OxfordPress.com

Verdict: An action picture with some heart.

By BOB TOWNSEND
Cox News Service

It's not exactly "It's a Wonderful Life." But if ever there was a whiz-bang movie worthy of being released on Christmas Day, it's John Woo's telling of Philip K. Dick's sci-fi short story "Paycheck." It has likable characters, a decent plot and, most surprising, a rather clever sappy ending.

"Reverse engineering" genius Michael Jennings (Ben Affleck) creates sophisticated knockoffs of cutting-edge products for high-tech corporations. Once he finishes the job, his memory is erased so he can't remember or replicate any trade secrets, then he collects a fat check. He's lured by wealthy chum-cum-evil-CEO Rethrick (Aaron Eckhart) into a mysterious and potentially dangerous three-year project that promises the biggest payday ever.

But instead of billions of dollars, he winds up with only a manila envelope filled with random objects. And with his memory erased, the FBI accusing him of treason and Rethrick's henchmen out to assassinate him, Jennings goes on the run, trying to find clues to his missing years by using those seemingly ordinary objects in extraordinary ways. Fortunately, he gets help from his lover, Rachel (Uma Thurman), even if he doesn't remember her, and his sidekick and business manager, Shorty (Paul Giamatti).

Of the futuristic films based on Dick stories, "Paycheck" has more in common with the straight-ahead thriller tone of "Total Recall" than the darker "Minority Report" or the less conventional "Blade Runner." For a violent movie filled with exotic technology and jolting camera angles, it often feels like a throwback to an older, simpler Hollywood style.

Woo rarely wastes a moment as he moves from condensed dialogue to operatic chases and gun battles that actually have something to do with furthering the plot. The visual effects are intriguing but they never take the place of the story. And while Affleck, Thurman and Giamatti don't give anything like great performances, they do create a solid and affable ensemble for Woo's unexpectedly human-level entertainment. You may not buy everything about this movie, but you'll likely leave it with a smile.