Payback

Directed by Brian Helgeland, Payback follows a grizzled criminal (Mel Gibson’s Porter) as he embarks on a campaign of vengeance after he’s robbed and left for dead. Filmmaker Helgeland, armed with his and Terry Hayes’ screenplay, delivers a somewhat erratic yet predominantly engrossing endeavor that grows more and more compelling as it progresses, as the movie’s meandering opening half hour is, for the most part, hardly as captivating or attention-grabbing as one might’ve hoped – although it’s clear, certainly, that the picture, in its less-than-enthralling stretches, benefits substantially from Gibson’s magnetic, tough-as-nails performance and the efforts of a seriously impressive supporting cast. (Helgeland elicits strong work from such familiar periphery players as Gregg Henry, Maria Bello, and David Paymer, while William Devane, Kris Kristofferson, and especially James Coburn are absolutely riveting as upper-echelon mobsters.) There’s little doubt, then, that Payback improves substantially as it charges into a blisteringly-paced second half overflowing with entertaining, electrifying sequences, as the emphasis is placed on Porter’s almost episodic attempts at scheming (and killing) his way towards his money – which, when coupled with a thoroughly satisfying conclusion, cements the film’s place as a frequently spellbinding (albeit slightly overlong) thriller.

***1/2 out of ****