Hey folks, Harry here... oh boy... John Woo action flick! Hehhehehe... Can't wait. Double-fisted guns rules through his lens. Anyway, seems his action really made a difference for the film, which is, of course, natural for a Woo film. I heard about an earlier test screening in New Jersey I believe, and a guy I know was talking to several audience members afterwards that loved it. SO.... This relatively "secret" film could surprise folks this Holiday season. Let's keep our eyes open for it!
Hey Harry,
I travelled down the coast to Ventura tonight to see a test screening of Paycheck. The film was identified as a sci/fi thriller non sequel with a bankable star, so we suspected we'd be viewing the latest John Woo film starring Ben Affleck, Uma Thurman and Aaron Eckhart. The one trailer of the film I had seen didn't look very promising, but being a life long John Woo fan, I was stoked all the same. My excitement reached full peak when the man himself walked in. We were watching a movie with John Woo.
The film was a work print so some of the color timing was off and a couple scenes looked were fuzzy. So Affleck plays Michael Jennings, a "reverse engineer" who gets hired by old pal Rethrick (Aaron Eckart) to work on a top secret project. The story, originally from Phillip K. Dick, is entertaining and fast paced. Affleck has a lot of fun with role, spreading charm and energy all over the place. The script however falls short, giving most of the characters line after line of corny dialogue. The supporting players (Joe Morton, Michael C. Hall, and Paul Giamatti) have very little room to shine with Affleck and Thurman running around most of the movie.
What makes up for all of the movies flaws are the action sequences. John Woo remains the king, even with lame dialogue surrounding evey scene. Look for the badass motocycle chase scene in particular. There are amazing camera movements in this scene, putting the old Woo touches on every frame (slow motion, two guns, close up reaction shots).
After the film was over, I saw Mr. Woo outside. He was surrounded by men who appeared to be studio types. I waved to him and he gave me a smile and waved back.
I hope he gets the better scripts in the future. With Paycheck, John Woo proves once again that his action senses are still finely honed. He just needs someone to fill his beautiful images with worthy dialogue. Thanks for your time.
SB Connection
