Rating: 
Summary: Spielberg Strikes Again!
Review: One can never underestimate director Steven Spielberg's ability to reinvent himself as a filmmaker. MINORITY REPORT is just another example of this.Set in Washington D.C. circa 2053, MINORITY REPORT is based ona 1956 short story by Philip K. Dick, whose works provided the source material for the ultra-violent 1990 smash TOTAL RECALL and Ridley Scott's 1982 cult masterpiece BLADE RUNNER. Tom Cruise stars as the top cop of an elite anti-crime police unit called Pre-Crime, which has the ability, by way of three pre-cognitive beings, to see crimes of the future and stop not only the crimes but to stop the perpetrators from committing those crimes to begin with. But when a national referendum on Pre-Crime takes shape, an unscrupulous underling (Colin Farrell) to the Attorney General puts a flaw into the system intended to lead to Pre-Crime's own undoing. That flaw is a vision of Cruise himself committing murder against a man he doesn't even know and has never met. Cruise becomes a man on the run, and the result is a hair-raising series of suspense-laden twists and turns that never bores, despite the fact that the film is two hours and fifteen minutes long. Under Spielberg's always inventive direction, Cruise is sharp as the beleagured cop trying to get out of his most complicated fix. Samantha Morton is also quite good as the "pre-cog" known as Agatha, and the legendary Max von Sydow scores as Cruise's boss and mentor who has a stake in seeing Pre-Crime remain perfect. A film that deftly puts elements of the crime and psychological thriller film genres into its futuristic science fiction brew, MINORITY REPORT is a film that, like Spielberg's previous film A.I., may very well require more than one viewing; it certainly is not a leave-your-brains-at-the-door film. But it is well worth seeing!
Rating: 
Summary: Vanilla A.I.?
Review: I can just picture the pitch meeting: "It's like The Fugitive meets Vanilla Sky Meets A.I.!!! Cruise and Spielberg!!!!!" Unfortunately, if you take out the effects and the Big Brother overtones, Minority Report is just a bloated, overlong episode of The Fugitive. Tom Cruise stars as Tom Cruise, WHOOPS! I mean John Anderton (It just SEEMS like every other character he's ever played...), a Cop in the Washington, D.C. "Pre-Crimes" unit, where 3 water-tank floating bald "Precogs" predict impending murders, so John and his pals can stop them from being committed. Anderton is pegged by one of the Precogs for a murder that will happen in 36 hours....Anderton has never even heard of the victim, so how can he kill him? Why would he? In true Richard Kimble fashion, Anderton runs, but will he be able to clear his name in time? Ok, this is a personal problem, but I'm getting burned out on movies that have no real sets or effects. Like Attack of the Clones before it, Minority report WAAAY overdoes the computer effects. Scenes like the one where Cruise leaps from car to car on a vertical highway just make me picture him hopping around like an idiot in front of a green screen. Cruise isn't enough of an actor to carry the scenes of Anderton's guilt over his missing (and presumed dead) son, and in his scenes with Colin Farrell he's practically blown off the screen. Farrell's intensity and earnestness makes Cruise look bland by comparison. The film is intriguing, and filled with interesting concepts, but it's way too long, and it felt like it should have ended when Cruise confronts his apparent victim, but keeps going into a bizarre conspiracy that seems needlessly byzantine. Spielberg throws in his usual cutesy touches, such as the family trying to eat dinner while Cruise and company battle it out under their kitchen table, and they stick out like sore thumbs in this dark movie. There are also some weird "HUH??" moments, such as- Why would the three Precogs, arguably the most important people alive, be kept in a water tank with a drain big enough for even one, let alone TWO, people to get sucked down? And you'd think that once Cruise is wanted for murder, they'd deactivate the retina-scan access he has to PreCrime HQ.....Max Von Sydow and Samantha Morton contribute memorable performances, but Peter Stormare stands out as a character that could have been trimmed considerably. Why delve into his past history with Anderton if nothing comes of it? It seemed like Spielberg DID cut SOMETHING out, and it'll probably pop up on the DVD. Spielberg even manages to, coincidentally, I will assume, deliver the EXACT SAME conveyer-belt chase we just saw in Attack of the Clones...... Overall, Minority Report looks and sounds like a summer blockbuster, but it's really just a rerun. Not bad, but nothing special.
Rating: 
Summary: Minority Report does not disappoint...
