Paycheck

Poor old Ben Affleck turns in another masterclass in hopeless ineptitude in this third rate, 'Minority Report'-lite thriller. Indeed, like 'Minority Report', 'Paycheck' is based on a Philip K. Dick short story, but it lacks its predecessor's verve, grace and exquisite blend of action and sci-fi. Running the gamut of emotions from A to B, Affleck plays Michael Jennings, an engineer who doubles as an industrial spy for the highest bidder. The catch? After he completes his work, he undergoes a memory wipe to cover all trace of whatever secrets he's uncovered. An old friend, Rethrick (Eckhart) offers Jennings the gig of lifetime, with a salary to match, when he requests his services. Jennings accepts but when he emerges some three years later, he discovers that he's been short-changed and everyone, including the FBI, wants to have a word with him.

Despite the presence of the once fearsome John Woo behind the camera, Paycheck is a curiously flaccid affair, bereft of guile or anything resembling tension. Perhaps this is due to the proliferation of action genre staples at the expense of anything resembling an involving narrative, but there's a terrible lack of urgency about this thriller, despite its flash cut editing and cumbersome tone.

The cast don't exactly help matters - Uma Thurman's role is largely one of window dressing, while Eckhart is more of caricature. To his credit, Affleck manages to expertly convey the confusion of a man who has no sense of himself and loses his memory on a regular basis. Unfortunately, one gets the impression that he didn't have to try too hard.