I'm A Creepy Doctor, Short And Stout

As a general rule, Mel Gibson kicks ass. Of course not all the time, but ask yourself: Who walked out of Thunderdome? Who pulled Danny Glover off a bomb rigged toilet? Who single handedly won the American Revolution? He's been an old west card hustler, he taught math and literature to a bitchy kid (despite being ostracized because of his ground up face), and I'm still a little salty that William Wallace didn't win The Gathering.

All of that is child's play when compared to the calm, cool vengeance named Porter. Mel plays it to the hilt as the one named death dealer in this story of redemption and revenge. Think Madonna, or Cher, but tough, and with balls and a gun.

This is how tough Porter is - the opening scene of this film is the suit-up of a disgusting street doctor as he prepares to remove bullets from a still conscious Porter's back! But since Porter is impervious to pain, the only thing bothering him is the fact that these wounds are inflicted by his own wife. As it turns out, Mrs. Porter (Deborah Kara Unger) is pissed because she discovered that her husband was banging Rosie, a highfalutin prostitute (Maria Bello).

Yes, Porter had sex with Deborah Kara Unger AND Maria Bello.

While Porter is laying on the table, in pain, asking himself what happened, the doctor standing next to him must be wondering the same thing of himself. When he can't put it off any longer, he goes to work on Porter.

Dark and dingy, he's shaky as he snaps on his rubber gloves. He grabs a bottle of whiskey and pours himself a triple. Got to steady the hand. He hauls off on the glass of courage, dripping some on his chin stubble.

Looking over at Porter, we see the doc's face for the first time. A tale of woe written all over it. How many botched abortions? It's hard to remember. He probably doesn't bother to display even a fake college diploma anymore.

After pouring another double, the doc drops his surgical instruments - a scalpel and scissors - into the glass for sterilization. He takes the glass over to where Porter is laying, bloody face to the camera. As an extra precaution he splashes more booze over Porter's back. He must have already drank all the Mercurochrome by mistake. Finally ready to work, the doctor takes up the instruments and begins.

Overall the scene is well shot, and has a very cool tone to it. I understand that it may seem like a stretch to call this a proper suit-up scene. If you are thinking to yourself, "Hey! The doctor only put on rubber gloves. How is THAT a suit-up?" I would argue that what it lacks in the literal sense, it makes up for in the symbolic.

When Rambo goes to war, he can take comfort in knowing that his weapon belt is always around his waist. It has what he needs, and serves him well in combat. When the doctor in PAYBACK goes to work, he can take comfort in knowing that the belt of whiskey is in his stomach. In it's own way, it has everything that he needs, and serves him as well as can be expected.

(Note: This suit-up scene is NOT in PAYBACK STRAIGHT UP: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT. The original and director's cuts of this film are very different. They really are two completely separate movies).