Payback - Straight Up - The Director's Cut (2007)

Good movie, but.......

I was pretty pissed off that this directors cut was completely different than the released version. Ultimately I bought it caused I liked the released version. Usually Director's cut movies have some added scenes and stuff like that, this movie had entirely different scenes, different ending and Chris Kristofferson isn't even in the movie. Oh boy!! July 14, 2008

Tom Keogh is an idiot

Please do not believe a single word of the official review above. There is a good reason that they took the movie away and changed it - this version is awful. I was a huge fan of the original, which was an excellent neo-noir that had edges both in the noir-ish violence and the great dark humor. It was a dark, funny, generally awesome movie. This version takes out the great music, and somehow makes all the characters just feel less lively. The whole thing drags. If there is any justice in the world, they will re release the original theater cut. July 9, 2008

Not the same movie!

Let me say right off that just because the title of the review says "Not the same movie!" doesn't mean that I didn't like it. Payback is one of my top ten favorite movies. I figured a "director's cut" version could only mean "that movie, plus some stuff that was left out of the theatrical release" - that's what most director's cut versions are.

This movie is drastically different. A good bit of the beginning of the movie is the same with a few added scenes. However, the further into the movie you get, the less it resembles the theatrical release, and it ends much, much differently.

I'm far from disappointed, just very surprised because I didn't know any of the backstory behind the production of this movie. Watching the featurette in the special features helped clear up all my questions about why it was so different. June 5, 2008

Just Who Are the Good Guys?

Another old Mel Gibson movie that has been remastered and transferred to HD DVD. This movie is about treachery, murder and revenge. Even though you don't see any shots of cell phones or computer screens, it's still a well made movie and doesn't appear dated. Gibson plays a con man and pick pocket who'll even steal from a beggar on the street. Gibson and another one of his hoodlum buddies arrange a heist of an rival Asian gang of thugs' receipts and succeeds without a hitch. But Gibson's partner pulls a double cross along with Gibson's wife and shoots him in the back, leaving him for dead, taking his share of the money. Gibson somehow survives, but wants his money back. He goes out to get it. Along the way, he encounters some dirty cops who are shaking down the criminals, a mafia boss or two, the one that double crossed him, and eventually the head of the syndicate. Gibson is a sort of an anti hero, even though he's a crook himself, he's not as bad as the others and you'll be pulling for him all the way. There's plenty of action in this film and a lot of killing and profanity. After you watched this movie, you'll ask yourself, this man made "The Passion of Christ"? April 18, 2008

Different ending

This is one of my favourites movies and I wanted it in HD. While the visual quality and the sound were very good, I was disappointed by the total change of the movie. I was aware it was a director's cut, but I was expecting few scenes in/out; no, the ending is totally different and the rest of the movie is slightly changed to fit the end. I just felt it had no twist, just the regular "kill the bad guys till the end" movie. For first time viewers, this version might be enjoyable, but with no lasting impressions.
I gave it a good rating for the presentation, recommending it for fans only if they are curious about other versions of it. April 7, 2008

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