History YMMV / MaxPayne

** Many felt this way about Creator/MarkWahlberg as Max Payne as he didn't capture the cheesy charm of Sam Lake's Max, the hard-boiled detective look of Timothy Gibbs' Max, nor the hard-bitten, world-wariness of Creator/JamesMcCaffrey's voice acting. Some felt that [=McCaffrey=] should have played Max, especially since the film just had in him a cameo role as an FBI agent, something which seems even more of a major missed opportunity, especially after [=McCaffrey=] also did the motion capture for Max in [[VideoGame/MaxPayne3 the third game]] and by all means proved that he could also pull off the physical part of the character.

*** [[BigBad Victor Branco]] is an aspiring but CorruptPolitician of São Paulo, and a member of the wealthy Branco family. He is also the hidden leader of the UFE, a law enforcement group he uses for his own ends, and the Crachá Preto paramilitary death squad, and the mastermind behind the assassinations on his brothers--one by burning alive--and the abduction of his sister-in-law. He is motivated by [[{{Greed}} control of the family fortune]] and [[WoundedGazelleGambit gaining sympathy for the election]]. He recruits Max as a bodyguard but really plans on making Max a fall guy for his criminal enterprises, which includes a secret ring where the poor of Brazil are kidnapped, held hostage, and [[OrganTheft harvested for their organs]] for the black market organ trade.
*** [[DirtyCop Armando Becker]] is Victor Branco's [[TheDragon right-hand muscle]], functioning as a [[PoliceBrutality brutal]] enforcer and leader of [[TheBadGuysAreCops the UFE]] in the Brazilian organ trafficking operation. Leading his men in routine sweeps of neighborhoods in which innocents and criminals alike are [[KillerCop executed on the spot]] or detained, Becker uses these raids to cover up his mass kidnapping of civilians whom he sells off to be harvested of their organs, making himself and Victor a sizable profit off the lives of countless deaths. So corrupt that it's revealed he was the one who sold insider info to pirates that lead to a yacht massacre, Becker just laughs in the face of Max Payne when confronted with his atrocities, showing no loyalty for Victor or concern for the hundreds of lives his atrocities have cost, only smug cheerfulness at the power and wealth his crimes have brought him.

* MisaimedFandom: Max Payne in ''3'' might be misunderstood as a [[DrunkenMaster hard-drinking action hero]] who is a OneManArmy who can come back from the brink of death with a supply of painkillers. His Hawaiian shirt that he dons for his trip through the Nova Esperança even went through {{Defictionalization}}. However, this overlooks the fact that Max is drinking to deal with [[DrowningMySorrows profound depression]] and his drinking may be putting his liver at risk of failure, plus his heavy use of painkillers are not likely to help on top of that. Also, his Hawaiian shirt shows that Max's judgement is seriously impaired as he sticks out like sore thumb in Nova Esperança (when Max could have just simply worn his tank top and stood a better chance of staying concealed). This shows some serious incompetence induced from his past alcoholism and substance abuse, that complicates his missions, and Max considers himself a FallenHero from all the messes he has made.

** In ''Max Payne 3'' during the "Chapter 4 - Anyone Can Buy Me a Drink" it sounds like one of the mobsters is drunk or confused rather than scared of Payne:
---> "Shit shit shit! I'm really gonna' hurt you ''nooooooow!''"

* BadassDecay: The mercenary commandos return in ''2'' but they're now regular mooks and are in fact [[spoiler: who's wearing the Cleaner jumpsuits]]. They have more comic relief moments, with some [[MildlyMilitary enjoying clowning around]] when the coast is clear, and by the end of the game, you'll probably lose count of how many you've killed. Max's Bullet Time being stronger than ever lowers their threat even further.

* ValuesResonance: ''Max Payne 3'' has a resonance since its release as the divide between rich neighborhoods and poor neighborhoods has become very noticeable in cities of the USA, and mass shootings happening at parties and dance clubs have become recurring tragedies. This game also brings focus to human trafficking [[spoiler:(The Crachá Preto are performing organ theft, and the UFE are delivering prisoners from Nova Esperança)]] as a major twist in the story and it sets Max Payne on a berserker rage against the perpetrators. It also helps that the games touches on accountability in the police force, the dangerous life in the favela Nova Esperança is similar to the tent cities that have arrisen in certain US cities, and that one chapter shows Max was living in a very run down part of Hoboken, New Jersey that has an organized crime presence itself.

