Rating: 
Summary: Stinker!
Review: Dire cut and paste Sci-Fi with the ubiquitous Cruise set in a dips...dsyop..dystip...er, dodgy future. Giggles start early with that same industrial opening title sequence as 'Blade Runner' and some absailing cops. I was gobsmacked to see the 'Solaris' reference at the film's close too as I had been thinking about that great film early on in this witless mess. 'Minority Report' is very reminiscent of Von Trier's 'Element Of Crime' which also curiously borrowed from Tarkovsky. Lay off Andrei, guys. He made films for grown ups. That final image just made me miss him more and make unfavourable comparisans. Shot in that irritating sepia you get in trendy Brit commercials (the one with the cat doing the Matrix springs to mind) the preponderence of brand names adds to this banal recognition. The film's absurd faith in corporate capitalism equals that of Kubrick's '2001' with 'Pan-Am'. Curiously, the only brand name most likely to have survived to 2054, the self styled 'real thing', fails to put in an appearance, unless I'm as blind as Cruise is at one point. Cruise's disfiguring blankness has always been problematic and this third incongruous appearance in a left field project is making him an increasingly peculiar, eccentric and disquieting figure. A floating brand name in a sea of inconsequence. He seems to be disappearing before our very eyes and there wasn't a lot of him there in the first place. Of course, Cruise has always had a penchant for putting himself through the mill before eventually triumphing in true American good old boy style but the brutal masochism of this triumvirate is positively perverse. I do wish he'd just get into S&M and take it behind closed doors, it's getting painful to watch. He is without talent but highly motivated in true 'semina' style. Like a certain British tennis player at the Wimbledon Championships, he is forever 'improving' himself while with deft sleight of hand never seeming to reach any destination. It's always fun to watch Cruise 'focus' with studied artlessness like he does on the cyber-board at PreCrime Headquarters where his arm swinging makes Ian Curtis of 'Joy Division' look like a tree. But now is not the time to 'bruise the Cruise'. There is too much else to occupy us. I was watching Gerry Anderson's (bless him) old Sci-Fi series 'UFO' the other day in which a secret accomplice to an attempted assassination of the splendid Commander Straker gives himself away with a little slip. "I never said HOW he tried to kill me!" Straker says sternly to the imprudent man. Goodness, what a great plot device. I mean, there's no WAY a writer would be crass enough to use it 30 years later in a multi-million dollar Sci-Fi epic. Funnily enough, I was watching an old 'Columbo' the other day too, and Spielberg's name cropped up as director. Why he should come fall circle to do hack 'who-dunnit' work like this is a head scratcher, as are various plot holes, the most glaring being the conversation about suicide near the beginning. The action fares even less well in the credibility stakes. Spielberg subjects us to a premature, over-long and ludicrous chase before we've been given the chance to invest any emotional attachment to Cruise's character which in anycase fatally fails to materialize in a stilted and expositional final half. Also, why is Cruise super-human? Even the most experienced stuntman would have fallen to his death on those cars. And holding your breath in freezing water for three minutes? Please. Even the in-action is silly, such as the Pre-Cogs emmersion tank. Why doesn't it keep turning yellow? I mean, Pre-Cogs must need a toilet break sometime. Does that poor chap have to keep wading in looking for 'floaters'? Actually, they're all fully clothed, so maybe not. But er, in which case, how? Never mind. We'll move expeditiously on to pose the question as to why film makers keep jumping on the Philip K Dick bandwagon. Let's face it, the man was paranoid. I don't believe a nation that fought a civil war to end slavery would re-impose it, especially with it's obsession with freedom and civil rights. Mind you, the state still executes people. Still, I don't buy it, and neither does Spielberg. Slaves are suddenly given such an inexplicably benign future as to be positively laughable so why bother adapting Dick at all? Either way, these weird and nauseating 'future shock' films have homogeonised into one big, long 'worst movie of all time'. I long for an old fashioned cowboy film with that fiery old horse that nobody can ride until, well, you know. Instead, the Pre-Cog in my bath (someone's used girlfriend) reliably informs me that Tom Cruise is soon to make a film in which philisophical ferrets from the year 2098 arrive in a time machine and take over the US government, turning it totalitarian until it all turns out to be a drug induced dream inside Cruise's head. Can't wait. Actually, I won't need to as the future's yesterday. Hollywood is re-making 'Solaris', apparently. *Groan*. Now, 'Logan's Run' I could stand.
