While watching Good Will Hunting, who would have ever thought Ben Affleck would one day be an action star? Well now he is, and you can catch him as a leading man and a butt kicking action star in John Woo’s Paycheck. Unfortunately, Affleck does not have the charisma and machismo that action stars like Stallone and Schwartzneggar possess. He’s still that same old guy from Boston who loves the Red Sox (and yes, this is actually referenced in this film).
Michael Jennings (Ben Affleck) is a computer engineer who works on top secret projects. After he works on a project, there is a procedure performed where his short-term memory is erased. He accepts a 3 year assignment from his friend (Aaron Eckhart) that will ultimately bring him a pay off of $90 million dollars. When he finds out that he has signed away his paycheck after his assignment is completed, he is sent on a journey to figure out his past. Guided only by a mysterious envelope that contains several miscellaneous items that serve as clues, Michael Jennings and his girlfriend Rachel (Uma Thurman) run for their lives while they try to figure out Jennings’s mysterious past.
If you are looking for an action flick with plenty of eye popping action sequences and explosions, then Paycheck could be the film for you. John Woo has directed several successful action flicks such as Face Off and Mission Impossible 2, however, the plot and the characters in Paycheck are not nearly as exciting or intriguing as they were in Face Off. It seemed as if the idea could have worked and could have been less confusing if there was more time and explanation spent on the storyline. However, when trying to cram a lot of information into a 2 hour movie it can be a difficult thing to accomplish. I think because of time constraints, characters seemed underdeveloped and there was little chemistry between Thurman and Affleck. Michael C. Hall who plays David in HBO’s hit series Six Feet Under has a supporting role, but his talents as an actor are wasted in this mediocre role.
The DVD has many special features, including several deleted scenes and an alternate ending. Although the alternate ending definitely demonstrates why Woo chose not to leave it in the film, it is still interesting to watch and compare and contrast it to the real ending. There is also a director’s commentary which I always find insightful because of the fact that it helped me appreciate the movie more so than I would have.
If action movies are your thing and you’re looking for some mindless entertainment, Paycheck is definitely worth a viewing. Overall, it’s your standard, generic action flick.
Movie Grade: C
DVD Grade: C+
Overall Grade: C
Click here to read about Ben Affleck's thoughts on making this ...