* ValuesResonance: ''Max Payne 3'' has a resonance since its release as the divide between rich neighborhoods and poor neighborhoods has become very noticeable in cities of the USA, and mass shootings happening at parties and dance clubs have become recurring tragedies. This game also brings focus to human trafficking [[spoiler:(The Crachá Preto are performing organ theft, and the UFE are delivering prisoners from Nova Esperança)]] as a major twist in the story and it sets Max Payne on a berserker rage against the perpetrators. It also helps that the games touches on accountability in the police force, the dangerous life in the favela Nova Esperança) is similar to the tent cities that have arrisen in certain US cities, and that one chapter shows Max was living in a very run down part of Hoboken, New Jersey that has an organized crime presence itself.

* ValuesResonance: ''Max Payne 3'' has a resonance since its release as the divide between rich neighborhoods and poor neighborhoods has become very noticeable in cities of the USA, and mass shootings happening at parties and dance clubs have become recurring tragedies. This game also brings focus to human trafficking [[spoiler:(The Crachá Preto are performing organ theft, and the UFE are delivering prisoners from Nova Esperança)]]as a major twist in the story and it sets Max Payne on a berserker rage against the perpetrators.

* ValuesResonance: ''Max Payne 3'' has a resonance since its release as the divide between rich neighborhoods and poor neighborhoods has become very noticeable in cities of the USA, and mass shootings happening at parties and dance clubs have become recurring tragedies. This game also brings focus to human trafficking [[spoiler:(The Cracha Preto are performing organ theft, and the UFE are delivering prisoners from Nova Esperança)]]as a major twist in the story and it sets Max Payne on a berserker rage against the perpetrators.

* MisaimedFandom: Max Payne in ''3'' might be misunderstood as a [[DrunkenMaster hard-drinking action hero]] who is a OneManArmy who can come back from the brink of death with a supply of painkillers. His Hawaiian shirt that he dons for his trip through the favellas even went through {{Defictionalization}}. However, this overlooks the fact that Max is drinking to deal with [[DrowningMySorrows profound depression]] and his drinking may be putting his liver at risk of failure, plus his heavy use of painkillers are not likely to help on top of that. Also, his Hawaiian shirt shows that Max's judgement is seriously impaired as he sticks out like sore thumb in the Favellas (when Max could have just simply worn his tank top and stood a better chance of staying concealed). This shows some serious incompetence induced from his past alcoholism and substance abuse, that complicates his missions, and Max considers himself a FallenHero from all the messes he has made.

* MisaimedFandom: Max Payne in ''3'' might be misunderstood as a [[DrunkenMaster hard-drinking action hero]] who is a OneManArmy who can come back from the brink if death with a supply of painkillers. His Hawaiian shirt that he dons for his trip through the favellas even went through {{Defictionalization}}. However, this overlooks the fact that Max is drinking to deal with [[DrowningMySorrows profound depression]] and his drinking may be putting his liver at risk of failure, plus his heavy use of painkillers are not likely to help on top of that. Also, his Hawaiian shirt shows that Max's judgement is seriously impaired as he sticks out like sore thumb in the Favellas (when Max could have just simply worn his tank top and stood a better chance of staying concealed). This shows some serious incompetence induced from his past alcoholism and substance abuse, that complicates his missions, and Max considers himself a FallenHero from all the messes he has made.

* MisaimedFandom: Max Payne in ''3'' might be misunderstood as a hard-drinking action hero who is a OneManArmy and can come back from the brink if death with a supply of painkillers. His Hawaiian shirt that he dons for his trip through the favellas even went through {{Defictionalization}}. However, this overlooks the fact that Max is dealing with profound depression and his drinking may be putting his liver at risk of failure, plus his heavy use of painkillers are not likely to help on top of that. Also, his Hawaiian shirt shows that Max's judgement is seriously impaired as he sticks out like sore thumb in the Favellas (when Max could have just simply worn his tank top and stood a better chance of staying concealed). This shows some serious incompetence from his past alcoholism and substance abuse, that complicates his missions, and Max considers himself a FallenHero from all the messes he has made.

