Payback is a 1999 thriller starring Mel Gibson as Porter, a thief who is double crossed and left for dead by both his wife and his partner in crime. After surviving the incident, Porter decides to go after them and get the money he's owed. The film is an adaptation of Richard Stark's novel The Hunter, which was also adapted into the 1967 Lee Marvin film Point Blank and the 1997 Chow Yun-Fat film Full Contact.
Unsatisfied with the original tone of the film as well as the ending, Gibson decided to reshoot several sequences and add several characters to the film before its release in 1999. In 2006, Brian Helgeland, the original writer/director of the film, was allowed to go back and restore his original vision for the film. It was released on DVD as "Payback Straight Up: The Director's Cut". Most of the screencaps for this page are from the Director's Cut.
The following guns were used in the film Payback:
Payback: The Director's Cut (2006)
Smith & Wesson Model 29
Porter (Mel Gibson) uses a blued Smith & Wesson Model 29 4" with S&W factory combat grips for the majority of the film after buying it in a pawn shop. The weapon here can be identified as an actual large-caliber .44 Magnum N-frame Model 29 due to the heavy non-tapered 'bull' barrel and full-length cylinder (The cylinder fills the entire gap). A different .357 Magnum N-frame S&W revolver was also used in some parts, noted in the Model 28 section below, but the Model 29 was also definitely used. See the Discussion page for comparisons and additional information.
Smith & Wesson Model 29 with 4" barrel.
The pawn shop owner hands Porter a Smith & Wesson Model 29 from off the rack. His lack of gun safety is pretty obvious as he hands him the gun with the hammer cocked and his finger on the trigger.
Left: Porter swings open the cylinder and spins it. A ratcheting sound effect is heard even though there is nothing for the cylinder to ratchet against.
Right: Porter examines the barrel. Note the smooth topstrap and bull barrel. Both consistent with a Model 29.
After doing some flashy twirling, Porter hands the shop owner the Model 29 back to make a purchase. Without a background check it is doubtful he would have actually made the purchase. For some reason he isn't shown buying cartridges either...
Porter searches his wife's house with his Model 29 at the ready.
A Model 29 with regular grips is seen in Detective Hicks' (
Bill Duke) holster.
Porter holds his Smith on Val in the hotel room.
Porter uses a pillow to muffle the gunshot as he executes Val. This is movie fiction, as a pillow would not properly suppress a handgun, especially a revolver. It is also pointless since three rounds are fired before this. It is possible, however, that he could have simply used the pillow to deflect the bloodspray caused by a close-range headshot.
Arthur Stegman (
David Paymer) holds a Model 29 on Porter in the back of a Taxi cab before he takes it from him.
Porter fires the two guns through the floor of the Triad van. You can see he is simply dry-firing the gun as no muzzle flash is seen, likely a safety precaution for firing blanks at such close proximity.
Porter rolls out from under the van and shoots the Triad driver.
Internal Affairs officers show off Porter's original Model 29 to Det. Hicks (
Bill Duke) and Det. Leary (
Jack Conley) after Porter left the gun (covered with their fingerprints) at the scene of Val's murder, along with one of their badges.
Smith & Wesson Model 28
Though Porter does purchase and use the above Model 29, the Smith & Wesson Model 28 is seen standing in for it in some places, sometimes being switched in the same scenes. It can be differentiated from the Model 29 due to it's tapered barrel and (if examined closely) shorter .357 cylinder in some shots. The gun can be identified specifically as a Model 28 'Highway Patrolman' rather than the almost identical, but much finer Model 27 due to it's slightly duller finish and smooth, non-checkered topstrap.
Smith & Wesson Model 28 'Highway Patrolman' with 4" barrel and Rubber Combat Grips - .357 Magnum.
Porter holds his Model 28 on the Detectives before handing it to them outside the "Outfit's" building. The smaller-diameter .357 barrel is quite clear in this shot.
