Paycheck (2003/Paramount Blu-ray)

 

Picture: B     Sound: B     Extras: C     Film: C

 

 

John Woo’s thriller Paycheck (2003) has not dated very well and seems more contrived when you see Ben Affleck playing… Ben Affleck as ingenious reverse-engineering computer whiz who gets paid to help companies undo the designs of competitors, but he freelance gig is about to collapse when a frame-up for murder becomes the next thing and the one thing he did not sign up for.  You can read more about the film at this link:

 

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/1150/Paycheck+(Widescreen)

 

 

For the film being only a few years old, the technology has dated more quickly than expected, the storyline was never strong despite being an adaptation of Philip K. Dick material and it is as much action flash as anything.  Not that that is such a bad thing, but it is not as substantial as even Total Recall, a better actioner that uses a book by Dick as its source.  It did some business in its time and is worth a look at best, but don’t expect much.  Uma Thurman, Aaron Eckhart, Paul Giamatti and Joe Morton also star.

 

The 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image can look good, but also has some paleness about it, with some motion blur and detail issues.  Still, it is a good shoot with some money on the screen.  The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix has its moments, but sounds slightly compressed and not of the high standards we expect from a Woo film.  Extras are the same as the DVD.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo