Customer Reviews

Payback - Straight Up - The Director's Cut [HD DVD]

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(25)

 

 

The best action movie I've seen this year isn't in theaters. You may think you've seen it, but probably haven't. "Payback" is back, this time the way the director envisioned the film, not the suits. "You don't make pictures for the elite," producer/star Mel Gibson says today, explaining why Paramount and Warner Bros. took the noirish gangland movie away from freshman director Brian Helgeland. After 10 days of reshoots, a new final (third) act was tacked on, voiceover was added a la "Blade Runner" and Kris Kristofferson walked on as a new major character. Audiences still were amazed how brutal the Gibson character was when they had to "Get ready to root for the bad guy," as the marketing had it.

Same old story about artists and Hollywood, but this time came a happier ending. In 2005, Paramount and Gibson gave Helgeland another shot at the film, eight years after its release. The tapes turned up missing, so Helgeland and his editor recut the film using film. And so we have "Payback: Straight Up -- the Director's Cut."

Now, this is one hard-boiled movie. Gibson plays a criminal who comes back to town looking for the partner who stole half his loot, and his wife, following a heist. Along the way he single-handedly takes on both the syndicate and Asian drug dealers, slugs a woman (a scene the studios cut), and stirs up a John Woo-like shootout as the bloody finale. Supporting actors Lucy Liu, Gregg Henry and Maria Bello all do fine work.

There are multiple DVD extras, including a director's commentary, but the one to catch is the half-hour "Same Story -- Different Movie," all about the film's resurrection. Audio and video are sharp on the DVD -- and better on high definition discs, although in places the colors seem a bit too jacked up for a gritty, bleach-bypass film. "Payback" comes from the same book as "Point Blank" with Lee Marvin, an even better film from 1969.

Like one review has already stated maybe one reason this movie didnt recieve all the glory it deserved is maybe american movie audience wasnt ready to see Mel Gibson in such a dark roll,thats my take on it to.Now with this unrated directors version its even better,gone is blue filter over the picture replaced with a remasterd version which colors are vibrant,crisp,its really has a great picture quality,its more vilolent and to the point,gone is Mel's voice over(which also makes it better),its got a completely new musical score,basicly the story is the same but its told diffrent with a completly new ending.There's also really great special features that includes a 30min piece on why and how this directors cut was made.I'm glad the director finally got his movie and way to go paramount this is not some hoax special edition like so many others its a diffrent kind of film a special edition worth picking up for sure...way to go Paramount

If you're a fan of Payback at all, I think it's imperative that you watch this version not only because of how differently it plays out but because it is a great opportunity to see how a director's vision can be compromised by the studio system.

From the very beginning, you know you're in different waters when the tone of the film settles in. They do away with the voice over and there is far less humor in this version. Instead of the blue tinted palatte of the original, this film has a more lush and natural quality to it. The character of Porter (Mel Gibson) in this version is even more brutal and cold blooded, which is a big reason as to why the film was asked to be recut by the studio. I watched both versions back to back and I think I can say that this new version is almost like watching an entirely different movie. I like them both equally and this new version really adds to the experience.

That being said, this HD-DVD has several great supplementary features that should make your day. One in particular is a half hour doc that goes into why Brian Helgeland's original cut was rejected by the studio and contains insightful comments by key members of the cast and crew, including Mel Gibson himself who I have to give credit to for being involved with restoring this version and giving a genuinely humbling interview. The picture on this disc looks great and the sound really kicks in during scenes of gunfire and general action. I strongly recommend it, especially if you like the original cut!

For me the first version of Payback, interfered with by the hand of (Mad)Mel is the much superior version of this dark, violent and gritty movie. This feels like to me to be another case of Superman II syndrome. Film fanatics harp on for years about how great it could have been had it not been interfered with and then when we finally see a version as close as possible to the directors intended vision it comes as somewhat of a disappointment. I bought Payback:-Directors Cut DVD unseen based on the glowing reviews here on Amazon but I now wish I had simply rented first instead of wasting my money. For me, the last third just felt flat. The third act rolled along slowly reducing pace as it went until finally coming to a gentle stop. Porter got his money, but for the audience the sense of achievement felt for what Porter went through in the original to get this money is now gone. I'm sure that had I not seen the original Payback, I still would feel the same way towards the third act in this version. I can also say for certain that this version suffers greatly by the exclusion of Kris Kristofferson as the original Bronson who brought a great sense of villainy to the role as a much larger, threatening character who also builds the anticipation of a confrontation between Bronson and Porter. In this version Bronson is nothing more than a woman's voice on a speaker and even at that injects nothing into the character. As a result she does not come across as someone who would be tough enough to have risen to the top of an organisation such as The Syndicate. Gibson in his version added a voice over monolog, while I can't say that I missed it from this directors cut, given the choice, I would rather have it in than out so I'd score Gibson on that one also. The shutout at the train station also seemed very poorly staged and felt like something you would see on an episode of Criminal Minds or CSI. Helgeland has not proven since Payback that he is in anyway a match for Gibson as a director. Helgeland's follow up to Payback was the somewhat popular but overrated A Knights Tale and the dreadful The Order. Both these movies speak for themselves in my opinion as to who knew best in the case of Payback. Perhaps if Heath Ledger was more of a star, he to might of had words with Helgeland's ability as a director. As for Gibson's version, I'd give it a solid 4 stars and I'd also have to agree with many other reviewers here on Amazon.com rating this directors cut very low. In short I think that Gibson did all the right things with his version and should be commended for doing an excellent job in rescuing this movie from what could have been a very forgettable movie experience even leaning towards losing the audience's attention in the third act to something much superior that can hold its head up as a modern day re-imaging of the great Point Blank with Lee Marvin. If you are a fan of the original cut then I'd recommend renting first before a purchase.

