2002, 2 hrs 25 min., Rated PG-13 for violence, brief language, some sexuality and drug content. Dir: Steven Spielberg. Cast: Tom Cruise (Detective John Anderton), Max von Sydow (Director Burgess), Steve Harris (Jad), Neal McDonough (Officer Fletcher), Colin Farrell (Detective Ed Witwer), Samantha Morton (Agatha), Tim Blake Nelson (Gideon), Mike Binder (Leo Crow).

A Steven Spielberg film = automatic must-see. Tom Cruise stars = automatic. Summer sci-fi futuristic blockbuster = automatic. Reality of Minority Report = semi-automatic.

Due to the above, one of the most anticipated movies of 2002 carries with it some inflated expectations. As a result, while there were some very cool effects and action sequences, and I liked Spielberg's vision of the year 2054, Minority Report didn't blow me away.

There were several points that have me reacting negatively towards the film, from inconsistencies to style and music.

I didn't appreciate that the movie felt like a 2 hour commercial for Lexus, American Express, Gap, et al. Spielberg's future is one in which privacy is seemingly a thing of the past but life seems much like today, but with cooler gadgets. While the characters were inundated with ads talking to them and scanning their eyes every ten feet, it felt like we were, too. Maybe that's the point, but I'd boycott every product advertised in the invasive way the movie portrays. Imagine pop-up ads interacting with you and surrounding you in the room, it's that creepy.

Also in regards to the vision, it appears that traffic doesn't get any better in the D.C. Beltway, especially seeing how roads go up and down buildings! The whole system was pretty ugly, no matter how cool the cars. Actually, it makes sense, because I doubt our road planners will be any better in 50 years than they are today, such as the genius who designed Atlanta's Ga. 400 road where - in the span of a half-mile - three lanes squeeze into two into one and into none as it merges with I-85 through the city. Who the heck comes up with that!

At least the filmmakers didn't have everyone in flying cars. Personal vehicles remain grounded, though neatly move in different ways, but the authorities do have flying ships that seem to replace helicopters in getting multiple officers to a place quicker.

I wasn't impressed by John Williams' score. It was very overbearing action scenes ("Hey, check out this energy!"), and reminded me too much of the original Star Wars' action music.

I don't want it to seem that I didn't like Minority Report, since I found it largely to be good fun. There were several favorite scenes, such as the seemingly self-aware spiders forcing everyone to stand and be scanned, whether blind or making love. Spielberg's the vision of the future is well done and one can actually say, unlike many futuristic films, this is a possible look of what 2054 will be like.

Kudos goes out to the acting by several participants:

Samantha Morton, as one of the 'pre-cognitives', was suitably disconnected from the world around her and uneasy on her feet, literally and figuratively. Cruise was Cruise. Handles fun, action, and confusion, et. al with ease. Loved Tim Blake Nelson. Good part from him, if somewhat related to his fantastic work in O Brother Where Art Thou? as the odd organist/prison warden. Max von Sydow is authoritative and in control of every scene.

But Colin Farrell is perhaps best of all as the federal investigator with questions about the Precrime experiment. He is a little bit slimy yet a little sincere at the same time. There's no doubt in my mind that Farrell is capable of some extraordinary work in his future, not forgetting his award-winning work already in the can.

In the end, though, it comes back to a little disappointment. You don't have to be a pre-cog to figure anything out. The last third of the movie seems awfully easy and too predictable. Normally I love to be manipulated by Spielberg. But I was kind of hoping for more of a few loose ends and maybe a darker touch here or there, as this seemed more of an adult than family movie.

I only recommend this as a popcorn flick, not something life-altering. You won't be weeping like E.T., and you won't be furrowing your brow like after A.I. You will, however, be entertained.

The verdict:

p.s. - I have a lot of questions about inconsistencies. Some serious spoilers to talk about (swipe to see):

How did Cruise just start the car from the assembly car and drive out of the building with a new coat of paint?

How does Cruise have any authority to go anywhere in that building after being outed as a killer? Wouldn't they pull every bit of security clearance from him? Seriously, they can lock down his car but not prevent his eyes from getting in the Temple?

I wonder how the 'experiment' could work nationwide, when they mention that the pre-cogs success is within 200 miles of them. So how will these three, the only ones with the ability, be able to see things around the country?

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