel cut scenes, complete with voice acting. Not bad for a developer previously known for making video games like American Idol and Barbie Horse Adventures.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide7.jpg
Max Payne's Second Coming
In 2003, Remedy released Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne. The video game was a massive upgrade as just about every respect including greatly enhanced graphics, improved bullet time mechanics and a more emotional narrative. Staying true to their innovative roots, Max Payne 2 is also one of the first games to incorporate the Havok 2.0 physics engine for more realistic carnage. While a well deserved critical success, it was a commercial failure, finding its way to bargain bins around the world in a matter of weeks.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide8b.jpg
Developers Leap to Alan Wake
As Remedy is hard at work on their next big game, Alan Wake in 2007, 20th Century Fox is going ahead with the film adaptation of Max Payne, placing John Moore (Behind Enemy Lines, The Omen) behind the camera with Mark Wahlberg (The Departed, The Italian Job, The Funky Bunch) taking up the lead role. By the time filming begins in early 2008, Mila Kunis, Beau Bridges, Chris O'Donnell, Nelly Furtado and rapper Ludacris have joined the cast as well.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide9b.jpg
Wahlberg's Afraid of Games?
After Wahlberg's performance in The Departed, few seemed willing to question his ability to take up the role of Max Payne. That is, of course, until San Diego's International Comic-Con where he opened up about his lack of studying for his role, or should we say, refusal to do so. "I didn't want to play [the game] because I have an addictive personality," said Wahlberg, worrying it would affect his family life. "I don't want to be spending 14 hours on the video game and then eight hours on the set. It's not going to work out." Internet nerd rage leaned towards the boiling point with this statement.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide10.jpg
Now Walhberg's First Video Game Stint?
But can anyone really blame Mr. Wahlberg for his fear of video games? The man starred in the 1992 Sega CD tragedy, Marky Mark: Make My Video, back when he was the leader of the vibration feeling Funky Bunch. He isn't alone in this ensemble as his co-star, Beau Bridges, played the role of Jimmy Wood's father in 1989's (totally awesome) Nintendo-ad-turned-film, The Wizard. Chris O'Donnell starred in those awful Batman films in the '90s, meaning his likeness has been plastered on even worse games. Ludacris looks to be the only winner amongst the cast, only starring in the Def Jam series of brawlers.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide11.jpg
Ludacris, Games and Movie Creds
Being the only cast member not scarred for life by a vicious video game outing, we fully expect that Ludacris has studied his character from the video game which just so happens to be ... a crusty, old white man. The role of Deputy Police Chief Jim Bravura is definitely the biggest curve ball in Max's transition from game to film, but fans have plenty of other details to fret over.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide12.jpg
Please... not another Constantine
The much bemoaned Valkyrie that seem to be the entire focus of early trailers have been driving fans up the walls. Is Max Payne going the way of Constantine, battling mythological demons and the devil's army? Or are the Valkyrie just visual representations of the maddening trips caused by the designer drug Valkyr, a vital piece of the games original plot? There's enough evidence to make a case for both conclusions, with the language and physicality of the beasts leaning towards the former and the Valkyr symbols and other visual aides hinting towards the latter. At the very least, the Aesir Corporation, the creators of the drug, have been spotted in multiple clips, ensuring their involvement.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide13.jpg
[Bullet Time Galore
One aspect of the film that doesn't seem up for debate is the usage of bullet time. There's so much slow motion going on you'd think it were directed by Jonathan Blow. From diving about the screen, firing shotguns backwards and all sorts of other tricks, prepare to see Mark Wahlberg frame by frame by frame. Think of it as a throwback to his Calvin Klein modeling days, only with less nudity and more automatic weapons.
http://o.aolcdn.com/gd-media/galleries/575/max_slide14.jpg
DVD Extras for Gamers
As if to satiate the rabid fan base, a recently released trailer for the film was done up in a graphic novel fashion and even went as far to use some select quotes direct from Remedy's original title. Along with this extra goody, director John Moore told GameDaily that he plans to include a special Gamer Dedicated Cut of the film with the DVD release. "It's a little slower and a little more atmospheric," said Moore of his special cut. "The movie you see in the theaters will be an intense experience and the movie you see on DVD will be as intense an experience with some extra sensibilities for people who really adore the game."
Source (http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/max-payne-the-movie-primer)