Paycheck

Directed by John Woo, Paycheck follows Ben Affleck’s Michael Jennings as he’s hunted by various figures after reverse-engineering a futuristic, world-changing device. It’s a promising setup that’s employed to perpetually hit-and-miss effect by Woo, as the filmmaker, armed with a screenplay by Dean Georgaris, delivers an overly slick and mostly mindless actioner that feels like it could and should be better – with the far-from-enthralling vibe compounded by a palpably overlong running time and Affleck’s rather underwhelming central performance. (It helps, at least, that Woo has elicited compelling work from eclectic periphery players like Aaron Eckhart, Joe Morton, Colm Feore, and Paul Giamatti, with the latter’s scene-stealing turn remaining an ongoing highlight within the proceedings.) There’s little doubt, then, that Paycheck owes its mild success to an appealing sci-fi atmosphere and smattering of engaging, exciting sequences and set-pieces (eg Affleck’s character is attacked within a busy airport), and it’s clear, too, that the larger-than-life yet entertaining climax ensures that the picture ends on a relatively positive note – with the end result a decent-enough piece of work that isn’t quite as awful as its reputation might’ve indicated.

**1/2 out of ****