"The HD-DVD is presented in 2.35:1 widescreen and encoded at 1080p. This is a hard and gritty film, but it still looks damn good. I was expecting more problems in this transfer, considering that its eight years old. But it's very impressive. It features a washed out pallete, but it still looks detailed for what it is. Black levels are the most significant factor in the visual presentation, especially during the final scenes. Audio is Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 Surround, and it really holds your attention for the duration of the picture. Dynamic range is excellent, and the rear speakers kicked in much more than I thought they would. Bass is deep and strong."
digitalaudiovideo.com (http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/hddvd_reviews_14561.htm)

good review, i'll be getting this one.

Hmmmm, this sounds interesting. I'm very curious to see these changes in the movie.

Should I see the first version of Payback before watching this one?

I also never watched the theatrical cut, but I'm very intrigued.
I'm getting this one though.

I'm confused. The review says the transfer is washed out, yet the SD-DVD review over on DVDTalk has screencaps that show the washed out look was dropped for this cut of the film. So which is it?

A darker version of this film sounds good; I'll take a chance at the pricepoint.

Should I see the first version of Payback before watching this one?

this is the first version.

Mr Gibson commandeered the post production. and changed the movie.

The director always intended for a washed out, slightly lacking in color look. The director supervised every aspect of this release, so chill people. :)

"The HD-DVD is presented in 2.35:1 widescreen and encoded at 1080p. This is a hard and gritty film, but it still looks damn good. I was expecting more problems in this transfer, considering that its eight years old. But it's very impressive. It features a washed out pallete, but it still looks detailed for what it is. Black levels are the most significant factor in the visual presentation, especially during the final scenes. Audio is Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 Surround, and it really holds your attention for the duration of the picture. Dynamic range is excellent, and the rear speakers kicked in much more than I thought they would. Bass is deep and strong."
digitalaudiovideo.com (http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/hddvd_reviews_14561.htm)
I am getting this movie regardless. :)

Never liked the heavy blue tint that the director used both in the theater and the DVD transfer.

"I was expecting more problems in this transfer, considering that its eight years old. ."


is this some kind of sad sick joke ?

wonders never cease :(

-Gary

this is the first version.

Mr Gibson commandeered the post production. and changed the movie.

even thu that is a fact, the current Payback as we know it, is one of my favs, I am very anxious to see this and in 1080p none the less, what exciting HT times we are in ;)

-Gary

Never liked the heavy blue tint that the director used both in the theater and the DVD transfer.

I actually liked the heavy blue tint, and when I watched Minority Report, it reminded me of Payback.

And I'm a huge fan of this film, I don't know why, but I can always sit through it whenever it's being aired.

even thu that is a fact, the current Payback as we know it, is one of my favs, I am very anxious to see this and in 1080p none the less, what exciting HT times we are in ;)

-Gary

New display Gary?

DVDBeaver DVD Review (http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews29/payback_directors_cut.htm)

Just to see kinda what the HD DVD might look like, though the blue tint is gone.

hubba hubba
i can't wait for this one

Another point of view
http://www.***************.com/htsthreads/dvd-review.php?sequence=1893

Enjoyed the theatrical cut and I'll be picking this one up

Highdefdigest review up (http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/payback_dc.html)

Presented in 1080p and encoded using the AVC MPEG-4 codec on this HD DVD

Getting a bit burned out on VC1, so I'm happy to hear Paramount is using MPEG4. This is only their second mpeg4 release right?

Sounds like there may be copies floating around already at stores. :)

When a movie is taken away from a director, that's usually a sign there is something severely wrong with it.

Couple that with the fact that this version is 15 minutes SHORTER!

I for one am cancelling my order.

When a movie is taken away from a director, that's usually a sign there is something severely wrong with it.

Couple that with the fact that this version is 15 minutes SHORTER!

I for one am cancelling my order.

Two words: Blade Runner.

Two words: Blade Runner.
I prefer the theatrical cut of that film too. Luckily when it hits HD 3 different versions will be available in the same set.

