Payback (1999): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Payback is a 1999 action thriller directed by Brian Helgeland, starring Mel Gibson. It is based on The Hunter by Richard Stark. It runs 1 hour 40 minutes and earned $161.6 million worldwide on a $90 million budget. Critics gave it 46 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.1/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 40m (100 min)
- Director
- Brian Helgeland
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Paramount Pictures
- Budget
- $90M
- Based on
- The Hunter by Richard Stark
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Payback About?
The premise of Payback without spoilers, adapted from The Hunter by Richard Stark. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
After a daring heist goes terribly wrong, con man Porter is left for dead and betrayed by his partners. He survives and seeks retribution, relentlessly pursuing those who wronged him while also aiming to reclaim the stolen money. Driven by a desire for justice and the recovery of his share, Porter embarks on a dangerous path filled with deception and violence.
Payback Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- anti hero
- neo noir
- prostitute
- revenge
- voice over narration
- based on novel
- death of wife
- money
- robbery
- criminal
- torture
- corrupt cop
+38 more Show fewer
- wisecrack humor
- revolver
- semiautomatic pistol
- tough guy
- heist
- extortion
- exploding building
- flashback
- car crash
- betrayal
- greed
- organized crime
- shootout
- father son relationship
- gun wrapped in newspaper
- head on collision
- telephone bomb
- hit by a car
- death by drug overdose
- held at gunpoint
- husband wife relationship
- shot in the back
- heroin
- dominatrix
- double cross
- hotel
- machismo
- interrogation
- disarming someone
- pistol
- one against many
- one man army
- action hero
- corpse
- mexican standoff
- death threat
- shot in the head
- shot in the chest
Payback Cast
Mel Gibson stars in Payback. Directed by Brian Helgeland.
-
Director Brian Helgeland
More from Brian Helgeland
More films directed by Brian Helgeland, best-rated first: 42, Legend, A Knight's Tale and Finestkind.
Payback Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Payback 46 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.1/10.
-
IMDb 7.1 /10
See on IMDb -
Metacritic 46 Metascore
User score 7.0
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 68% User score
See on TMDB
Payback Plot Summary
What happens in Payback from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In a dark and filthy kitchen, an unkempt man dons surgical gloves and swiftly downs a glass of cheap whiskey. Lying face down on the kitchen table is Porter, portrayed by Mel Gibson, who is gravely injured with two sizeable bullet wounds in his back. The doctor, in a desperate attempt to save him, pours whiskey on Porter’s wounds for sterilization before extracting the bullets. After spending five long months recovering, Porter reflects on the $70,000 that was stolen from him — a sum he is determined to reclaim.
Full summary
The whole story of Payback, scene by scene
Payback Box Office & Budget
Payback grossed $161.6 million worldwide on a $90 million budget, 1.8 times what it cost. $81.5 million came from the US and Canada and $80.1 million (50%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$161.6M
1.8× its budget
- US & Canada
- $81.5M
- International
- $80.1M
- Budget
- $90M
Payback Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Payback.
How Well Do You Know Payback?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who plays the character of Porter?
Cars in Payback
36 cars on screen, including the 1979 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine and the 1987 Chevrolet Caprice.
-
1979 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine Important role -
1987 Chevrolet Caprice Important role -
1984 Chevrolet Caprice Classic Important role -
1987 Cadillac Brougham Minor role
Payback Also Known As
32 alternative titles, including “Porter” and “Payback: Straight Up”.
- Also known as
-
- Porter
- Payback: Straight Up
- Payback Directors Cut
- Payback (Director's Cut)
- Arved klaariks
- Vraćanje duga
- Naplata duga
- Расплата
- Payback - Zahltag
- Visszavágó
- Payback - La rivincita di Porter
- Payback - A Vingança
+20 more Show fewer
- Godzina Zemsty
- 危险人物
- Payback - Tilinteko
- Odplata
- Ανοιχτοί Λογαριασμοί
- Розплата
- După faptă și răsplată
- פייבאק
- O Troco
- Maščevanje
- Gününü Göreceksin
- Le Règlement
- 危險人物
- ペイバック
- 페이백
- Разплата
- Sumokėti viską
- بازپرداخت
- Revancha
- มหากาฬล้างมหากาฬ
Seen Payback?
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Payback FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and post-credit scenes of Payback, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Payback?
Payback runs 1 hour 40 minutes (100 minutes).
When was Payback released?
Payback was released on February 5, 1999.
Who directed Payback?
Payback was directed by Brian Helgeland.
More films by Brian Helgeland Who is in the cast of Payback?
Payback stars Mel Gibson.
How much did Payback make at the box office?
Payback grossed $161.6 million worldwide ($81.5 million domestic, $80.1 million international) on a budget of $90 million.
How is Payback rated?
Payback has 7.1/10 on IMDb, 46 on Metacritic and 68% on TMDB.
Is Payback based on a book?
Yes. Payback is adapted from The Hunter by Richard Stark.
Does Payback have a post-credit scene?
No. Payback has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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