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Stars: Ben Affleck,
Aaron Eckhart, Uma Thurman, Paul Giamatti, Colm Feore, Joe Morton, and Michael
C. Hall
Writer: Dean
Georgaris
Based Upon The
Short Story By Philip K. Dick
Director: John Woo
Feature length:
118 minutes
Extras: Audio
Commentary With Director John Woo, Audio Commentary With Screenwriter Dean
Georgaris, Two Featurettes, Seven Extended Deleted Scenes, Preview Trailers
Languages: English
and French Language Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and English Dolby Surround
Sound
Subtitles: English
Captions and Closed Captions and French Language Subtitles For Select Extra
Features Only
Packaging: Keep
Case
Chapter Stops: 22
Sound: Dolby
Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and Dolby Surround Sound
Year of Theatrical
Release: 2003/DVD Release: 2004
Theatrical
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Home Video
Distributor: Paramount Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Reviewer: Mark A.
Rivera
This Paramount and
DreamWorks co-production is the sixth theatrically released feature film to be
based on the work of Science Fiction Writer Philip K. Dick. Like all of the
films based on Dick’s work, the basic thesis deals with how personal
perception defines our humanity. Everything else is icing on the cake whether
the story is about humanoid robots seeking an extended life or someone on the
run from some shadowy force. In “Paycheck” Ben Affleck plays a technology
professional that reverse engineers machinery in order to produce better
products for his clients. He is very good at his job and gets paid well too.
However the catch is that he has to willingly undergo short-term memory erasure
to ensure the secrecy of his work. After completing a three-year contract, he
learns that he has forfeited all payment. All he has is an envelope containing
clues to his forgotten past. In addition, Federal Agents as well as assassins
are hunting him down because of what he might still know. Now his only hope is
to piece together what has happened in the three years that have elapsed and
discover the truth.
To go into any
further specifics would spoil the film for those who have not yet seen it, but
despite the potential of the premise, “Paycheck” has to be one of the most
predictable and ridiculous films based on the work of Philip K. Dick I have ever
seen. The effects and action sequences are truly well choreographed to create a
very familiar yet slightly futuristic world circa 2007. The problem is that the
characters are contrived and the story gets so convoluted that it becomes
ridiculous. There is absolutely no screen chemistry between Uma Thurman and Ben
Affleck either. I love sci-fi, but when I find myself talking back at the screen
like I was from MST3K, then something is definitely wrong.
Leaving your brain
at the door may not be enough to watch “Paycheck” except for the most
non-discriminating action film fan. Paramount Home Entertainment’s DVD edition
presents “Paycheck” as a part of their “Special Collector’s Edition”
series of films on DVD with a sharp anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) aspect ratio
transfer. I wish the film was as good as this DVD looks. The English Dolby
Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack is also well mixed. A French Language Dolby
Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack and an English Dolby Surround Soundtrack are
also included along with English Captions and Closed Captions for the hearing
impaired encoded onto the DVD as options. French Language Subtitles are
available on select extra value features too.
Director John Woo
provides his own feature length audio commentary track where he reveals what
attracted him to the screenplay as well as some of the changes that occurred
during the development and production of the project. He also notes that Matt
Damon was his first choice and that watching “Blade Runner” brought tears to
his eyes. Woo also mentions his method of editing the scenes in his mind before
shooting and recommends aspiring Directors to become Editors to learn pacing.
This is not unwise advice. Screenwriter Dean Georgaris also participates in his
own feature length audio commentary covering some of the same information
Director John Woo gives on his commentary track, but of course taking it from a
Screenwriter’s point of view complete with a discussion of the alternate
ending found among the bonus features on this DVD.
One can view the
six-deleted/extended scenes individually or as one reel (10:24). The
deleted/extended scenes as well as the alternate ending (2:02) are all presented
in a letterboxed (2.35:1) aspect ratio with English Dolby Surround Sound. The
scenes are rather dull so they are no great loss. “Paycheck: Designing The
Future” (18:13) is more of a promotional featurette than a technical
featurette. John Woo contributes his storyboards for the self-explanatory
“Tempting Fate: The Stunts Of Paycheck” featurette (16:46). A reel of
preview trailers (8:39) for “Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow,”
“Timeline,” “The Perfect Score,” and “Against The Ropes” wrap up the
extra value features on this DVD. Recommended only for sci-fi action film fans
that can overlook story problems and whatnot, “Paycheck: Special Collector’s
Edition” is available on both anamorphic widescreen or full screen versions on
DVD-Video now, but sold separately at retailers on and offline from Paramount
Home Entertainment.
© Copyright 2004
By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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