Review of Paycheck

Introduction

Ben Affleck has a certain acting style that doesn`t endear him to me; Affleck seems stilted and smug no matter what film he`s in. Take a gander at Mall Rats, Armageddon, Chasing Amy, The Sum of All Fears, Daredevil...the list rattles impressively on, but there`s nothing to distinguish him, for me, as a must see actor. I could be wrong of course.

Partner him with one of Hong Kong`s biggest directorial exports, John Woo, and you have an interesting mix. John`s Hollywood films have been hit and miss and films like Mission Impossible 2, Broken Arrow and Windtalkers have been a let down, though I suspect it`s the storytelling/script that`s largely at fault here, and not so much the direction. I liked Face/Off and a quite a few of his HK films, so what can make Paycheck more appealing?

How about another film based on a short story by Philip K. Dick? Does this whet one`s apetite? Yes, but there was that other Dick story turned film, Imposter, that bored me rigid. Yes he`s written some compelling stories because like a lot of sci-fi fans, I like Blade Runner, Total Recall and Minority Report. So come on then Woo and Affleck, can you make Paycheck deliver?

Video

Presented with a 2.35:1 widescreen enhanced video transfer, Paycheck is passable but could have been better. Colours are bright and well balanced and there`s a good level of detail on show. However, while there are no visible signs of compression, there is some edge enhancement and this is noticeable as slight halos around actors. Considering that there are two audio commentaries as well as the DD5.1 soundtrack, the quality of the video has been compromised to a certain extent.

Audio

The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack here is impressive and does a good job for an action film. Dialogue remains clear from the centre and all speakers work well in conveying ambience and action. Scenes such as the subway and the bike chase come through really well with bullet sounds bouncing around.

Features

Nice looking animated menus with some good extras. First though, a word about the menus. If you haven`t seen the film then you`ll see clips from various scenes play on the menus which is a bit of a spoiler. Why do some companies insist on spoiling things before we get started with the film?

• Audio Commentary 1 with Director John Woo - I found John`s commentary interesting as he clearly has much to say about the film, the locations and the actors. He does talk up his `wonderful cast` at the beginning, which is a bit irritating, but then settles into his thoughts for the film and each scene.

• Audio Commentary 2 with Screenwriter Dean Georgaris - I listened to about 20-minutes of this commentary but decided it really wasn`t worth my time. While Dean did make a few interesting points, he`s dull to listen to and likes to state the obvious. I couldn`t sit through this for 100-minutes.

• Paycheck: Designing the Future (18:18) - Cast and crew feature in this featurette and talk up the film. Mention of Ben modelling himself on Cary Grant and the film being influenced by Hitchcock`s North by Northwest was laughable and as featurettes go they`re all the same. There`s nothing specifically interesting beneath the veneer.

• Tempting Fate: The Stunts of Paycheck (16:50) - The storyboarded Motorcycle chase scene, the subway and the Hydroponic Garden near the end of the film are the areas covered. Stunt crew and cast talk about their stunts and how they did them and is pretty much standard fare when it comes to action films. If you`ve seen them once on other DVDs, you`ve seen them all.

• Deleted/Extended Scenes (10:00) - Six scenes altogether and only one of slight interest which helps with film continuity.

• Alternate Ending (1:59) - All I can say about this is thank you for the powers that be for not using this, it`s terribly contrived and sentimental.

There are English subtitles for the feature and all extras including audio commentaries.

Conclusion

Watching Paycheck can be a dulling experience; it`s the combination of script and Ben Affleck which I find a turn off. The film is predictable up to a point because Ben`s character, Michael Jennings, doesn`t make mistakes. Everything conveniently happens for him which leaves me to believe that there are no surprises, no spontaneity, no feeling in the film. I know it`s an action film, but I just feel there`s something missing; a good script at its heart and a better leading performance. The idea is a good one. Who wouldn`t want to see the future with a machine? Just think of the dark side that can come out in a person with all that power in hand. There`s not much of a dark side coming to the fore here.

As action films go Paycheck does have some good action and stunts, the production design and special effects are good, the whole look of the film comes across as stylish and I like the look, but it still bores me. Oh look, there`s Ben practising some Mikado, oh look there`s Ben dressed in a classic suit, oh look, it`s Ben the engineer! Come on, he`s supposed to be the everyman but looking so neat and tidy, doing some exercise and fighting people like he`s a pro is so contrived. Even his dialogue delivery is somewhat ham fisted. Sorry to Affleck fans reading this, but I`m unable to suspend my disbelief when watching this.

Blade Runner has character, oodles of style and a top cast. Minority Report, despite some of the sentimentalism is still enjoyable to watch and this is down to Cruise, Spielberg and screenwriter Scott Frank. Total Recall as a film is better than the original short story and again, you have experienced and charismatic people involved. Paycheck really is a paint-by-numbers action film, without the charming lead and without the witty dialogue. The video looks good, the soundtrack is solid and the extras aren`t half bad either. It`s a shame the film just doesn`t deliver.