• Latest
  • Trending
PAYBACK Review: Matt Levett Suffices In Joseph Mensch’s Latest Potboiler

PAYBACK Review: Matt Levett Suffices In Joseph Mensch’s Latest Potboiler

February 1, 2021

MONKEY MAN: Dev Patel’s Upcoming Revenge Thriller Wraps Principal Photography

March 8, 2021

WASH ME IN THE RIVER Acquired By The Avenue For Spring 2022 Release

March 8, 2021

TRESE: Netflix Casts Filipina Voice Talents For For Netflix Original Anime

March 8, 2021

GAIN-ING GROUND: A Word With Actor/Producer Daniel Stisen

March 8, 2021

DRIVE ALL NIGHT: Check Out The Trailer For Peter Hsieh’s Feature Debut Ahead Of Cinequest!

March 8, 2021

Paul Sloan Sets His Sights On EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM In The Intense First Trailer For Christian Sesma’s New Action Thriller

March 5, 2021

THE ROUNDUP: Don Lee Action Crime Sequel To ‘The Outlaws’ Now Filming

March 5, 2021

ONE WAY: First Look At Colson Baker And Kevin Bacon As Father And Son In The New Action Thriller

March 4, 2021

INTERCEPTOR Casts Elsa Pataky For Netflix Action Thriller With Luke Bracey

March 4, 2021
GASOLINE ALLEY: Bruce Willis Reteams With ‘Cosmic Sin’ Director For New Crime Thriller

GASOLINE ALLEY: Bruce Willis Reteams With ‘Cosmic Sin’ Director For New Crime Thriller

March 4, 2021
Maria (2019)

GI: Pedring Lopez’s Long-Brewing ‘Maria’ Spin-Off Launches At EFM From Blue Fox

March 4, 2021

ENHANCED: James Mark’s New ‘Kill Order’ Goes Wide In The New Sci-Fi Sequel Trailer From Vertical

March 4, 2021
Film Combat Syndicate
  • Login
  • Film Combat Syndicate
  • Forums
  • About Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Film Combat Syndicate
  • Forums
  • About Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Film Combat Syndicate
No Result
View All Result
Home Reviews

PAYBACK Review: Matt Levett Suffices In Joseph Mensch’s Latest Potboiler

Lee B. Golden IIIbyLee B. Golden III
February 1, 2021
inReviews
6
0
117
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Given the headlines of the past week, it’s only suitable that director Joseph Mensch’s timely arrival with Payback gets some air time for moviegoers. Not so much the intriguing cryptocurrency finance thriller though, the film is definitely a feasible crime thriller that serves its purpose for the most part.

RelatedPosts

LOWLIFE LOVE Review: The Nightmare of Making Cinema

THE YAKUZA Review: A Look Back At Sydney Pollack’s Masterpiece

BOSS LEVEL Review: An Upbeat, Fresh And Fun Take On Familiar Sci-Fi Tropes With Suitably Violent Results

Opens in 1992 New York City, we meet Wall Street stockbroker Mike Markovich (Matt Levett), on top of his game at the Mob-connected firm he works for as “the king of the one-call close”. Mike, for what it’s worth is adroit as he is ambitious – characteristics that clearly don’t bode well between him and his boss, Mr. Zhukov (Toby Leonard Moore), as quiet as the tension is beneath the friendly veneer.

Adding to the stakes is the baby Mark and loving wife Judi (Anna Baryshnikov) are having in two weeks, which makes it all the more important to prioritize whilst minding Mr. Zhukov’s latest request: A week-long excursion to Los Angeles to see The Dentist – a.k.a. Slava (Boris Lee Krutonog), about helping him put together a legitimate coffee business.

Once there and the formalities are done, Mark and two cohorts set out to acquire Slava’s seed money from a seperate location, only for things to go south with guns blazing and Mark questioned by the police, and soon forced to do a six-year stint in prison for a murder he didn’t commit. Once out, Mark starts to face some serious choices between rekindling his marriage and connecting with his young daughter, and settling old scores that could very well tear his family apart in more ways than he thought.