Rating: 
Summary: This year's most avant garde science fiction
Review: The collaboration between Spielberg and Cruise promises top-notch entertainment and emerges unexpectedly as this year's most audacious science fiction that is beyond categorization. It enters the realm of future techno dystopia when Minority Report based on Philip K. Dick's short story opens in 2054 with Anderton (Cruise) as chief of Pre-Crime Unit which banks on the dreams of Pre-cogs to arrest would-be felons. The story takes a twist to thriller when Anderton is framed; he is guilty of a fatal shootout - and there he runs to escape his colleagues and a sealed murderer's fate. It is a mystery when events culminate to map out relevance to his son's abduction. It is a resonant cautionary tale to explore on topics like original sin and privacy issues. Minority Report sees Spielberg at the zenith of his visions, fusing sprawling sets of sleek designs to compliment the galanizing action that sees Anderton fleeing through whizzing Lexus in vertical highways. To silence the cynics, he ventures into his darker side to effectively convey violence. The noir thriller is thick with Hitchcockian red herrings and imbued with shadows of paranoia to render first-rate suspense. No less luminous is the cast including Samantha Morton as the talented Pre-Cog who gives heart to the movie, Max von Sydow as the dominating boss and Colin Farrel as Anderton's rival. Probably his best performance to date, Tom Cruise lends emotional depth and grit under his brooding exterior. Minority Report is provocative and slyly humorous in its hidden entrende of Pre-cogs as Agatha, Arthur and Dashiell who are famous mystery authors. This is Spielberg's extension of A.I with unfettered creativity, pitch-perfect technicality and balanced senitmentality to submit a report card that would definitely please the majority.
Rating: 
Summary: My "Report" On "Minority Report"
Review: This was a very exciting movie. There were great action sequences. Yet there was also a very intriguing story-line. I would recommend it to everyone who likes action movies. The effects were up to Spielberg's usual high level. Tom Cruise was very good in this movie and in my opinion this is his best performance since "Interview with the Vampire". "Minority Report" is one of the year's best films.
Rating:
Summary: Too stupid for many words
Review: What an amazing waste of +'s and -'s!!! This movie was an early entry into my top ten worst movies of all time. The plot was terrible, the dialogue thin, the future possibilities surreal to the point of insult and worst of all Tom Cruise. Can someone please tell me the attraction to this actor. He took a bad movie and made it worse. He is not believable. The worst scene of the movie is by far the eye-exchange surgery!?
Come on! The doctor, nurse, set and premise are horribly done. Don't waste a dime on this minority movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Majority Distort
Review: MINORITY REPORT is the kind of film I feel impelled to say I enjoyed: (1) its directed by Steven Spielberg, who arguably is always at the top of his game; (2) the film's script was based on a story written by the seminal Philip K. Dick; (3) the story mixes action and adventure with a 'ticking clock' scenario; and (4) it even has the 'big name star' clout of Tom Cruise behind the leading role of John Anderton. However, despite all it has going for it, REPORT feels incredibly like a good meal turned cold. The premise... is fascinating, but ...the ending is so entirely foreseeable that a viewer wonders, "Shouldn't I be one of the members serving on the precognition unit?" The effects-laden chase sequences are eye candy to behold (it is Spielberg, after all), and Cruise does stretch his acting beyond his usual aplomb (it is Tom Cruise, after all). The supporting cast goes largely unused; this is a star vehicle picture, and perhaps that's where it's most greatly flawed...
Rating:
Summary: Spielberg's latest mind-blower
Review: Steve Spielberg, "wonderkid" of Hollywood brings his latest sci-fi/thriller opus to us this summer and it works as his best in the genre since Jurassic Park in making us be fascinated by character and plot while still getting some kicks from futuristic cars, pre-cogs, and those sneaky spiders! In fact, this goes way up there on his list, and Cruises' as being one of the most thought provoking of his action movies, raising questions for some and if not, for others, a second view never hurts. Might as well, unless you feel compelled to view Men In Black two or Lil' Mike this holiday weekend.
