Wahlberg gives life to dark hero

By Michael Osborn
Entertainment reporter, BBC News

Mark Wahlberg talks about his role in Max Payne, the latest in a long line of video games to be given a new lease of life by Hollywood.

Wahlberg's Max Payne is a brooding cop on the edge

A detective hell bent on seeking revenge for the murder of his wife and child, Max Payne is the cult hero of a series of phenomenally successful video games.

Now his story has been turned into a dark, gritty action thriller starring Mark Wahlberg, of Boogie Nights and The Perfect Storm fame.

John Moore's film reached the top of the box office chart in the US, despite a slew of lukewarm reviews.

But while the movie is peppered with fierce gun battles, ear-shattering explosions and even Norse demons, Wahlberg insists there is a human side to his vengeful policeman.

"The character is really appealing because he is driven by emotion," says the actor, who picked up an Oscar nomination last year for his role in The Departed.

"It isn't just a nonsense, shoot 'em up action movie. There is some depth there," he adds.

'Addictive personality'

The 37-year-old says he was "dragged across the coals" during the making of the film, which sees his character suffer a lot of punishment in a wintry New York.

But Wahlberg took a typically Hollywood approach to researching Payne's video game origins.

To avoid getting sucked into the make-believe world, he had his assistant play the game while he watched on a big screen.

Mila Kunis and Olga Kurylenko play the film's formidable women

"I have an addictive personality," the screen star explains. "But I wanted to pay strict attention to the game because we wanted to satisfy the die-hard game fans."

Those fans will be aware that a second Max Payne game was released in 2003, but Wahlberg dismisses talk of reprising his role.

"Probably not," he says. "I've never done a sequel before. I've always looked for the next thing and to move forward."

He adds the only thing that might tempt him back would be the chance to get his own back on the his female co-stars, Mila Kunis and current Bond girl Olga Kurylenko.

"It's always fun kicking someone's ass, but not when it's happening to you," he jokes.

While Wahlberg may have studied the Max Payne game by proxy, there was no doubt in Moore's mind he was the right man for the job.

Now I want to do the complete opposite - a comedy or something a little bit lighter Mark Wahlberg

"When I first played the game he popped right into my head," says the Irish-born filmmaker. "If Mark hadn't said yes, we wouldn't have had a movie."

Renowned for his impressive physique, even if he is surprisingly smaller in the flesh, Wahlberg had no trouble adopting Payne's stony-faced persona.

The actor - soon to be seen in Peter Jackson's "intense" The Lovely Bones - is eyeing a change of material.

"I want to do the complete opposite - a comedy, or something a little bit lighter," explains the man formerly known as musician Marky Mark.

A project with Hollywood funny man Will Ferrell is being considered. Above all, he wants to make a film his three young children can watch and enjoy.

"I've only made one movie my kids can see," he reveals - a state of affairs he seems determined to change.

Max Payne is out in the UK on 14 November.