Paycheck (Widescreen) - DVD (Pre-owned)
SKU: UP-ZQF4-K77J
Chinese director John Woo is no stranger to American territory. *Face/Off* and *Mission: Impossible 2* in particular opened the doors for him to Hollywood stars and budgets, which he takes advantage of once again in *Paycheck*, a dynamic but conventional adaptation of a novel by Philip K. Dick. Two short films about the world of the movie and seven deleted or extended scenes complete the DVD presentation.
Michael Jennings is a computer engineer employed by big companies to steal the secrets of their competitors. At the end of each contract, his memory is erased. But after his mission for billionaire Rethrick, nothing goes as planned. Jennings isn't paid, the FBI is chasing him, and he is left with nothing but a mysterious envelope containing 19 everyday objects.
Mystery, action, suspense, machiavellianism, naive and redemptive love: the usual ingredients of the Woo recipe are very much present in *Paycheck*. The spectacular but sometimes mannered direction serves as a shell for a film that exploits one of science fiction’s favorite themes: the potential dangers of technological advances, in line with other K. Dick adaptations like *Total Recall* or *Minority Report*. The plot is convoluted, dense, and perfectly gripping. Uma Thurman is, as usual, radiant opposite a Ben Affleck who manages quite well. Without subtlety but with a certain efficiency, Woo makes *Paycheck* a fairly convincing futuristic thriller.
Michael Jennings is a computer engineer employed by big companies to steal the secrets of their competitors. At the end of each contract, his memory is erased. But after his mission for billionaire Rethrick, nothing goes as planned. Jennings isn't paid, the FBI is chasing him, and he is left with nothing but a mysterious envelope containing 19 everyday objects.
Mystery, action, suspense, machiavellianism, naive and redemptive love: the usual ingredients of the Woo recipe are very much present in *Paycheck*. The spectacular but sometimes mannered direction serves as a shell for a film that exploits one of science fiction’s favorite themes: the potential dangers of technological advances, in line with other K. Dick adaptations like *Total Recall* or *Minority Report*. The plot is convoluted, dense, and perfectly gripping. Uma Thurman is, as usual, radiant opposite a Ben Affleck who manages quite well. Without subtlety but with a certain efficiency, Woo makes *Paycheck* a fairly convincing futuristic thriller.
