MovieChat Forums > Paycheck (2003) Discussion > Mediocre. Badly Edited.

Mediocre. Badly Edited.


I thought this was a silly, comic-book-like movie, with too many chase scenes, too many errors (e.g., after a silly subway scene where he rolls around in the dirt, he awakens in a filthy, skid-row room with a shiny clean, freshly ironed, bright-white shirt, and a minute later, the shirt and collar are stained and wrinkled) and not enough story.

The actors were all adequate. The execution of the special effects and chase scenes was bad and apparently the director had no eye for detail or consistency.

However, I agree with the premise that what we believe, we create, so it's best not to know the future.

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I wouldn't pin all the blame on the director. Making a film in the Hollywood system is what has driven many Asian directors away. It appears that's why Woo has largely left. Jackie Chan has made scathing remarks about working in the Hollywood system. Even in Tora Tora Tora, the original Japanese director for that, walked away, disgusted that films could be made 'that way'. I leave it to you to look up that very interesting history.

As for the inconsistencies - they are in every film which isn't a single shot in which nothing really happens. The difference is that in some films you notice, and in others you don't. I personally, don't look for them. Why? Because I want to enjoy film, not tear it apart so that I can post about what I found online. Honestly, did it REALLY bother you that much? Be honest with yourself.

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Those are continuity errors (the script working on the movie didn't notice them during the shooting), it's totally unrelated to the matter of editing.

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"The actors were all adequate."

Well, almost.

I mean, a no-charisma caveman-lookalike dork as the main male, the ugliest, bulgy-eyed, wormlip swamp monster you can find as the main protagonists...

..instead of, you know, actually charismatic main character and even SOMEWHAT 'pretty' or 'passable' female.

The other actors were the typical generic 'secondary actors', names of which no one can immediately say, without looking them up. The most generic sets, the most generic music, the most generic action (explosions, motorbikes, running away from subway trains), and there you go.

The actors weren't too annoying though, but that's not enough to rise to the level of 'adequate' in my book.

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The worst John Woo movie I saw. Felt more like a McG joint.

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