Few films have been so thoroughly and universally trashed by the critics as Payback, the 1999 crime thriller by Brian Helgeland. Most of them attacked the overuse of violence and utter lack of any moral compass among its characters. The author of this review agrees with most of the critics, but only partially. The filmmakers had it coming, but for entirely different reasons. The biggest crime committed by the makers of Payback lies in the fact that they dared to remake Point Blank, a 1967 film by John Boorman. That film happens to be one of the best underrated film classics of all time, and its reputation really shouldn't have been tarnished by an uninspired and tedious remake.
The plot of the original film is based on The Hunter, a 1964 novel by Donald E. Westlake. Its protagonist (played by Lee Marvin) is known only by the name Walker. His best friend Mal Reese (played by John Vernon) is a gangster owing a huge debt to the all-powerful Organisation. In order to save his friend's life, Walker agrees to take part in a robbery that would pay Reese's debt. But, instead of gratitude, Walker receives two bullets from Reese, who then takes off with Walker's adulterous wife Lynne (played by Sharon Acker) and Walker's $93,000 share of the loot. Walker was left for dead, but he managed to survive and a year later he is approached by a creepy individual named Yost (played by Keenan Wynn). Yost offers information about Lynne and Reese in exchange for Walker's help with his own plans concerning the Organisation. Walker agrees and begins a violent campaign to take revenge and retrieve his money.
One of the reasons why Point Blank was somewhat shadowed by other films of the 1960s lies in the fact that it was probably made at least a decade before its time. The dark, nihilistic script by Alexander Jacobs, David and Rafe Newhouse, as well as the extremely violent, amoral and emotionally damaged protagonists belong more to the 1970s than to the idealistic 1960s. However, most critics and viewers probably failed to see the real element of originality in Point Blank. The reason why this film should enter all film encyclopaedias lies in the original directorial approach and very distinct visual style employed by its director John Boorman. A rather simplistic plot and even simpler characters are enhanced by a heavy atmosphere and the use of tricks today mostly associated with "artsy" films or music videos – slow motion, repetitive flashbacks, fast editing and, above all, a very haunting soundtrack by Stephen Edwards. Point Blank therefore looks very different from most crime thrillers. Another thing that makes it very distinct is a rather original perspective on the criminal underworld – the people who inhabit such realms are well-dressed, well-educated, they live in luxurious, modern, stylish apartments and houses and, generally speaking, look like pillars of society instead of pariahs. In that regard, by presenting criminals as modern-day aristocracy and criminal organisations as the equivalent of an all-powerful state, Point Blank would resemble some crime thrillers of later decades.
The heavy atmosphere and style of Point Blank compensated for the simplicity of the script, but Boorman, unfortunately, overplayed that card. In some instances the events on the screen are unclear, characters act irrationally and the film even lacks proper closure, leaving the audience without the expected catharsis. Boorman creates more confusion with some surreal shots, hinting that the whole film could be nothing more than the fantasy of a dying Walker. On the other hand, the viewers remain focused thanks to an excellent cast. Lee Marvin played a wonderful and complex role of a seemingly simple character – at first he is a man in love, a faithful friend, and later he turns into an extremely violent, stone-cold killer whose motivations shift, but his determination does not. His acting is very subtle, and the emotional states of Walker are presented through small gestures, short glances or cold, impersonal action. He managed to overshadow everyone else, including the very energetic Angie Dickinson as his accidental partner. Overshadowed by the lead or not, the supporting cast is splendid – John Vernon played the first of his many villainous roles, James Sikking is great as a cynical hitman, as are Lloyd Bochner and Carroll O'Connor as corporate gangsters. Sharon Acker as his wife appears relatively briefly, but her role is also memorable, especially during her final monologue that expresses the emotional emptiness of her character.
Point Blank perhaps earned its reputation simply by being shot at the right time, but it could provide good inspiration to future filmmakers. With better results than the last time, we should all hope.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.movies.reviews on December 11th 1999)
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Movie URL: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/26039-point-blank Critic: AA