Rating:
Summary: Well made adaption of Dick short story
Review: I'm not a big Tom Cruise fan. He plays to the media too much. I've believed for some time that he's more like the character he plays in Magnolia than the nice guy he pretends to be. So the character he plays in Minority Report is perfect for him; he's a flawed hero with a drug problem. Tinsel Town has had a crush on Philip K. Dick for the past twenty or so years. Blade Runner was the first--and one of the best (despite a very flawed script)adaptions of Dick's paranoid world view. Phil Dick's stories have always been about the psychology and motivation of the characters (and well developed plots) more than spaceships and the future. That's why, perhaps, his stories have endured. Total Recall, Screamers and Imposter all had their moments (the best moments were from Dick's original stories). Minority Report stands as probably the sharpest adaption of both Dick's work and world view. It's pretty darn violent and the script (despite a major plot flaw) well written. It's your typical Spielberg production--suspenseful and well thought out (for the most part). The casting is great although some of it, again, is a bit predictable which makes the ending a bit easy to foresee (ironic isn't it?) The plot in a nutshell--in the future precogs (people who can see the possible futures) can predict who will be murdered and by whom. The police arrest the prep prior to the crime thus preventing the crime from occuring. Cruise is one these elite officers and one of the founders of this specialized police force. He's on their side until he is apparently--somehow--framed for a murder of someone he has never met. Suddenly, Cruise is on the run out to discover who framed him and why. (SPOILER ALERT)There's also another unsolved murder that may or may not have something to do with his case. Cruise attempts to elude the very people he trained and worked with to prove his innocence. A typical Hitchcock (and Dick) theme--the innocent man framed and on the run. In many respects, Minority Report plays as a 02 version of Hitch's own North By Northwest (and there are some witty visual references to Hitch's film as well as those Ridley Scott's Blade Runner and other sf films). Minority Report is a rewarding two hour ride with both heart and soul. The story is solid and well thought out (although, again, with a significant flaw). It's also a demonstration of Speilberg's new found maturity as a film director. He couldn't have possibly made this adult, mature film ten or even five years ago. He had the skill but not the soul for it. I'd highly recommend this fine film.
Rating:
Summary: It's all in the EYES
Review: In the not too distant future, murder has been eliminated in Washington D.C. Detective John Anderton, played superbly by Tom Cruise, is the chief of this force. But when he himself is predicted to commit a murder, he has to go on the run to prove his future innocence. This movie, directed by Stephen Spielberg, is a visually stunning, CGI and special effects laced sight to behold. It also comes complete with great dialogue and a plot line that holds up well. Mr. Spielberg knows how to keep an audience on the edge of their seat, and he does so masterfully. And just when you think the movie is over, it's not. One of the best scenes in the movie is when Detective Anderton first goes on the run. Watching him run and jump on cars as they go up and down the sides of buildings is just plain fun. Immediately following that scene, we are treated to a flight scene with jet packs, through people's apartments no less, that is both heart-pounding and spell-binding at the same time. Then there is the scene where, in an attempt to find and catch John Anderton, the police release several robotic spiders who are programmed to seek out all warm-blooded people in the building and take a retinal scan. Not even Freddy Kreuger could give you the creeps like this. Do yourself a favor and watch this movie. It is well worth spending the time to do so.
Rating:
Summary: L.A. Confidential meets A.I. meets Mission Impossible...
Review: Spielberg's continuing exploration of dark, non-touchy-feely Sci-Fi continues with Minority Report, a film noir whodunit set 50 years from now. The movie actually shares many key plot points with L.A. Confidential, another film noir, although the two movies' settings could not be more different. Both are ultimately about the misuses of police power.
Spielberg also mines some of the same material he did in A.I. -- namely, the exploitation of technology to satisfy a human desire. In A.I., it was the creation of a robot Pinocchio to satisfy human needs for love -- a creation that goes horribly wrong.
In Minority Report, Spielberg explores the creation of a system of Precrime to arrest would-be murderers before they act. While the psychic plotline stretches reality a bit, it leads to a lot of humor and bravura film shots. (If you've seen the movie, think about the balloon man).
Spielberg is also the master of popcorn chase scenes (Jurassic Park anyone?) and he does not disappoint here. He even has a Star Wars Episode II-style factory battle scene that is executed brilliantly. The plot itself has some fabulous twists and turns that I will not reveal here, but suffice it to say that your mind will be bent, and you'll like it. The movie does not get five stars for a few reasons. Character development, despite the long running time, is sacrificed to focus on the plot and the action. The very end of the movie also did not quite work for me, and, because much of the suspense of the movie is in figuring out the mystery, it probably would not stand up well to repeated viewings. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: An Interesting Mystery and Lots of Special Effects
Review: What more can you ask for - a mystery, special effects, and Tom Cruise. When the powers that be in Washington, DC develop the ability to foretell murder, they also develop a bureaucracy to hunt down the potential killers. The murders are foretold by three young "precogs." The chief policeman, Tom Cruise, is skilled at using the random pictures received from the precogs to pinpoint where the murder will occur. And the Chief's unit then swoops down on the perpetrator before he/she can carry out his/her intentions to kill. When one of the precogs predicts that the Chief will kill a man unknown to him - the hunt begins. The pre-crime unit is hunting him, and he's hunting the person who set him up. Director Spielberg keeps the tension mounting step by step right up to the scenes where resolution happens. Like any good mystery, the clues are disclosed to the viewer as the protagonist receives them. If you like a good mystery, lots of suspense, and good sci-fi, this movie is for you.
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