First of all, the plot does not have to be original for the script to be awesome. It is the telling of the story and the development of the characters, not the plot, that really makes a good movie. Seven wasn't really all that original in plot. It was the combination of a dark, relentless script, a unique shooting style, and great performances that made it a classic.
Oh, and Max Payne did suck, but it was because of the script. It had a lot of style, and the performances were fine. It was the utter lack of anything interesting happening that made it suck, along with the complete senselessness of the few things that did happen.