Ben Affleck plays Michael Jennings, a man who reverse engineers existing technology. He is hired by companies to basically steal their competitors technology. When Michael finishes the job, he gets his memory wiped so that he can't remember what he just did. He gets a new offer for a job so big it will require three years of his life. Michael is reluctant but the promise of millions in pay is enough to convince him. When he "wakes up" from the job, he discovers that he hasn't been paid. Instead all he gets is a manilla envelope with some odds and ends he sent himself. He is furious but soon realizes that the odds and ends are clues he intended to help him figure everything out despite having his memory wiped.
The problem here is that the movie has a neat little idea behind it but never makes much effort to work with it. The idea of a guy who gives up chunks of his memory for big paychecks could generate all sorts of interesting storylines as those gaps become a problem in his life. The idea is barely touched here. Then there is the big secret project to create a machine that sees the future. Cool, right? Not here. Virtually nothing is done with the idea other than make it sound dangerous to world peace. Yawn.
The movie has action but even that underwhelms. There is a motorcycle chase and some hand to hand combat and lots of people shooting at Affleck. None of it stands out though. Woo has done much better work than this. And while I'm at it, someone please explain to me how some Ford Crown Vics manage to keep up with a high priced BMW motorcycle? Those cars should have been left in the dust and yet they keep up with the bike with ease. Details like that just bug the hell out of me.
You can't really blame stars Affleck or Uma Thurman for this mess. They do their best with weak dialogue and predictable action but they can't save it. John Woo doesn't show much enthusiasm or creativity but neither is he the real source of blame. That has to go to Dean Georgaris for a limp script that skips over interesting ideas in favor of predictable action.
The fascinating thing about Dick's writing are the ways he introduces paranoia based on technological breakthroughs. He starts with a theory and then uses it to twist the main character through a nightmare as he tries to make sense of it all. Paycheck never really establishes that paranoia. Michael immediately knows who is after him and figures out exactly why in a remarkably short time. Yes, he is supposed to be brilliant but it's a pretty fast leap he makes.
This is probably Ben Affleck's best movie of 2003, although that isn't exactly a presitgious award. He looks more at home with action here than in Daredevil and as poor as Paycheck is, it seems like a Best Picture candidate next to Gigli. This movie isn't worth a trip to the theater. Maybe it's worth renting, if you've shown up late at the video store and all the other new releases are out already.
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Directed by: John Woo
Written by: Dean Georgaris, Philip K. Dick (short story)
Michael Jennings: Ben Affleck
Rachel Porter: Uma Thurman
Rethrick: Aaron Eckhart
Shorty: Paul Giamatti Wolfe
