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Mila Kunis Talks Max Payne Movie
April 3, 2008
Source: Empire
by Alex Billington
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne - one of the greatest video games I have ever played. Great story, great graphics, great action and gameplay. When I first heard that Max Payne was (finally) being turned into a movie, I nearly kicked down a door with excitement. The game could definitely lend itself to an incredible movie, if done right. What topped it all off was casting Mark Wahlberg as Max. Anything Wahlberg touches is usually solid gold, even Shooter. I love the guy and I can't wait to see his take on Payne. Beyond that, the lovely "That '70s Show" star Mila Kunis was also cast in it as Mona Sax. Empire caught up with Mila over the weekend and talked with her about the shoot.
Max Payne is about a DEA agent whose family was slain as part of a conspiracy; he ends up getting involved in a gang war that's taking place within New York's criminal underground. Mona Sax is a character who, while not Max's wife, is his tragic love interest. She is a trained assassin who is out to avenge her sister's death and gets caught up in Max's investigation as well. We'll let Mila explain the character more herself, in addition to heaping copious amounts of praise on Wahlberg and the film.
"For anyone who's got concerns about Mark [Wahlberg] playing Max Payne, he's amazing in it. Great actor, great guy," she insists. "I play [an assassin] called Mona Sax who accuses him of murdering her sister and later comes to find out it wasn't him. They kind of get together and try to figure out who was responsible for the murder of his wife and child and her sister."
"The whole film is about realizing that you can go on a revenge spree and get your revenge but it doesn't solve the problem. It's a really great, dark movie. The story actually combines [the games] Max Payne 1 and 2 together. Lots of shooting and gunplay, but what makes this script different is that it's a really dark, sad movie about a man who loses everything and thinks that the only way he can get it back is by revenge. And comes to terms with realizing that he'll never get it back."
I'm very glad she mentions that because that element of the story is exactly what made the game so great! Not that it was so depressing, but rather that the mood of this guy is that he has lost everything, like Frank Castle (The Punisher), but in the end his revenge doesn't him anywhere. IMDb says the script for this was written by Thomas H. Fenton (Striking Point, Saw IV), but all other articles only mention Beau Thorne - who doesn't have any previous writing credits. I'm worried that the script isn't anything too amazing, but hopefully director John Moore (Behind Enemy Lines, Flight of the Phoenix, The Omen) finds the better elements of it to bring to life.
I'm holding out and still hoping Max Payne will be a good movie that captures the darker elements of the game. I really don't want this to become this year's Hitman, but I think it's already got some great things going for it - Wahlberg and Kunis to say the least. Max Payne is currently shooting in Toronto. Fox has already set an October 17th release date for this as well.
Screenshot of Max Payne and Mona Sax from the video game.
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Reader Feedback - 23 Comments »
1
OMG I think I'm just as stoked as you. To top it off, Mark Wahlberg!?!? It's gonna pwn!!!
Echelon on Apr 3, 2008
2
You're right Alex, hopefully this movie won't be this year's Hitman. But i have more faith in John Moore than the french director from Hitman.
akumared on Apr 3, 2008
3
OK. I love Max Payne and hope this does well but where is that pick of Kunis from?
SOooooo Hot.
heckle0 on Apr 3, 2008
4
where did that photo of Mila Kunis come from?
Nate on Apr 3, 2008
5
"Snow fell like ash from post-apocalyptic skies…"
THEY HAVE GOT TO KEEP THE BEAUTIFUL SCRIPT from the games. If they jack that up, they have lost me.
"I had a dream of my wife; she was dead, but it was alright"
"Einstien was right; time is relative to the observer. When you are looking down the barrel of a gun, time slows down, your whole life flashes by; Heartbreak and Scars."
I LOVE IT … poetic killings… I view these styles of flicks as the slow, solemn speaking samurai with a gun
And despite NO memorable moments from the film, I really enjoyed "Hitman" at the time, BUT I have much higher expectations from this movie just due to the dialogue that drove the game's story along.
