Paycheck (DVD)

note: also appears in part on Flixster and The Student Room John Woo made a real name for himself with his brilliant Eastern action films such as Hard Boiled, Bullet in the Head and The Killer, but his fare when he tackled Western action cinema has been a lot more inconsistent, in the absurd but fairly enjoyable Mission Impossible 2, and the beguiling John Claude Van Damme film Hard Target. Paycheck is not a popular film, with many citing it as Woo's worst film, but I dissent the critics: this is a fun B-movie throwback that has a fun effects and a unique premise, even if it does take itself a touch too seriously. Michael Jennings (Ben Affleck) is a ...  Read the complete review

Paycheck is a 2003 action film based on a short story by Phillip K. Dick. I wasn't aware of the film when it first came out and found it in my Uncle's hideously extensive DVD collection whilst babysitting my young cousin last week. I was looking for an easy to watch film with little thought required and Paycheck seemed to tick all the boxes. The film stars Ben Affleck and Uma Thurman and was almost universally panned by critics upon its release. Michael Jennings (Ben Affleck) is a tech wizard who specialises in taking other peoples electronic products, finding out how they work and then reproducing them to a much higher standard. For his work he receives a lot ...  Read the complete review

Paycheck is a 2003 science fiction/action film based on a short story of the same name by Phillip K. Dick. The film was made on a budget of $60,000,000 and grossed an estimated $96,269,812 at the box office. Critical response was mixed, some said it was a smart thriller while others said that it simply exploit's the superior book. Ben Affleck won a Worst Actor Razzie award for his work in the movie! The film is rated 12 and runs for approximately 119 minutes. John Woo directs the film, he is well-known for his action movies such as: Face/Off, Mission: Impossible II and Broken Arrow. Ben Affleck plays the lead role in the film, he plays Michael ...  Read the complete review

I actually feel sorry for Ben Affleck. He seems fated to constantly be in the news thanks to the whole Jennifer Lopez thing, which means the fact he's actually a pretty good seems to go rather unnoticed. This really isn't helped by his choice of films. He seems to star in one crummy film after another. This is a shame, as given the right dramatic material (Chasing Amy, Changing Lanes, Jersey Girl etc), he puts in good performances, even if the films themselves aren't perfect. Unfortunately, Paycheck is another entry to his collection of films that try and cement him as an action star. ...  Read the complete review

I love John Woo films, I love it before his Hollywood era, and I even love movies from Hollywood era. When it comes to action film he is a legend and pioneer. Movies that he made are excellent for action junkies like me. So that is why I forgive him for his one mistake: Paycheck. Story adopted from Philip K. Dick novel. Ben Affleck, Aaron Eckhart and Uma Thurman all actors that do well in action movies. High budget. John Woo as director. So what went wrong? I honestly don't know. Story starts when Ben takes a job for some sort of industry espionage that will take him three years. After that he will get his memories deleted and now one will now what ...  Read the complete review