* MisaimedFandom: Max Payne in ''3'' might be misunderstood as a hard-drinking action hero who is a OneManArmy and can come back from the brink if death with a supply of painkillers. His Hawaiian shirt that he dons for his trip through the favellas even went through {{Defictionalization}}. However, this overlooks the fact that Max is dealing with profound depression and his drinking may be putting his liver at risk of failure, plus his heavy use of painkillers are not likely to help on top of that. Also, his Hawaiian shirt shows that Max's judgement is seriously impaired as he sticks out like sore thumb in the Favellas (when Max could have just simply worn his tank top and stood a better chance of staying concealed). This shows some serious incompetence from his past alcoholism and substance abuse, that complicates his missions.

* MisaimedFandom: Max Payne in ''3'' might be misunderstood as a hard-drinking action hero who is a OneManArmy and can come back from the brink if death with a supply of painkillers. His Hawaiian shirt that he dons for his trip through the favellas even went through {{Defictionalization}}. However, this overlooks the fact that Max is dealing with profound depression and his drinking may be putting his liver at risk of failure, plus his heavy use of painkillers are not likely to help on top of that. Also, his Hawaiian shirt shows that Max's judgement is seriously impaired as he sticks out like sore thumb in the Favellas (when Max could have just simply worn his tank top and stood a better chance of staying concealed) and shows some serious incompetence from his past alcoholism and substance abuse, that complicates his missions.

* SequelDifficultyDrop: ''2'' has its moments that may cause grief, but as a whole, the game has a more relaxed difficulty. Your Bullet Time ability is stronger than ever, and practically eliminates the penalty for reloading; Bullet Time is so powerful in fact, that Max could qualify for invitation to a {{superhero}} justice team.

* SequelDifficultyDrop: ''2'' has its moments that may cause grief, but as a whole, the game has a more relaxed difficulty. Your Bullet Time ability is stronger than ever, and practically eliminates the penalty for reloading.

* BadassDecay: The mercenary commandos return in ''2'' but they're now regular mooks and are in fact [[spoiler: who's wearing the Cleaner jumpsuits]]. They have more comic relief moments, with some [[MildlyMilitary enjoying clowning around]] when the coast is clear, and by the end of the game, you'll probably lose count of how many you've killed. Max's Bullet Time being stronger than ever lower their threat even further.

** Some cosmetic branching paths for the choices Max can make lend themselves to the player playing Max with their own interpretation. In ''2'' during the first mission, do you let the Cleaner draw his weapon first or do you just [[DirtyCop blow him away right off the bat before he draws a deadly weapon?]] In ''3'', do you variably hesitate to shoot [=Anthony DeMarco=] for attacking a woman or do you immediately fire your gun right after your draw? [[spoiler:Armando Becker]] is also fatally disfigured by a grenade after Max shoots it out of the sky and you can either let him have a drawn-out death or shoot him which ends his [[MercyKill suffering immediately]] and can be interpreted as Max not sinking to the level of enemies.

** Some cosmetic branching paths for the choices Max can make lend themselves to the player playing Max with their own interpretation. In ''2'' during the first mission, do you let the Cleaner draw his weapon first or do you just [[DirtyCop blow him away right off the bat before he draws a deadly weapon?]] In ''3'', do you variably hesitate to shoot Anthony or do you immediately fire your gun right after your draw? [[spoiler:Armando Becker]] is also fatally disfigured by a grenade after Max shoots it out of the sky and you can either let him have a drawn-out death or shoot him which ends his [[MercyKill suffering immediately]] and can be interpreted as Max not sinking to the level of enemies.

** It gets weird in the third game, as his narration just makes the entire ending rather surreal and so his state of mind is really hard to gauge. He might be TheBrute, a SociopathicHero, an {{Ubermensch}}, or an EmotionalBruiser inverting the DespairEventHorizon -- a lot of things are hinted at, but trying to sum up his psychology can result in very simple or [[RoundedCharacter extremely complex]] conclusions.

** This line in ''Max Payne 3'' during the "Chapter 4 - Anyone Can Buy Me a Drink" it sounds like one of the mobsters is drunk rather than scared of Payne:

--> "Shit shit shit! I'm really gonna' hurt you nooooooow!"

** This line in ''Max Payne 3'' during the "Chapter 4 - Anyone Can Buy Me a Drink" it sounds like one of the mobsters is drunk rather than scared of Payne: "Shit shit shit! I'm really gonna' hurt you nooooooow!"