Review: The latest from the master of film, Steven Spielberg, Minority Report is a very entertaining film. Minority Report, starring Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell and others, is about a man in the future, who is being hunted for a Pre-Crime he does not believe he will commit. He has a certain amount of time before the pre-crime is supposed to take place, and tries to search for answers before it is too late. (This is a very, extremely, dumbed down version of the synopsis) Spielberg tried to draw on the film noir genre to make the film, and doing this definitely gave the film a much more dark feeling overall. There was a certain sense of mystery to the whole movie, and while it is fairly predictable who the villain is,(there are only a limited amount of main characters in the movie, which is why it is predictable) the ride to get to that point where the movie reveals the villain is altogether thrilling, and visually astonishing. As much as others have said the movie is loaded with action, I have to disagree. The movie has a couple nice action sequences, yes, but in reality, considering the movie's long running time, there weren't that many. The reason why the movie seemed action filled from beginning to end was really because Spielberg truly was able to convey a sense of excitement and intrigue through the dialogue. It reminds me of what the movie "The Beach" wanted to be -a thriller without the action, but where "The Beach" failed, Minority Report has succeeded. That is not to say there aren't some nice scenes with action of course. The one I loved the most was the sequence where John Anderton (Tom Cruise) has to jump from one car to another, while all the cars are going down a literally vertical highway (the futuristic highways remind me of rollercoasters). Many felt that the ending to this was way too drawn out, and similar to Spielberg's last movie AI, should have cut out the last 20 minutes or so. I disagree, as I felt the last part of the movie gave it that finishing touch that makes it even more film noir like. Spielberg has also revealed a darker and more morbid sense of humor that may have come from his tangle with Kubrick in AI. One of the scenes that perfectly illustrates this new Kubrickan Spielberg is one where a man in the movie has to chase after his own eyeballs, bouncing down a hallway -something that is sickeningly funny, and definitely a type of scene that was previously not part of Spielberg's film vocab. Overall, Minority Report is a thoughtful thriller that definitely warrants at least one viewing.
Rating:
Summary: Not what I expected
Review: Upon seeing the trailer and other hyped promotion for this spielberg entry many movies ran through my mind such as the Matrix, the Fugitive, and even Judge Dredd. Rest assured that Minority Report stays away from being catagorized with those films but insteads carves its own nitche in the sci fi genre. People expecting "Minority Report" to be a "popcorn movie" chuck filled with senseless visual effects and action scenes to get the most bang for their buck will be dissapointed. "Minority Report" stays away from being the mid summer spectacular that many want and becomes a rather plot filled film with much diaologue and twists. Minority Report rather uses its futuristic enviroment as a back drop to tell a rather involving story. As you know Tom Cruise (Vanilla Sky) plays the cool confident but relatable pre crime investegator John Anderon who is framed for a crime he is about to commit in the future. Colin Ferrel (Hart's War) is the rather intellegent fbi investegator who although appears as Anderon's nemisis, is someone who wants to research rather than pursuit. The arsenal of non violent weaponry used by the officers in some scenes will have audiences begging for more such as prods that cause victims to vomit and a gun which when fired propels its victim 40 feet into the air. Spielberg who is known for his sci fi and war epics strays away a delivers a well thoughout suspense drama using the visual effects of the futuristic technology only when necessary. If you are looking for a summer cinema event this is not that movie since it is a movie that can be viewed in any time of the year. While many will complain that there is not enough futuristic visuals and action scenes to satisfy their "Summer Experience" cravings, "Minority Report" is a wonderfully crafted experience which although uses the Spielberg "Personal Feelings" dramatics a little too much and could have had a more happening ending it will satisfy the thinking man movie goer isntead of the visual effect thrillride craving one. Look out for the video game on PS2 I know I will!
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie
Review: Most people interested in this film are already familiar with the plot, so I'll mention something about the actual writer, Phillip Kindred Dick. Phil often wrote about psychics holding an honored place in the culture. In the mid 1970's his house was ransacked and his files stolen. He told a writer from Rolling Stone he thought the government was involved in the break in. The army was developing "pre-cogs" around then by developing "remote viewing" research programs. Some ex army officers have started businesses selling training courses.( Major Ed Dames ) By the way it is only a matter of time before our society is called to answer for it.
Rating:
Summary: It was okay.
Review: I didn't go in with the attitude to be critical but Spielberg made me critical because in some places he went nearly overboard with technological advances but totally ignored other things. The cars and freeways looked like something we'll MAYBE see 100 years from now. But in contrast do you really believe people will still be wearing glasses? Would you be surprised that medical science still can't do anything about a minor bullet wound? Homes looked basically identical to today (and I'm not even talking about today's ultra-modern designs) except for pretty much all having a wall that was a big screen tv and 3D projection and computer displays being basically a sheet of glass along with a few other fancy gadgets here & there. How about guns? They had one cool "sonic" type gun in only one scene and we never saw that gun again. The rest of the time it was just normal guns with bullets and down-sized cattle prod/tasers. How about clothing? The police had cool clothes but the rest of the people wore today's fashions. Like I said I didn't want to be overly critical but when you create a lot of cool futuristic advances, the things you forget become glaring contradictions. Compare a modern kitchen of today with one from 1940. Compare clothing from 1900 to that of 1960. And as we know technological advances are happening faster & faster. The story itself was okay but most of the group I went with predicted the "bad guy" fairly early on. My recommendation is see it at a matinee only or wait to rent the DVD.
