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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
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
Tout le monde ici s’est donc contenté de venir chercher son chèque de paie...
The one thing we cannot forgive in a would-be thriller is boredom. Even Woo's trademarks, the fluttering birds and the two-gun stand-off, feel perfunctory.
Director John Woo, progenitor of film violence as stylized artistry, rests on his laurels here. He keeps the action sufficiently engaging, but never mind-blowing.
You've seen Roadrunner cartoons with more suspense than this entirely predictable hash.
It moves quickly, doesn't belabor the obvious, doesn't do anything stupid, and will be forgotten the moment you exit the theater.
Doves might be symbolic for many of the classic struggles in film and literature. But something they drop from their business end embodies what “Paycheck’s” all about.
Affleck is no Schwarzenegger but director Woo works with what he's got. With Uma Thurman as the action sidekick/love interest, how bad can it be?
A good bit of the negativity surrounding the film wouldn't exist if it starred anyone but Ben Affleck (well, maybe not Mark Wahlberg either).
What's the problem? Ben Affleck is perfectly believable as a guy who spends two hours confused and with a dazed look on his face.
The first hurdle is the hardest: Accepting Ben Affleck in the role of possibly the most intelligent man on the planet.
Only dedicated fans will be willing to overlook Paycheck's relatively weak cast and lackluster fights and chases.
Paycheck is nothing more than an adequate thriller; a standard chase movie.
Just add an underwritten love interest, a scruffy yet lovable sidekick, stir violently and overcook action sequences. Serves millions, but tastes bland.
Fails to satisfy as either a Dickian head trip or a Woo-zy thriller...
How appropriate that Woo’s awkward sci-fi nutty narrative is about memory loss seeing as though this convoluted clunker is utterly forgettable.
While the tautly paced Paycheck succeeds at keeping your attention, it offers nothing at all to think about or even remember once its two hours have run their course.
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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