Porter fires what is now the
S&W Model 28 in an akimbo stance along with a
Beretta 92FS at the Triads, unloading about 13 rounds from his six shot revolver.
A close up of the guns firing, with excellent shots of both the gun's markings and the distinctive tapered barrel.
Porter holds the Model 28 on Pearl (
Lucy Liu). A close inspection here will note the tapered barrel, the slight cylinder gap, and the smooth topstrap.
The gun clicks empty. That's the inconvenience of movie guns, they can fire off a ridiculous amount of ammunition but never have a bullet left when you really need it. The smooth, non-checkered topstrap (Similar to the aforementioned Model 29) is also more clearly visible in this shot.
Colt Python
Lynn Porter (Deborah Kara Unger) uses a stainless Colt Python to shoot Porter (Mel Gibson) in the back after she and Val Resnick (Gregg Henry) decide to take the Triad's stolen money for themselves.
Colt Python - .357 Magnum.
Lynn shoots Porter in the back with the Colt Python. Although she blinks on the first shot, she does a good job of keeping her eyes open for the other two.
Val tries to comfort Lynn as she holds her Colt Python. Nice work following rule number three, finger off the trigger.
Beretta 92FS
Val Resnick (Gregg Henry) carries a Beretta 92FS pistol as his main sidearm, which Porter (Mel Gibson) takes from him and uses for the rest of the film.
Val surrenders his Beretta 92FS when being stripped by an employee at "The Outfit".
Val holds his Beretta 92FS on Rosie (
Maria Bello) with a horrible 'gangster' grip.
Porter hold's Val's Beretta 92FS on Fairfax (
James Coburn) using the same horrible gangster grip.
Porter unloads on the Triads.
Porter rolls out from under the van and guns down the Triad driver.
Porter guns down two thugs in the bathroom with his Beretta 92FS.
Even though Porter had fired his Beretta 92FS multiple times during the final gunfight, the hammer is strangely down in this shot.
Porter fires his Beretta 92FS at the fleeing Outfit members. In his defense, his eyes are closed because he is dazed.
Walther PP
Val Resnick (Gregg Henry) carries a Walther PP as secondary sidearm.
Val surrenders his Walther PP to an Outfit employee.
Smith & Wesson Model 49 "Bodyguard"
Val Resnick (Gregg Henry) carries Smith & Wesson Model 49 "Bodyguard" in an ankle holster.
Smith & Wesson Model 49 .38 Special
An Outfit employee removed Val's Smith & Wesson Model 49 "Bodyguard".
The employee remarks on the ankle gun.
Walther PPK
Pearl (Lucy Liu) carries a blued Walther PPK with pearl grips (possibly in relation with her name) as her sidearm.
Pearl fires her Walther PPK at Porter through the floor of the Triad van. Luckily for Porter, she misses him across the 2ft distance of the van.
Pearl holds her Walther PPK on Porter.
The gun clicks empty instead of locking back like it should have on the last shot. Then again, maybe it misfired and Porter got
really lucky.
SIG-Sauer P220
The Triad van driver (Jeff Imada) is seen firing a SIG-Sauer P220 through the floor of the van at Porter (Mel Gibson). Earlier in the film Porter is seen taking a SIG P220 from one of Carter's (William Devane) guards after knocking him out with a roll of pennies and then using it to kill him. They are noted as the P220 model by their lack of double stack bulges on the frame, and their .45-sized muzzle diameters.
SIG-Sauer P220 - .45 ACP.
Porter shoots Carter with one of his guard's SIG-Sauer P220 pistols.
The Triad van driver (
Jeff Imada) fires his SIG-Sauer P220 at Porter under the van, and misses him despite him being directly under him.
The Triad driver is shot by Porter. Note the lack of bulges in the frame.
One of the Outfit members at the end of the film tries to exit the car and shoot at Porter while armed with a SIG-Sauer P220. The actor playing this thug is Marc Vann, best known for playing Conrad Ecklie in CSI. The one in the middle is John Glover, best known for playing Lionel Luthor in
Smallville.
