In the late 1990s most people were familiar with the mediocre quality of recent Mel Gibson vehicles. Films such as Ransom, Conspiracy Theory, and Payback were all of such poor quality it was hard to believe Gibson would ever reach the heights he had with other, superior action films (Tequila Sunrise comes to mind).
Arguably the worst of these films, Payback, was met with immediate disdain by most critics due to its bizarre mixture of unnecessary torture sequences and unrealistic but optimistic situations. Consider a scene where Porter, a dog named after Mel Gibson's protagonist, is shot several times by the antagonist, but is found to have survived.
In 2005, Paramount saw fit to allow the director, Brian Helgeland, writer of the brilliant L.A. Confidential, to re-edit the film as he desired. This process would lead to the establishment of Payback as an excellent action thriller, eliminating the dreadful voice-over, the bizarre torture sequences, the dog's miraculous recovery, as well as any and all traces of Kris Kristofferson's pitiful performance as a replacement for Sally Kellerman's voice as the menacing Bronson.
Payback opens with Mel Gibson, Porter in this case, walking purposefully down the street towards an unknown but specific destination. It closes with Porter in a car next to the provocative Rosie (the wonderful as always Maria Bello), passing out and possibly dying, with the vague last words, “Just drive.” How Helgeland turned what was a subpar effort on all parts into one of the most interesting and open-ended films of Gibson's career is anyone's guess, but I suggest the answer lies in the perpetuity of his vision and his constitution in carrying it out. The power of such a simple procedure as removing the voice-over is reminiscent of the transformation of the similarly bewildering theatrical release of 1982's Blade Runner, adding ambiguity where there was once information super-saturation.
Article comments
1 - El Bicho
Great movie although odd name for a series since "The Bad Sleep Well."
2 - Joshua Wiebe
It's more of a play on the paradoxical nature of that saying, since the bad theoretically shouldn't sleep well, and neither should these films. Pretty poor excuse, but like Welles and Hemingway without the genius, I'm just no good at coming up with names.
3 - sam
Gawr, kchris kristofferson is awesome what are you talking about when he tells mel gibson to give up or he'll make him taste his own nuts I was like gawr that's rad and was totally rooting for some nut tasting you don't know anything about films why don't you write about some really underrated films like 3 Fast three furryous that was awesome that honda civic was like VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM and vin diesel is so awesome have ou seen pacifier WAYYY more underrated than your movies i'd be embarassed to call myself a critic and not have anything about how underrated the deez is thats my nickname for him.
As for the Proposition....it insists upon itself, Lois.
4 - scott stambler
an excellent review but you miss the amazing new score composed by some dude.....
i can't remember his name.
5 - Joshua Wiebe
I was just about to mention it when i noticed your post name. Very nice. And true, Scott Stambler's score did add a lot to the new version. I could hide behind the 'I only had so much room' argument. So I will.
6 - scott stambler
many thanks.