It's 15 minutes shorter than the DVD release? What the hell did they take out?

EDIT:
Never mind, just read in the BD section what was taken out. I'll skip this one until they release the Theatrical version.

I prefer the theatrical cut of that film too. Luckily when it hits HD 3 different versions will be available in the same set.

I meant the opposite.

This will be the director's cut whether you like it or not. The original release was re-edited and scenes were added by the producers.

The theatrical release of Blade Runner is a joke.

Perfect oppurtunity for them to include both versions in one package.
Reading the review, I actually thought they did.

In the immortal words of Robert DeNiro in Copland.. "YOU BLEW IT!"

No sale for me, I'll rent it if I can.

If anyone is interested, Fry's.com (outpost.com) has Payback and The Game with "same day" shipping. The Game doesn't release until the 17th...so I figured what the heck. We'll see if the order gets processed and shipped! Payback is listed at 14.99$, The Game is 19.99$. My order total was 43$ after shipping and sales tax. FYI.

Watched my copy last week. Local store in Mississauga had it for $29 CDN. Looked and sounded very good.

Basically, Gibson added a Lethal Weapon-style third act that doesn't fit together with the movie at all. He didn't trust the first-time director (but experienced screenwriter) to have it right. I prefer this cut to the theatrical one, myself. No prologue, no voiceovers, no Kris Kristoffersen. And Mel's character is really, really nasty---viciously beats the crap out of his wife at one point in this cut (granted, she had already shot him in the back twice).

If anyone is interested, Fry's.com (outpost.com) has Payback and The Game with "same day" shipping. The Game doesn't release until the 17th...so I figured what the heck. We'll see if the order gets processed and shipped! Payback is listed at 14.99$, The Game is 19.99$. My order total was 43$ after shipping and sales tax. FYI.


$14.99 must be a screw up. That is their price for the SD DVD. They have it at $19.99 in their newspaper ads. Still cheaper for me at Amazon (no tax - free shipping + extra 10% deal). I'm going to order these two movies from Amazon on Sunday.

I just got this one in the mail. I'll put up a short review once i have a chance to view it.

just picked this up at best buy very good movie. it looked very good for its age.
i had no issues with the disc what so ever it played flawless. my last few combo discs had some issues. not this one. it looks like paramont is doing a good job..

First of all, it was NOT Mel Gibson who fired the director. The studio was going nuts about the test scores. Audiences hated the ending. The director was willing to work on changing the ending, but the studio went to Mel and said they wanted MASSIVE changes. Mel had an obligation to deliver a film that would please the studio and make money.

Now I wish Mel had been far more "**** you" to Paramount, but he wasn't. However, he was crucial in getting this director's cut made. He recommended Paramount allow the director be given full access and a budget to complete the cut and is featured in interviews on the new DVD release. No support from Mel Gibson would have = no Director's Cut.

As for some of the comments here... I am really saddened to read them. I saw the director's cut years ago and it is a far better film then the theatrical cut. It does not pull its punches at all. It's one hell of a great film noir. Payback the Theatrical Cut is a ball of compromises, even going so far to make the dog live. Please excuse me while I puke.

Watched this last night. This was a far better film then the original. You guys should really give this a chance. The material that was removed was not missed. The commentary on what makes this version different and why was great.

What's so good about this movie? It's just another guy movie where the hero can't be killed despite impossible odds.

How can this one single guy go against the mob, a Chinese gang, and bad cops, all by himself with a little help from 1 prostitute? Sheesh, the guy was shot in the back twice with blood pouring on the ground, then he returns years later to get his 'payback'.
It was just too much to believe from an 'ordinary' thief. The grain was too distracting for me as well. Yes, it is 8 years old, but IMO totally unnecessary to have that much grain for this type of movie. Good thing it was just a rental for me.

First of all, it was NOT Mel Gibson who fired the director. The studio was going nuts about the test scores. Audiences hated the ending. The director was willing to work on changing the ending, but the studio went to Mel and said they wanted MASSIVE changes. Mel had an obligation to deliver a film that would please the studio and make money.

