Ok, let me quantify this a bit better. Yes, it's terribly short, but it's definitely worth the money. There are several difficulty levels, and like the previous Max Payne there are other levels you're going to want to play over and over again.
And, on the rare occassions like this, you're not just playing for the game play (which is *excellent*), but for the story. The comic-book storybooks are still top-notch, if not better, and keep you deeply immersed in what can only be descriped as "epic noir". You get caught up in the story of the Fall (and Rise, of a sort) of Max Payne. It is a fine peice of fiction as well as a fine action title.
Normally I wouldn't stick my neck out for a game. MP2's bullet 2.0 isn't jaw-dropping, but it's still fun. The general 'feel' for the game can be mastered after a bit, because honestly if you played the first Max Payne it's like riding a bike.
But like I said, if you're not into story, then maybe it's not for you yet. But I genuinely was taken for a ride. Illusion. Fear. Doubt. Suspicion. Love. Lust. Hate. Friends turned to enemies and foes turned to allies. The world around you changes, and you never really realize it until it's too late. Max Payne 2's story is all of these things. For in the end, the only person you can trust is yourself, and the only thing you can have faith in is the power and integrity of your own conscience.
If you want to play an unappologetic neo-noir action thriller, with a storyline that's cheezy but will grip you, and gameplay that'll keep you plastered to the wall dodging bullets and ripping off rounds in a hail of shell casings, get Max Payne 2. 50 bucks may be a bit high, so wait if you want, but whatever price is money well spent.