Max Payne Director Giving The Finger To The MPAA
By George 'El Guapo' Roush on September 6, 2008

Max Payne director John Moore is not happy with what he views are inconsistencies with the way the MPAA rates movies. (No argument here)
Dasgamer has an interview with John who doesn't hold back when it comes to his opinion on the MPAA:
Das Gamer: How challenging has it been to get a PG-13 rating for Max Payne? John Moore: It continues to be a challenge. We’re right in the middle of it now. We’re suffering from what I call Batman blowback. The Motion Picture Association of America gave The Dark Knight a PG-13 rating and basically sucked Warner Bros. cock. I have a serious amount of issues with the MPAA. Did you know it was made up of volunteers? As if that somehow excludes them from some type of wrongdoing. You can’t serve on it if you’re a homosexual or if you didn’t grow up in a shared parenthood home. Go to their website and read their charter about what gives a fair and balanced view for typical parents. We’re still strangled by an association that’s straight out of the House Un-American Activities Committee.
It probably hasn’t helped over the years that horror films like the Saw and Hostel franchises have received R ratings by the MPAA, correct?
John Moore: The R-rating has been completely abused now by films like Saw and exploitation movies. Those films are so happy to be getting an R that it’s undoing the point of the rating. The MPAA has mutated into an extremely dubious organization.
In terms of the film’s success, how big of a difference does the PG-13 versus R rating make?
John Moore: It’s conventional wisdom that you make more money from a PG-13 movie than from an R-rated movie. A lot of people aren’t fully aware that the reason studios are so gun shy about R-rated movies isn’t because of the content, it’s because it limits the advertising opportunities. You can’t advertise an R-rated movie before 9 p.m. in most states. You can’t advertise an R-rated movie in front of a PG-13 movie. There are some real hamstring rules of advertising.
Click
HERE for the rest of the interview. It's a good one.
Remember in the 80's when a PG movie like Sheena would have numerous boob shots? (The first PG-13 movie, Red Dawn, came out one week before Sheena.) We're lucky now if we get a butt shot in a PG-13 flick. In today's movie world, if you're gonna see some knockers, it's gonna be in an R rated movie.
Maybe it's just me, but I always thought Max Payne was GOING to be rated R? I mean, we all know The Dark Knight is a dark PG-13, but it's not even close to being an R rated flick. Just from the trailer alone I thought Max Payne would be rated R, so the rating doesn't really surprise me. And gamers are going to go see it regardless of the rating, aren't they?
John, the audience you're targeting doesn't really care if it's PG-13 or R. They'll find a way to watch it. We just care if it's a good movie, rating be damned. We know Fox is mad, but I'm sure they'll get over it if Max Payne makes a ton of money.
Don't worry John, we do back you up on your view of the MPAA. They've always been a joke when it comes to rating movies. And boobs.
What do you guys think? Does an R rating kill Max Payne's success? If it's a good movie, it'll make money despite the rating, won't it? Discuss below or e-mail this boob:
george@latinoreview.com
Comments
If It ain't broke don't fix it. R RATING Wed Oct 08 at 19:01 EST
Give it an R-Rating, stop screwing with the movie. The game is an M so it make sense to givge the movie an R Rating. Make use feel like this movie is really based off the game instead of some pre processed artificial crap.
Author: MARCUS | Permalink
Temple of Doom Mon Sep 08 at 22:43 EST
Temple of Doom was originally released as PG, however Steven Spielberg went to the MPAA and created PG-13 specifically for his Temple of Doom movie, which he felt was far too dark and disturbing for just a PG rating. Red Dawn and Flamingo Kid were amongst the first to come out with a PG-13 as their original rating, something that Temple of Doom cannot claim and as such is sometimes misunderstood as not being first PG-13 film
PermalinkJohn Moore has got a real way with words when talking with the press. How would like to be working publicity at Fox, trying to keep this guy on a leash? John, maybe you should try making a GOOD MOVIE — "The Omen" remake, anyone? — instead of worrying about how the MPAA does its job. I think "300" and "The Matrix" showed that we will happily line up for an R-rated film if it's well made and entertaining. On the other hand, if you were under contract with Fox to deliver a PG-13 rating, then you should have addressed this during the writing and production of the film rather than railing at the MPAA to do your job for you.