I really enjoyed the Theatrical release of Payback. However, I heard at the time that it was not the intended version of the film. Upon seeing this version, you can understand how different those versions are. This is a leaner, meaner version of the film, and it gets rid of the silly, rotary car phones, for instance. Definitely pick this up if you're a fan of Payback.

Well, for once we have a movie that really is a new cut according to the director's wishes and not just add on to the movie. This is a superb hard hitting Mel Gibson movie that won a lot of fans when it was released. It seems to get better with age. No need to waste time time going over the plot since anyone reading this would know it already. But now, we have an "original" version of this film on this DVD. This DVD edition of Payback is considerably different from the version we saw in the theaters as well as the DVD that came out since then (in 1999 I believe). Not only the last 30% of the movie have been totally altered but there have been cuts and additions along the first 70% of the film. But the basic story still remains the same, just the plot twists and turned differently.

I read that this original version was to have been the version to appears in the theaters but it didn't reviewed well initially so entire last part of the film was reshot, creating Kris Kristofferson's role as the leader of the bad guys and his demise. But in this original, Kristofferson's character never appears and the original concept of a woman boss who is never seen, voiced by Sally Kellerman according to the credits and the ending is totally different from the theaterial version. Outside of the outright changes in the scenes, the blue tint of the theaterial version have been removed as well as Mel Gibson's voice over.

I watched both movies back to back just to see which one I like the best. I hate to write this but I had a hard time making up my mind on this. Both versions are pretty good and each version, ironically, carried great deal of merits. I really wish that both versions could be merge into one!! This is really subjective depending on the viewer's taste and understanding of the movie. But if I have to pick, I would perfer the theaterial version because its darker, more tighter and I like seeing Kris Kristofferson in a meaty role. The theater's version also put a finale to the story while the "original" version leave a loose ends since that female boss is still out there seeking payback of her own. Above all the theater's version make Porter more human and vulnerable while the "original" version make him more slick and super agent like.

But each viewer have to decide on their own on this one. I enjoyed the "original" version but maybe not as much as I enjoyed the theater version. Each to his own as they say.

I should also say that this "original" version is also 11 minutes shorter then the theaterial version, reflecting a shorter ending of the "original" to the theaterial version.

The DVD come with a well presented quality in its images and sounds. It come with several extras including a very interesting one that tell the story behind the difference between the theaterial version and the "original" version. The DVD is well worth the price to pick up by any fan of this film since both versions are pretty good and it matter of taste which one might be better.

Before studio execs and Mel Gibson got all uppity with Brian Helgeland, Payback was a darker, meaner film. But after an apparently poor test screening in 1997(honestly, what IS the point of these?) they put Payback on hold for over a year so Mel could do Lethal Weapon 4 before going back for some re-shoots, with a new director, to make the film happier.

So they approved a script of a dark, moody revenge thriller, green-lighted it for production and changed their minds to make it lighter because a ragtag audience didn't understand/like it? Man, Hollywood is one weird town.

The resulting film, which was eventually released in 1999, seemed a bit tacked together. There were scenes that just seemed out of place and irregular. It was obvious that any scene actually shot back in 1997 was shot on location and any scene shot for the 1999 cut was just shot in the generic 'street set' on the Warner back-lot. Despite all of this, Payback was still a fun film that failed to go all the way with it's concept.

The new DC is a superior version, no doubt and is about 33% different. There are new scenes and odds and ends through out the running time and the last act is completely different. Kris Kristoffersen is gone and replaced by Sally Kellerman (voice only, Bronson is never seen). James Coburn and John Glover also have smaller roles. The narration from Porter is gone as well as the blue tint to most of the film. Now most scenes are just lit as normal without any post-production filtering.

There is also a new musical score. The jazzy feel to the opening scenes is still there but through-out the rest of the film the score is more atmospheric and understated. Both are as good as each and fit the differing tones, so there's no better of the two.

It does end a bit abruptly and without any truly satisfying conclusion. I guess this is what annoyed test audiences. But a disgruntled audience should not be a decision-making committee when it comes to making movies.

The HD DVD is in glorious 2.4:1 1080p with Dolby Digital+ sound and loads of extras.

A lot of the "Director's Cuts" I've seen don't do much to justify their existence. They have a few "cut" scenes dropped in, but most of the time they interrupt the pacing and offer no real change to the film. The term has become synonymous with "Unrated Cut" and comes off as a marketing gimmick to get people to shell out for the same movie again.

