Payback: Critic Reviews

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

Its smirking sense of humor and generic self-consciousness suggest that Payback would like to think of itself as a hip descendant of Pulp Fiction. But the movie is utterly devoid of narrative ingenuity and visual and dramatic flair.

A sharp and funny script, understated acting, stylish.

Direction is choppy, the interplay between the characters is perfunctory, although not as perfunctory as the unearned ending.

Morally bankrupt, but it's rich entertainment!

There is much cleverness and ingenuity in Payback.

A mind-mangling disappointment, with a dopey sell-out ending.

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.

Sadly, though, Payback finally puts Gibson at the mercy of a torture and sadism sequence so attenuated and so painful to watch that it sabotages the picture's own quite solid instincts for theater, innovation and wit.

It's a good, strong shot for fans who like their crime stories rough and no-nonsense.

One big, ugly chase scene!

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 of viciousness.

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

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.

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.

A solid enough action comedy, albeit one that had a lot of potential to be wittier and darker.

A tough, entertaining homage to the kind of gritty '70s crime film that long ago gave way to a slicker yet tamer form of action movie ... Both the studio's cut and Helgeland's cut work about equally well.

This is the seediest studio picture I've seen since TO LIVE OR DIE IN LA. Even the theater floor feels stickier while watching this thing unfold.

Payback has its moments and its thrills, but the payoff just isn't there.

Payback is just Die Hard: Without a Soul.

The movie squanders its energy on morbid levels of grisly, kinky violence, much of it sexual.

A higher class of thriller.

Both star and director seem to be more interested in playing off perceptions of Gibson's on-screen persona than in actually telling the story, which lurches along from one violent set piece to the next.

...tries to be a no-nonsense action thriller, but it's undermined by its own plot silliness and by the unruffled attitude of its main character.