Woo Hoo!

Although I still think Payback was basically crap, there are elements that work. In particular, John Woo is able to communicate many of the things he wants to without always resorting to explanation. For example, initially, it's not so obvious what Affleck's character does. However, after a while, you can tell he's trying to analyze circuits and figure things out.

Also, there's a scene which plays on Affleck's memory loss. He can't remember his girlfriend of the last three years, so they have someone pose as his girlfriend. Indeed, they decide to make her look vaguely like his girlfriend: blond hair and blue contacts. At one point, he spots the fakery when the blue contacts slip a little, and he can see that this woman is faking it.

But really, if he has forgotten her, then why bother trying to look like his girlfriend? Maybe he has a thing for blue-eyed blonds? It's not obvious.

The main bit of stupidity has to do with wiping Affleck's memory, and letting him go on as usual, when the Eckhart character wants him dead. This could be engineered in numerous ways, not the least of which is simply murdering him, which is what happens to the other guy Affleck is working with.

This is one of those films you simply have to suspend disbelief greater than usual in order to enjoy. But it was a little too much for me. Even as a Woo film, it's not nearly on par with his better films, and by now, it's a little silly to see his signature moves: two guys holding guns at each other. One day, Woo will really surprise us, and both will shoot and kill each other, and that will be that. And, the dove. Always gotta have a dove.

Find someone that can write you a plot, Mr. Woo, so that you can finally direct something that people care about.