User Reviews

I'll admit, I found the thought of watching this painful. To say I'm not a fan of the Wayans is an understatement of giant proportions. But I have to admit, within a few minutes I was smiling and laughing despite this predisposition. I think the problem with the Wayans is when they get together they aren't funny anymore. But individually, they have the potential to add to a movie greatly.

So it is with Major Payne. Wayans' nasal speech pattern could have been intensely aggravating, yet somehow it came across as just right. Neither too strong nor too whiney. The kids all give great supporting roles and nobody lets the film down.

Another plus for this movie (at least as far as I was concerned) was its absolute failure to be anything like politically correct in regard to Payne's treatment of the kids under his charge. Too often these days we see movies that are soppy wet and dripping with syrupy goodness. It makes a pleasant change to see a film where that doesn't go on. Well, at least for the most part. Payne does "mellow" somewhat as the film progresses, but not to the point of a complete character reversal, thank god.

Highlight of the movie for me was Payne's version of the "Little Engine that Could", as recited to a six year old. The story starts off normally, but steadily involves less and less "Little Engine" and more and more "'Nam" tales! The way that Payne throws out the horrors of war during the telling is just hysterical.

Of course, it is a feelgood movie so you know everything will work out in the end. That doesn't stop you smiling the whole way through, or of hanging on Payne's every utterance (which are nearly always hilarious).

I guess the movie is not for everyone, but take it from me (as an avowed Wayans hater!) that this movie is worth your time. If you don't like it by the time Payne does his "Failure to communicate!" line then maybe it isn't for you. As for me, well, it's forced me to re-evaluate my opinion of the Wayans clan somewhat.

It was very unpredictable, you never knew what was coming, you would never guess the funny names he calls the kids, great comedy even for adults. You see i have a problem, whenever I am exposed to something cringe worth I cringe hard, more than most, and this movie wasn't cheesy to my eyes, I only cringed a few times. Very good righting for a kids movie meant for adults and kids.

Mayor Payne is a must see classic to me. I was only two when it came out, but I remember watching it as a young kid, and i watched it many times after that. Now being old enough to actually have opinion about the movie I wanted to re-watch it. And it did not disappoint.

Damon Wayans as Mayor Payne is a comedic master piece. Every line he deliverers and every looks he gives is funny, even his laugh is hilarious. The movie itself is as good as a silly comedic movie can be, which is not amazing. BUT its cute. Watching the movie again made me realize there are some things that are weird, Like the deaf kid being able to hear. Of course I realize this is part of the movie, and its a message the movie is trying to send (I think its a good one) but its also a little hard to overlook.

This movie is and stays very close to my heart, even though sometimes it tries a little hard to be funny and silly. I realize this movie is not for everyone but people who enjoy movies like Police Academy will find Mayor Payne a funny movie with a good message behind it. Now I'll make sure I watch it every year!

Before i sat down to this i thought it would be a stupid kiddy comedy movie like something off Nickleodeon but i was wrong, this will appeal to adults just as much (if not more) than children. It's about a hardened kill happy Major who doesn't have anything else left to do in the army so his commanding officer gives him a job training a bunch of cadets.

Daman Wayans is fantastic as Major Payne and really makes the character shine. This movie isn't about a bunch of unruly kids making Major Payne's life hell but more like the other way around. The children try hard to get rid of him but their attempts are all futile. It takes a good three quarters of the movie before the kids warm up to the Major. It really is a bit too formulaic near the end but i still think that this is a top notch movie mostly due to Daman Wayans. This guy should be in more stuff. A really funny movie that is for everyone and just when you think it's going to turn sickly sweet in a couple of the scenes....well you'd better watch it to find out. 9/10

Major Payne (1995): Dir: Nick Castle / Cast: Damon Wayans, Karyn Parsons, Steven Martini, Michael Ironside, William Hickey: Formula driven military comedy about an individual succeeding the thresholds of war and now reduced to a different trial. Damon Wayans plays Major Benson Winifred Payne who returns from a South American drug raid that contains a hilarious reference to Apocalypse Now. Unfortunately he is placed in charge of a group of misfit kids that he immediately lines up and unloads every insult possible in accordance to any physical standout in their appearance. This lands him in hot water with the mother of one of the boys. She is played by Karyn Parsons and her job is to lecture and predictably become the cardboard romantic interest. Wayans holds his own injecting harsh reality to these kids including an amusing sequence where he unloads his gun on a closet door to prove to one kid that nothing scary is in there. The pranks pulled by the kids always backfire proving Payne to be ahead of them intellectually. Supporting cast are an assortment of cardboard cut-outs. Steven Martini plays the rebel older kid in need of a reality check. Michael Ironside is wasted in one scene as an abusive father. William Hickey appears briefly to prove that he has more insects in his office than cans of Raid. While it satires military and behaviour, its delivery is a pain all its own. Score: 5 ½ / 10

Takes me back to my basic training days, although a few of Major Payne's punishments wouldn't have been allowed. The major plot points are quite predictable, but the details are not, and that is what mostly makes it entertaining.

Major Payne, who's spent his adult life fighting in wars and skirmishes, suddenly finds himself without such a followup opportunity. Thus, he agrees to act as drill instructor at a civilian school. Of course, his motley crew hate his harsh methods for quite a spell, and even make several attempts to have him dismissed. Of course, they eventually learn to respect his methods and cooperate with him in his ambition for them to win the coveted state military games trophy. Of course, the young single female counselor initially disapproves of his methods, and at one point, calls him a "psychopathic, egomaniac, a**hole". But, of course, she eventually softens her opinion, they date, and eventually marry, as in Payne's daydream while he's waiting at the train station, to leave. Of course, we 'know' that he's not really going to leave for active duty in Bosnia, just prior to the military games, for which they have been preparing. Of course, we 'know' that his cadets will win the trophy at the games, even in his absence, and even when all looks to be lost.

I don't understand why his motley group of cadets were of such different ages and heights. One seemed like he still belonged in grade school, while some looked to be high schoolers?

This is a great film that you can sit back with your children and watch again and again.

The story is taken from an old Chuck Heston film called Major Benson's Private War that took a serious "military man" and put him in charge of a group of children in an ROTC unit.

Major Payne takes that story and inserts Payne as the 1990s caricature of a Rambo-esq "killing machine" - with an over the top slant to make his character comical in nature.

There are some tried and true story lines here. Payne's 'tough love' motivates the children and helps them to grow...but he also grows as a person through his concern for the children as well as a love interest. The children at first despise Payne for his tough methods, but they learn to respect him. Payne sees emotion and caring as weaknesses early in the film, but he learns to value those. We see that the kids can have discipline yet still be kids, and the adults can be strong role models and be sensitive.

Wayans's voice and high strung nature may turn some off, but they truly accentuate his character.

The film has a happy ending where all has turned out for the best.

This is a film you can watch over and over. Very few of the jokes get old, and you find yourself repeating many of the lines back. A fun movie that has appeal for both young and old.