10 Movies Where The Hero Should've Died

Payback is such a cynical thriller that you don't expect the protagonist, Porter (Mel Gibson) to make it out alive. We see his toes being crushed by a sledgehammer. We watch a bullet being dug out of his spine... in the opening scene! Because of his criminal lifestyle and the company he keeps, you can't really picture Porter riding off into the sunset.

But sure enough, Payback concludes with Porter killing the bad guy, rescuing his partner, and starting a new life in Canada.

If you thought this climax didn't suit the narrative, you're not the only one. Originally, the film was to conclude with Porter being left mortally wounded after being shot by an assassin.

Unfortunately, the studio thought the initial cut of Payback was too dark for a mainstream audience. Over the next year, the director was replaced, 30% of the scenes were reshot, and the film was given a brand new ending.

Even though you can understand why the execs wanted Payback to avoid a downbeat climax, watching Porter biting the dust in the end would've fit the film's dark tone better.