"Up on that rooftop I was a Ninja, my Kung Fu was strong. I wasn't kidding anybody. At best I was Superman on kryptonite, about to fall into where it all went down."
"It wasn't about how smart or how good you were. It was chaos and luck, and anyone who thought different was a fool."
Dusty on Apr 3, 2008
6
7
To #5
I forgot how beautiful the poetry was in that game. It reminds me alot of the poetry quotes from SinCity.
akumared on Apr 3, 2008
8
ok people, I MUST KNOW. although this news is AWESOME to hear, WHERE IN THE CRAP is this picture of Mona Sax from? TALK ABOUT HOTT!
ethermay on Apr 3, 2008
9
im sorry, i did not mean "Mona Sax" i meant "Mila Kunis". sorry, names are close 
ethermay on Apr 3, 2008
10
The pic is from a Maxim shoot from a couple of years back when 70's was winding down.
roman on Apr 3, 2008
11
this could be a great movie i have'nt played the games but have heard great things, im crossing my finger for this movie. Lets hope John Moore can take Thomas H. Fentons script (which wont be anything good) and make it as good as it should be lets hope this just isn't another crap video game movie please we need just one to turn it all around.
Curtis on Apr 3, 2008
12
I read the script recently. I read a lot of adaptations and - hands down, this one was the WORST. Absolute shit.
It is, essentially, an ENTIRELY different movie with characters who have the same names.
Remember the basic premise of the game? Cop as fugitive? GONE. Nothing even CLOSE to it happens until page 55, the midpoint.
You know those great noir one-liners that set the game apart? NOT ONE makes it into this.
Mona? She's in the very beginning of the script and has a COMPLETELY different role.
Alfred? The guy with the eyepatch who serves as Max's key into the shit that goes down? GONE.
Then, the whole thing adds this element to the plot about tattoos of black wings and crafts a series of "X person walks down dark alley, wings surround her" horror scenes. And another cop who plays the best-friend-betrayal twist.
Oh, and outside of the script - casting Ludacris as Bravura, WTF?
Bottom line? THIS IS NOT MAX PAYNE.
You know the whole "fighting his way up from the underworld" thing? GONE.
Crazy dream sequences? GONE.
John on Apr 3, 2008
13
If that's true, then dear god.. this film can't be saved.
Brad on Apr 3, 2008
14
HALO and Gears of War should be made now.
Jojo on Apr 3, 2008
15
I'm all for Mark Wahlberg but Mila Kunis?! God no.. she's a horrible actress with a pretty face..
nemes1s on Apr 4, 2008
16
Why are they combining the two games together? I think thats a bad idea. They should make it a sequel.
Ryan on Apr 4, 2008
17
i'm totally gonna go find that pic of Kunis. haha. best of luck to this movie. i've never played the game so i have no say in it for now.
craziemutant on Apr 4, 2008
18
#7:
For me, it's the other way around. Poetic moments in Sin City reminded me of Max Payne.
Chris on Apr 11, 2008
19
The first sentence of her interview is hilarious! Are you kidding me?! Marc Wahlberg will likely pull it off no concerns there, he's a great actor and he's hott but for Mila to be playing Mona is a complete absurdity!
Mona on May 29, 2008
20
if everything john just said is true i am not even gonna go see it
Cody on Jun 14, 2008
21
to number 12
Think about it, most of that is from Max Payne 2. Sax is in it from the very beginning (not from Aesier like in the first one). She's in the warehouse that you infiltrate. Max is not a fugitive until he kills Winterson (Mid point of the game). I do agree though, about Ludacris being Jim. Kinda strange…
Although you could be right and this is just a conincidence. If so, no offense.
ToxicFungi on Sep 2, 2008
22
MovieSet.com has a Mila Kunis, Mark Wahlberg and cast signed one sheet up for grabs. Only a few entrees so great chances of winning!
More on Oct 28, 2008
23
how can i get back mona sax from the jail…………. plz hellp me ….
abhishek on Nov 17, 2008