Now I wish Mel had been far more "**** you" to Paramount, but he wasn't. However, he was crucial in getting this director's cut made. He recommended Paramount allow the director be given full access and a budget to complete the cut and is featured in interviews on the new DVD release. No support from Mel Gibson would have = no Director's Cut.

As for some of the comments here... I am really saddened to read them. I saw the director's cut years ago and it is a far better film then the theatrical cut. It does not pull its punches at all. It's one hell of a great film noir. Payback the Theatrical Cut is a ball of compromises, even going so far to make the dog live. Please excuse me while I puke.

I am big fan of the Mel cut. But I really tried give this one a chance. I was really liking it. I didn't miss the voice over and I thought both the wife part and keeping the dog dead both added to the movie. But it does fail at the end no if ands or buts about it. It just wasn't an interesting ending, I thought the toe hammering the kidnapping and all were much more inventive and much and grittier. Even if he let Mel die I still don't think that the Director got what he set out to do with that ending, and from listening to him he stills thinks he went about it it the right way. The ending (just the last minutes not the whole third part) made me want to go out and purchase the TC, heres hoping it also finds its way to HD.

Second note, most of the time I don't like abnormal color filter being applied to a film but like Gladiator and SPR I really liked the blue look of the TC more then then the more natural colors used in the DC.

Watched it last night and liked it alot more than the theatrical version. It's a keeper for me...

Just had a chance to check this out. I've never seen the theatrical version, so I went in fresh. I liked it. It was dark and brutal and felt just right. I'm really against watering down flicks to make them more appealing to the masses. Screw the masses. I'm glad we had the opportunity to see it the way the director intended.

Anyone who gets this - don't skip the docs, especially the one that talks about the two different versions and what's been changed.

Ending seemed wishy-washy. I have not seen the theatrical cut, but I think the film as a whole would have worked better if it stayed dark throughout. However, overall I enjoyed this film very much and HD DVD presentation is very good PQ and AQ wise.

Ending seemed wishy-washy. I have not seen the theatrical cut, but I think the film as a whole would have worked better if it stayed dark throughout. However, overall I enjoyed this film very much and HD DVD presentation is very good PQ and AQ wise.
When did you feel the movie wasn't dark?

When did you feel the movie wasn't dark?
I think the ending was still somewhat of a cop out by the director. The movie would have worked closer to it's film noir genre had it not ended the way it did in an upnote.

I think the ending was still somewhat of a cop out by the director. The movie would have worked closer to it's film noir genre had it not ended the way it did in an upnote.
I considered it to be more of an ambiguous ending, though I figured he'd probably die long before getting to the place to fix his wounds. I don't know - that's how I took it - that he was going to die.

I also watched this yesterday and enjoyed it as much as the theatrical version. It makes a strong argument for less is more. I thought the PQ was pretty fantastic as well. A quality release from Paramount.

Hmmm.... I'm one of the few that preferred the original cut. This isn't a bad version by any means and I get what the director was going for... but I don't think the ending worked. For those interested in a refresher.... TNT is broadcasting the theatrical version of Payback (albiet censored) tonight in primetime.

Side note: Isn't it interesting how desensitized we have become to the killing of humans in films? No problem, but if you kill a dog... now people get pissed off! Just thought that was an interesting note about society.

Side note: Isn't it interesting how desensitized we have become to the killing of humans in films? No problem, but if you kill a dog... now people get pissed off! Just thought that was an interesting note about society.

Funny you bring that up. Martin Riggs says the same thing in Lethal Weapon 3. :D

I like the ambiguous ending---that in itself is a noir characteristic. You could read it as up or downbeat, depending on what you think happens right after the credits roll. In that way it's a sort of audience Rorschach test. And given what has gone before, I'm not sure that Gibson's character much cares either.

i liked the ending in the theatrical cut alot better than the DC

Watched this last night myself. The DC isn't bad, it's just different. I wish they would have included the TC, but I'm sure it'll be released later (double-dip).