M3 "Grease Gun"
When Porter (Mel Gibson) is attacked by the Triad gang members, two of them are seen firing M3 "Grease Guns". They clearly have external charging handles, helping to identify them as older M3s, not M3A1s.
M3A1 "Grease Gun" - .45 ACP.
One of the Triad gang members fires his M3 "Grease Gun" at the taxi cab.
The two Triads unload their M3 "Grease Guns".
Glock 17
One of the Triad gang members is seen using a 2nd Generation Glock 17 to shoot at Porter (Mel Gibson) in the taxi cab. Later Porter is seen disposing of two Glock 17s after killing two thugs in the restroom.
- The two Glocks Porter takes from the restroom thugs appear to be first generation models due to their lack of ridges in the grips.
A generation 1 Glock 17 in 9x19mm.
One of the Triads fires his Glock 17 at Porter in the cab. Note how the top of the barrel has been milled down for blank conversion.
Porter throws two Glock 17s into the trash bin.
Smith & Wesson Model 10 Heavy Barrel
Porter (Mel Gibson) tries to draw a Smith & Wesson Model 10 Heavy Barrel with a 3" barrel (or maybe a Smith & Wesson Model 13) when he shot in the back by Lynn (Deborah Kara Unger).
Smith & Wesson Model 10HB with 3 inch barrel - .38 Special
Porter attempts to draw his Smith & Wesson Model 10HB.
Porter falls down and drops his Model 10HB.
Heckler & Koch VP70
A Triad gang member fires a Heckler & Koch VP70 at Porter (Mel Gibson) in the taxi cab.
Heckler & Koch VP70 - 9x19mm.
A Triad fires his Heckler & Koch VP70.
The Triad holding his Heckler & Koch VP70, grinning victoriously and removing his shades after (he thinks) the van ran Porter over.
Remington 870 Sawed-Off
Radioman (Kwame Amoaku) tries to save Arthur Stegman (David Paymer) with a sawed-off Remington 870 shotgun before being mowed down by the Triads. Based on the sling swivel on the pistol grip, it is assumed this gun was professionally sawed down by a film armorer.
Radioman holds his sawed-off Remington 870 on Porter when he disarms Stegman in the back seat of the taxi.
A good side shot of the Remington 870. Note the sling swivel on the grip.
Smith & Wesson 669
Lynn's (Deborah Kara Unger) heroin dealer (Freddy Rodriguez) carries a Smith & Wesson 669 with bobbed hammer installed, which Porter (Mel Gibson) disarms him of and holds on him as he interrogates him.
Smith & Wesson 669 without old bobbed hammer - 9mm.
Porter disarms the heroin dealer of his Smith & Wesson 669.
Porter searches the dealer while holding his Smith & Wesson 669 on him.
Porter with the Smith & Wesson 669.
Heckler & Koch P7
One of Carter's (William Devane) bodyguards is seen armed with a Heckler & Koch P7M8 before Porter (Mel Gibson) knocks him out with a roll of pennies. An Outfit member is seen firing one at Porter during the final firefight as well.
Heckler & Koch P7M8 - 9mm.
The guard drops his Heckler & Koch P7M8 after being knocked out by Porter.
One of the Outfit members fires her Heckler & Koch P7M8 at Porter.
Ruger Mark II
An Outfit thug at the train station opens his lunchbox to reveal Ruger Mark II pistol with an integral suppressor.
Ruger Mark III with custom suppressor - .22 long rifle.
An Outfit thug reveals a suppressed Ruger Mark II pistol in his lunch box.
Walther P38
Inside the pawn shop, a Walther P38 is seen hanging on the pistol rack, along with several unknown revolvers.
A Walther P38 hangs on the pistol rack in the pawn shop.
The weapons on the pistol rack in the pawn shop.
See Also
Other films also based on the novel The Hunter by Richard Stark:
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