My last weekend indulgence was watching the Spielberg-directed Minority Report. It’s a movie I had heard of quite a few times earlier but was never attracted to watch it because it came across as a typical sci-fi which is not my favourite genre. When I finished watching the film I knew what I had missed. Minority Report is one of the best thrillers that I have ever watched even if the ending gets predictable towards the end. A few things stand out in this futuristic film. The concept that is based on the psychic readings of three pre-cogs who have the power to see crime before it happens thus allowing the precrime department to arrest the murderer before he could commit crime (this helps in keeping the 2054 Washington DC free of crime for six years). The technology is believably good which is a rarity in such films. It seems true that self-driven cars, airborne cops and automated investigations will be a reality in the middle of this century if not earlier. The plot is novel and outstanding. And lastly, Tom Cruise, as a runaway chief of Precrime, and a victim of his own system, delivers exceedingly well.
Minority Report is a fast-paced film right from the first shot. Typical of all Spielberg films, the character is of prime importance in the film. The protagonist is in action throughout. He starts as a hero, then becomes a victim and eventually unveils the corrupt system. Colin Farrell, a side-cast, does his job well (akin to Christian Bale’s role in Public Enemies but not so well executed of course) and other support cast is convincing. If you are nowhere close to the contemporary technology, you may find some things hard to understand. However, the film gives time to grasp the happenings. The plots and subplots are creative and pacy. The screenplay is impressive and some scenes, like the one where spiders crawl to scan Tom Cruise’s eye, are really nerve-wracking.
Minority Report comes with its twists and turns that are well-crafted. The genius of Spielberg ensures it does not turn into a gaffe like iRobot or gets over-the-top like Terminator. There’s a piece of swift action in the film that may remind you of Cruise’s MI antics, but Spielberg holds it for the rest of the film to get the cerebral function back on track.
I would give Minority Report 8/10 for its near-perfect execution. Whilst MR may not have the class of Spielberg’s best such as Schindler’s List, it is definitely an above average work which may have been better handled by the likes of Christopher Nolan perhaps. I’d sign off leaving that debate open.