John Woo delivers some fun thrills in an otherwise lackluster action pic.
Paycheck (2003)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:138
Fresh:37
Rotten:101
Average Rating:4.7/10
Consensus: Though Dick's short story has an intriguing premise, Woo reduces it to a lot of meaningless chases, shoot-outs, and explosions.
Runtime: 1 hr 58 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
US Box Office: $53,681,119
Synopsis: Adapted from a mind-bending sci-fi thriller by Philip K. Dick, the slick and riveting PAYCHECK is directed by John Woo (THE KILLER, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE II)--the king of artful gunfighting... Adapted from a mind-bending sci-fi thriller by Philip K. Dick, the slick and riveting PAYCHECK is directed by John Woo (THE KILLER, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE II)--the king of artful gunfighting flicks--who shows off his agility here with flat-out, white-knuckle cinematic entertainment. Michael Jennings (Ben Affleck) is a high-paid engineer who works on hush-hush computer inventions and technology for shady companies. Later, his memory is wiped clean, so he has no recollection of his work. His so-called friend Rethrick (Aaron Eckhardt, the master of smarmy mean-spiritedness, as in IN THE COMPANY OF MEN) offers him enough money to retire by working on a project at Rethrick's company, Allcom. When Jennings emerges three years later, sans memory, he tries to collect his paycheck. At the bank, he's handed a manila envelope filled with cryptic items he doesn't recognize, and told he voluntarily forfeited his entire paycheck. He also has a stunning girlfriend named Dr. Rachel Porter (Uma Thurman) who is likewise ensnared in the conspiracy. Jennings must somehow piece together the clues he left for himself, and find out why everyone is out to kill him. As usual, Dick's story is the basis for a killer script that travels from point A to Z with gripping immediacy. The clues left for Jennings are amusing writerly devices, intricately pieced together. Woo clearly enjoyed choreographing the wild gunfighting and chase sequences (slo-mo bullets aplenty), sending Affleck and Thurman on the run with a BMW motorcycle. [More]
Starring: Ben Affleck, Aaron Eckhart, Uma Thurman, Paul Giamatti
Starring: Ben Affleck, Aaron Eckhart, Uma Thurman, Paul Giamatti, Colm Feore, John Morton, Michael C. Hall
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Screenwriter: Dean Georgaris
Producer: John Davis, Michael Hackett, John Woo, Terence Chang
Composer: John Powell
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Reviews for Paycheck
It doesn’t take a world-famous genius to peg this thing a paycheck movie if there ever was one.
Dick’s nifty sci-fi plot is undermined by Hollywood present, from vapid Affleck to Woo’s explosively dreary finale.
When will Ben Affleck's perceived star power fade away? He just doesn't seem to have the inner angst and soulfulness that you see in the eyes of Cruise, Pitt or even Damon.
If ever a movie title summed up a viewer's assessment of all those involved it's this one.
'If nature abhors a vacuum, how come Affleck hasn't been struck by lightning yet?'
It lacks pace and inventiveness, never drawing anything meaningful or exciting from the premise.
Coming up short on just about everything – from the casting and dialog to the action sequences – Woo rides the high of a strong story into the ground.
... the latest corpse in a long string of casualties left by Ben Affleck’s 'star power' and credibility void as a man of action.
Longtime fans of John Woo, who have come to accept operatic, lead-slinging death dances as an integral part of the director’s powerful aesthetic, will probably be unsatisfied with this neutered variation on his earlier, superior works.
Latest News for Paycheck
August 31, 2006:
A Taste of What's "Next" for Nicolas Cage
Any time I hear the phrase "movie based on a Philip K. Dick story," I know I have to do a little more research. The next PKD adaptation is Lee Tamahori's... More...
August 08, 2006:
Paul Giamatti to Star as Philip K. Dick
He night not be as famous as H.G. Wells or Isaac Asimov, but ask a sci-fi enthusiast what they think of Philip K. Dick, and get ready for a lengthy conversation. The late and... More...
November 08, 2005:
Nic Cage & Julianne Moore Will Do Sci-Fi Action Flick "Next"
Variety reports that Nicolas Cage and Julianne Moore will star in Revolution's "Next," which is a sci-fi action project based on a story by genre giant Philip K. Dick. More...
July 08, 2005:
Trailer Bulletin: The Exorcism of Emily Rose
Head on over to the film's official site for your first look at the trailer to "The Exorcism of Emily Rose." The supernatural horror flick is directed by Scott... More...
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