Falling short of being the kind of Oliver Stone-directed paragon as far as Wall Street thrillers go, Payback moreso nods at the kind of ex-con revenge genre that fans of Ric Roman Waugh can take a liking to, and for that, Mensch doesn’t falter much in his efforts here. The film is amply paced and well-rounded with characters, providing a lean backdrop of villains for our protagonist to go toe-to-toe with, and essentially balances it all out with a palpable subplot surrounding Mark’s own development as someone who can’t get away from his usual penchants, serving aptly to the film’s deeper messaging.

Payback saves the bulk of the action and violence until the third act, which is enough to whet the appetite through to the end. Enough happens in between for the film to be substantive and compelling at times, and the performances are mostly solid, with enough suspense to carry you until the end credits.

Payback arrives on Digital and VOD beginning February 5 from Vertical Entertainment.

Like this Article? Subscribe to Our Feed!

Lee B. Golden III
filmcombatsyndicate@gmail.com | Website

Native New Yorker. Lover of all things pizza, chocolate, pets, and good friends. Karaoke hero. Left of center. Survivor. Fond supporter of cult, obscure and independent cinema - especially fond of Asian movies and global action cinema. Author of the bi-weekly Hit List. Founder and editor of Film Combat Syndicate. Still, very much, only human.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Twitter
  • Print
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket
  • Telegram
  • Skype
Tags: joseph menschmatt levettpayback
Share2Tweet2ShareShareSend
Please login to join discussion
No Result
View All Result

Categories

  • Acquisitions and Release
  • Animation
  • books
  • Campaigns
  • Casting
  • Contests
  • Editorials
  • Exclusives
  • Festivals And Events
  • First Looks
  • Guest Articles
  • Home Releases
  • In Production
  • In-Development
  • Interviews
  • Markets
  • News
  • Now Streaming
  • OPINIONS
  • Posters
  • Reviews
  • Short Reviews
  • Shortfilms
  • Stills
  • Stream This
  • Teasers
  • Television
  • THE HIT LIST
  • Trailers
  • Watch Now
  • Webseries

Recent Posts

  • MONKEY MAN: Dev Patel’s Upcoming Revenge Thriller Wraps Principal Photography
  • WASH ME IN THE RIVER Acquired By The Avenue For Spring 2022 Release
  • TRESE: Netflix Casts Filipina Voice Talents For For Netflix Original Anime
  • GAIN-ING GROUND: A Word With Actor/Producer Daniel Stisen
  • DRIVE ALL NIGHT: Check Out The Trailer For Peter Hsieh’s Feature Debut Ahead Of Cinequest!

Recent Comments

  • Planet Prince: Clássico da “era de ouro” ganha reboot em 2021 – JBox on PLANET PRINCE 2021: Minoru Kawasaki To Reboot Toei’s 1958 Tokusatsu Classic
  • Trailer For Ryuhei Kitamura’s VERSUS Sequel Starring TAK SAKAGUCHI – Action Film Vortex on Holy Shit! Is This A VERSUS Reunion???
  • Trailer For Ryuhei Kitamura’s VERSUS Sequel Starring TAK SAKAGUCHI - M.A.A.C. on Holy Shit! Is This A VERSUS Reunion???
  • PROJECT H: Yoshi Sudarso Joins Aaron Toney's New Action-Packed Series | Film Combat Syndicate on PROJECT H: Help Aaron Toney Lead The Charge For The Next Generation Of Action Cinema
  • LOST PHOENIX Teaser Introduces A Look At James Couche's Indie Action Feature Debut | Film Combat Syndicate on LOST PHOENIX: Exclusive New Stills For James Couche’s New Independent Proof Of Concept Thriller Ahead Of Full Feature By 2021

Archives

Latest News on PopGeeks.net:

Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram
Hosted By:

© 2019 Film Combat Syndicate.

No Result
View All Result
  • Film Combat Syndicate
  • Forums
  • About Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact Us

© 2019 Film Combat Syndicate.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

*By registering into our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.