|
| . |
|
Minority Report 2002 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by Steven Spielberg
PG-13, 151 min. (violence, language, sexuality, drug use) |
 |
Starring: Tom Cruise, Max von Sydow, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton, Kathryn Morris
Producers: Jan de Bont, Bonnie Curtis, Gerald R. Molen, Walter F. Parkes
Screenplay: Scott Frank, Jon Cohen
Cinematography: Janusz Kaminski
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Released: 6.21.02 (Wide) |
Rating:
  (out of ) |
Steven Spielberg's career has been highlighted by masterpiece films in almost every genre - Jaws (horror), Close Encounters of
the Third Kind (science fiction), Raiders of the Lost Ark (action/adventure), Schindler's List (drama), and Saving
Private Ryan (docudrama). Although some would say last year's A.I. Artificial Intelligence was also masterful work,
it's this year's visionary Minority Report that comes close to perfection. What Spielberg has accomplished here
is to set the standard for all other science fiction film noir to be measured by in the future. He has used technology and
special effects to support his intelligent storyline rather than craft a story out of the technology. This is an important delineation
because Hollywood doesn't seem to know the difference. Here's a director that has the influence and means to bring about
meaningful change in the movie industry, and thank goodness he knows what he's doing.
The creative work behind Minority Report comes from the mind of Philip K. Dick, the same science fiction writer who
developed short stories that were made into films such as Blade Runner, Total Recall, and Screamers.
Spielberg has taken his idea and transformed it into one of the most visually enchanting and thought-provoking pictures
made since 1998's underrated Dark City. Spielberg is a master craftsman, able to bring together actors and
technology into one seamless endeavor, challenging both his actors and those behind the special effects wizardry to keep
up with each other. Rarely has a science fiction film been more satisfying on a visceral or mind teasing level.
Much as he did with Stanley Kubrick's A.I., Spielberg has fashioned an engaging picture around both compelling
storytelling and his own creative directing. Before filming, he took time to research technology that would most likely exist fifty
years into the future by consulting with experts in science. The result is a film that is considered a highly probable glance
at many of the gadgets and transportation changes that could occur over the next several decades. He has imbued the
film with many Spielberg-esque moments, scenes that only he can provide with authenticity and a flair for adventure.
The combination of eye-catching technology and clever camera work elevates the material to even greater relevance.
The storyline is complex but understandable. In 2054 Washington, D.C., Detective John Anderton (Tom Cruise) heads up
the Department of Pre-Crime, a police force that uses "Pre-Cogs" to foresee murders before they happen. The Pre-Cogs
are three precognitive humans who float in a water tank and send their visions via computer to the control center where
Anderton interprets and pieces together the images of violence. In essence, after assembling the necessary proof,
Anderton and company intercept the perpetrators just before they commit the foreseen murder. The success of the program
has inspired a national program that is to be implemented in short order. The director of Pre-Crime, Burgess (Max von Sydow),
although wary of potential flaws in the system, is ready for his place in history as the man who stopped all heinous crime.
The plot thickens, however, when Anderton recognizes himself as the latest perpetrator of murder from the visions of the
Pre-Cogs. Now he's on the run because "Everybody runs." A federal agent, Detective Ed Witwer (Colin Farrell), who is
suspicious of the department's viability, heads up the taskforce to track down Anderton before he commits his crime. But
Anderton is convinced he has been set-up, so much so that he breaks into the department and steals one of the Pre-Cogs,
Agatha (Samantha Morton), to help him find out the truth. He has learned that sometimes a "Minority Report," a vision
by one of the Pre-Cogs that is canceled out by the other two Pre-Cogs, could contain his innocence. He believes that
Agatha's vision is different from the others, and now uses her to prove it. But the road to freedom is much more complicated
and sinister than he had ever expected.
The film has many paradoxes to consider. The first and most obvious is the question of free will vs. predestination. The
questions arise - if Anderton knows his future crime, will he commit it anyway even if he doesn't want to? Is Anderton's
murder predicated on his own persistence to uncover the truth behind his motives? Or is the Pre-Cogs vision of his murder
inaccurate or flawed? These are fascinating ideas, and Spielberg presents them with great aplomb. Furthermore,
the idea of a pre-crime unit, or those that can foresee crimes before they happen, could be ethically challenged. Is it
justice to arrest and imprison people who haven't actually committed a crime? How can the department know for sure
that they will commit the crime? Couldn't a small ripple in the chain of events of life change the outcome? Questions
like these arise when a talented filmmaker crafts his film with precision and intelligence.
While the story is compelling in itself, the visuals are spectacular. Cinematographer Janusz Kaminski (who also framed the
gut-wrenching Schindler's List for Spielberg) employs blue hues and a washed out look that gives the film a edgy,
monochromatic feel that illustrates the characters' detachment from the highly technological state of society. They are
scenes, such as a group of robotic spiders that scan retinas and advertisements that address one personally, that add
authenticity to the time period. In one stunning scene of introspection, Cruise and Morton are shown looking over each
other's shoulders, contemplating their own place in this chain of events as they stare into the distance. They are both
unsure of their futures, and pause to consider their impending actions. It's a virtuoso scene of emotional impact.
The lead roles of Cruise of Morton are nearly perfect choices for Anderton and Agatha. Cruise has always been able
to play the desperate hero searching for redemption, and Morton gives one of the best performances of the year as the
vulnerable, frightened Agatha, a Pre-Cog that craves freedom from the machine that has enslaved her. The two play
off each other effectively, providing a chemistry that is palpable and important to the overall narrative. Max von Sydow
and Colin Farrell also provide adequate support, bolstering the peripheral characters that pursue Anderton and Agatha.
Film noir has not been utilized by many filmmakers these days, as the genre has been pushed to exhaustion by the
multitude of entries between the 1930s and 1950s. But the opportunity to craft a dark, exhilarating film noir set in science
fiction was something that attracted Spielberg's interest. It's a very difficult genre to get right, because the characters and screenplay
must match to provoke intrigue in the subject matter. And, of course, the conclusion must be done effectively. If there is
a weakness in Minority Report, it's in its too-tidy conclusion that is somewhat cliched and predictable. However, Spielberg
more than makes up for this misstep with what transpires beforehand.
Minority Report represents the finest futuristic science fiction film to grace the big screen in years. Spielberg has provided
the perfect template for future directors to follow, a synthesis of action and storytelling that is irresistible and spell-binding
in its delivery. For fans that were disappointed with Spielberg's A.I., they've got something more thrilling and thought-provoking
to digest with Minority Report. The summer of 2002 will probably not offer up anything close to the level of engaging cinema on display
here.
© 2002 Jonathan Cornwell
|
 |
 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
| Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
© 2000 - present ReelCriticReviews
All movie pictures are registered trademarks and/or copyrights of their respective holders
Their use on this site is for informational purposes only and does not imply ownership
|
|