I haven't seen the original cut of Payback since probably 2000, but I remember enjoying it. It was a gritty crime film with a good dose of humor and Mel's trademark "I love being tortured" shtick. I rented this director's cut to see how it played, since it was apparently a dramatic difference rather than a few new scenes thrown in here and there.

I'd say the new cut is a much better movie than the old one. It eliminates Mel's narration, which I think greatly improves the way Mel's character is explored. We get to watch it rather than hear it, so he is now Porter rather than Mel Gibson. One of the strengths of this character is that we don't fully understand his motivations (see also Point Blank with Lee Marvin); we have the duration of the film to try and understand his code, his principles, and the original narration spoiled the process.

Another change is the filtering. The movie is no longer entirely washed out blue, it's full of warm tones as well as cool. I like this as well. It still fits the mood of the movie, and it's more visually pleasing.

As for new scenes, I couldn't really tell what was added in. I could tell what was removed, which was the kidnapping sub-plot, Kris Kristofferson's character, and the subsequent torture and escape. The new cut features a tidier finale, and the whole movie is actually shorter than the original cut. It clocks in at around 90 minutes, which works for this story. I remember liking Porter's escape scene in the original (clawing his way through the backseat), but I think the new cut keeps the pace consistently and serves the story better.

It's definitely worth checking out.

My brother and I love the theatrical cut because of the dark humor throughout the film. To the director's cut credit, we always thought the kidnapping part of the rich son was stupid. So we watched this D.C. last night and we were both disappointed. My problem w/ the d.c. is that eliminates a lot of the dark humor. The new score is a more serious one which doesn't mix well with the exsiting parts that were funny or the subtle things all the actors did to give it a "smart-a**" feel. The new voice over for Kris Kristoffersen's character, Bronson, is done by a woman. The new scene with William Devane (Jack Bauer's nemesis) & Porter on the phone with Bronson, doesn't work for me. She sounds like grandma acting ticked off rather than a "head boss". It gets dumber when she's on speakerphone w/ James Coburn. She's says Porter has hit the "end of the road" and will go nowhere in one breath. Then Porter shoots the alligator bags, while Bronson thinks it was Fairfax, and then she just gives in and says Ok, you win pretty much. Again, another "smart-a**" Porter part they cut was the toe torture scene.

The ending is totally different. I didn't mind the newer one but it was the "everyday" shootout. I miss the old phone trick and him blowing the car up with ciggy. I don't see how the theatrical cut was any happier but for us it was funnier & a little less melodramatic.

On the HD-DVD side of things: this disc shares the same problem as my Sleepy Hollow HD-DVD. Horrible digital noise. It's like watching the creepy crawlies all over people's faces and the blurred out backgrounds (on a 56" RPTV). Other than the digital noise the transfer is sharp and the blue tint is gone which I am indifferent on. Again, the newer score is not as fun as the old one and DD+ is fine.

In the end- we missed the darker humor more in this newer cut but it is still worth seeing to see how different it is. Director's cuts are fun to watch even if do or do not like them.

What I was hoping for in the director's cut of Payback is extended roles for Maria & Lucy. Lucy is absolutely hilarious in this film, with some great lines ("I need some satisfaction"), and her interaction with Porter ("I have a few minutes", "Go boil an egg") was just magnificent. There is some extension to the scene where Rosie & Porter meet up again, and she gets more of a part in the finale of the film. But Lucy definitely needed more of a role!

Having watched both versions of Payback within the same day, I was shocked at how different they are. The original version of Payback is a lot darker, almost black & white in some parts, but this version keeps the colour. The beginning loses the opening of a doctor digging bullets out of Porter's back, and starts with him returning to the city, with no indication of a double-cross just yet until the flashback appears. It also appears to be cut together much better, and give the first few scenes a much quicker feeling. Porter no longer has a voiceover either. The scene with his wife is extended as well, leading to a more brutal confrontation, which leads more into him carrying her into the bedroom. Also, Porter the dog doesn't survive in this version. Big awww. The torture scenes are also cut from the film, and the boss's son who was originally going to get together with Rosie as his birthday present.

The finale is a load better, as in the old version, I did find myself getting bored, but the finale is more abrupt, and unexpected. Maria Bello gets a bigger role in the finale, although it does leave viewers hanging a bit, but I won't spoil it for anyone that hasn't seen it yet.

The only thing I'm gutted at is the low-class hooker, who Porter approaches when he's looking for Rosie, is completely cut from the film. Which is a shame, as she totally reminded me of the hooker from Pretty Woman that was Julia Robert's roommate. She's funny as well, despite the shortness of her scene.

Overall, I have to say I prefer the director's cut of Payback. Sometimes you find with some directors cuts, they tend to go a bit OTT, and keep in all the scenes which really weren't necessary, but this is well edited, and changing the finale was a really good idea. And seeing it in HD is well worth while too, if you can get your hands on it. I do like the idea of having it almost black & white, and I did miss it in this version. But it's well worth seeing if you want a different take on the film.