Author: cinemaniax7 | Permalink
Hah Mon Sep 08 at 15:13 EST
I have played through both Max Payne games several times... what disturbs me is that they are pushing for money, when a TRUE R-Rated Max Payne is the only rating would suffice a true Max Payne movie...
Author: John | Permalink
well Mon Sep 08 at 13:43 EST
The movie only exists to make money, and if PG13 gets them more money, theyll do whatever they need to do to get that, fans be damned. But the MPAA does suck.
Author: Jon | Permalink
Well... Mon Sep 08 at 12:43 EST
When thinking about great movies, it's never the gore or the MPAA rating that comes to mind. There were a lot of things about Max Payne 2 the game that where memorable: the phrase "the pills would ease the pain.", Wanting Mona but never getting her - the formula for every love story), and the visual style of the IGC (or the story frames from the first game). I just hope the filmmakers didn't miss the point by focusing on gore.
Author: Smitty | Permalink
Pathetic... Mon Sep 08 at 07:42 EST
Serves him right! Fox was already aiming at a PG13-rating just to make more money from the bigger audience, they were even willing to cut the movie in terms of violence and adult themes to get a lower rating. If they try to castrate the movie, there won't be anything left of Max Payne and the things that made it popular among gamers...
Author: Dúath | Permalink
why complain? Sun Sep 07 at 19:31 EST
why is he pissed that the movie is R rating. i mean 300 was R and that movie made more than its budget back.
Author: !_! | Permalink
It's Max Payne Dammit! Sun Sep 07 at 14:03 EST
may payne is a hardcore game so of course i thought the movie would have an r rating. I have a strong feeling the movie will do well. The director is just fighting for his movie to make enough money for a sequel i hope.
Author: jermaine fowler | Permalink
"M" Rating To "R" Sun Sep 07 at 13:44 EST
I have played and beat both Max Payne games. I loved them both. The games were rated "M" so shouldn't that make the movie be an "R?" From the way the trailer looked, it made it look like a hard R movie and that only made me want to see it more because it would make it more true to the games. I will see the movie no matter what rating it gets stuck with.
Author: JP aka Joe | Permalink
Question... Sun Sep 07 at 11:21 EST
Is PG-13 the next stepdown from an R rating in the U.S. ?? Because here in Toronto, we have a rating in between R and PG-13 called 14A. I also find that you guys are more rating-conscious. All of your movies are usually rated one step lower here. We don't censor as much. Then again we don't have as many crazies willing to mimic sequences from a movie and adapt them to real life. Fortunately the majority of Canadians have a better grasp of reality. No offense guys... Just saying you gotta a lot of easily influenced weirdos...
Author: Fontez | Permalink
Huh? Sun Sep 07 at 02:45 EST
"The first movie released with a PG-13 Rating was Red Dawn but the first film to be given a PG-13 Rating was Temple of Doom" Temple of Doom was released as PG, so I have no idea what you're talking about. According to IMDB: (The Flamingo Kid (1984) was the first film to be *given* a PG-13 rating, but sat on the shelves for five months before being released), so Red Dawn is what's recognized.
Author: El Guapo | Permalink
No lie...this movie SHOULD be a hard "R" rated movie. I think this movie washed down wont be as good if they did it full blown. Period. If you look at what Max Payne is about, its like it would be a crime to give it a PG-13 rating, despite how many people gonna see it.
Author: MetallicaFan | Permalink
The first movie released with a PG-13 Rating was Red Dawn but the first film to be given a PG-13 Rating was Temple of Doom
PermalinkMax Rating Sat Sep 06 at 23:36 EST
And there's been tons of "R" rated movies that have gone onto make money and were really good too (i.e. Training Day and Inside Man).
Author: Max Money | Permalink
Max Rating Sat Sep 06 at 23:31 EST
It could go either way really. I never beat the first game or played the second, but as a gamer I would definitely go see it regardless of rating. On the other hand I know in the Max Payne games theres a ton of bullets going every way possible and isn't it supposed to have a dark and broody kind of tone to it? From an Exec's p.o.v. I sympathize with them, but as a gamer I say stay true to the spirit of the game. They had to have known what they were getting into when they even bothered hiring people to write a script for it. I hate to be indecisive and all, damn this democracy of ours, but I think above all else I would say make it an "R" rating. I'm no Max Payne aficionado, but it seems like an "R" rating would be the only rating that could give him justice much like with the new Punisher movie.
Author: Max Money | Permalink