Rating:
Summary: The first half was great but as for the second half...
Review: After seeing the previews, I highly anticipated the release of MINORITY REPORT. It looked like it had great special effects, great action, outstanding direction and acting, and being based on a Phillip K. Dick novel (the roots for Blade Runner, Total Recall, and Imposter came from his short stories) I knew it was going to be great. Well, when I saw the movie I was pleased in some aspects and not so pleased in others. The movie starts off great. Tom Cruise is the chief of the D.C. Pre-crime unit, and he's in control of a device that can see murders before they happen. The device is controlled by 3 pre-cogs, which are 3 very frail humans who ave special abilities. Tom Cruise's character is very stressed and messed up because of the earlier abduction of his son. He must take illegal drugs to get to sleep right. Soon enough, the pre-cogs have a vision of a future murder where HE is the murderer. Cruise does not know why he would murder somebody. He doesn't even know the victim. So now he must get away from the cops trying to catch him and prove his innocence. What follows are some exciting fight scenes which include cool special effects, some great action scenes, and cool ideas. (One fight takes place in a futuristic car-making warehouse.) As you can see, I was totally impressed with the first half of the film, but the second half turned out be really boring. It was basically a montage of Cruise avoiding big spider things, chasing his eyeballs down a hallway, and listening to the pre-cog he captured scream, scream, and scream. Now if you like mysteries better than action films, you'll love MINORITY REPORT. But I only thought it was OK. Like I said, the first half was great because it was action packed and suspensful. But the second half was just boring. The ending is pretty shocking, but that still couldn't save the movie. ALL IN ALL: Great special effects, music, acting, and action (this applies to the first 70 minutes of the film) but gets really boring, messed-up, and just plain old wierd and anooying. (That applies to the 2cd half of the film.) For action fans, I recommend to watch the first half and then walk out and let your friend tell you what happend. But mystery enthusiats will be impressed. 2002; 141 minutes; Rated PG-13 for mild violence, brief strong language, sensuality, and some disturbing images.
Rating:
Summary: Wow! Spielberg delivers another winner!
Review: "Minority Report" has been well worth the wait. Set in 2054, murder has become a thing of the past in the D.C. area thanks to the special Pre-Crime Unit that prevents murders before they happen. With the help of three "pre-cogs" who can see flashes of murders before they happen, this elite police unit quickly attempts to unravel the clues from the psychic flashes in order to determine the future murderer and victim and arrest the perpetrator before the crime even takes place. The visual effects for this film were simply incredible -- think of a 2002 version of Blade Runner. Unlike many "futuristic" movies, the technology in "Minority Report" is believable (e.g. hologram advertisements that scan your retinal patterns and address you by name). The concept behind "Pre-Crime" was so fascinating that I was almost mesmerized watching the investigations unfold. This is definitely one of the best movies I've seen in a long time and would encourage anyone to go see it!
Rating:
Summary: The "Majority" Should Enjoy this "Minority"
Review: One cannot doubt that the names Spielberg and Cruise will bring in an audience. That aside, what will this audience see? Well, they will find a typical summer flick filled with the ingredients for success: special effects, an easy-to-follow and well-crafted plot, cliffhanger situations, familial bonds (This IS a Spielberg film!), political intrigue, and mysterious characters. What more could you want? John Williams has composed one of his best scores in years, a deft combination of the adventurous and the haunting. As far as the performances are concerned, Cruise, as John Anderton, is appropriately heroic, adept at self-preservation, and fit, figuratively and literally, for the tasks brought upon him. Newcomer Samantha Morton is sympathetic as the individual that holds the key to Cruise's future. However, acting nods must go to two veterans, Max von Sydow and Lois Smith. Sydow portrays Lamar Burgess, Cruise's mentor and the co-developer of the Precog system. The actor balances the sincere and the menacing with the talent that only years on the screen can give. Smith is Lois Hineman, the other half of the development team. Although her on-screen time is brief, she paints a memorable canvas as she provides Cruise's character with important information that can save his hide. These two performers show that the young have nothin on the "old school playas".
Rating:
Summary: Good- But not Great!
Review: Minority Report is to al arge extent, a showy sci-fi action films with big names like Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise to move it along. The action was good, but it was kind of not needed- the dialouge and emmotions were good- but not needed- let me explain: If Spielberg had kept this purely Action, it would have been a great one to get on DVD with surround sound, perfect movie! If Spielberg had kept it to just dialouge and mystery, with about 90 percent less action, it would have been a great mystery-noir. But when Spilberg combined the two, I believe that the movie lost something. The emmotions didn't fit in with the action and vice-versa. The bottom line: If Spielberg had released two versions: One being purely action, the other being plot and dialouge, this movie would have gotten five stars from me. But for the average movie go-er (which I am not) this is a fun flick to see on a Friday night to relieve the stress of work; watch somebody else get problems piled on top of them for a good chunky two and a half hours.
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