The Flipcritic

After loads and loads of the same formulaic blockbusters that have been churning out of Hollywood for the past two decades or so (with a handful of exceptions), MINORITY REPORT is an absolute joy to behold. To watch it is to be reminded of what makes movies so wonderful, and to witness the rebirth of one of cinema's greatest minds. To describe it, I quote Joel Siegel's observation of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, "... it isn't just one of the best movies of the year; it's one of the best movies, period."

The film's story is set in the year 2054, where Jon Anderton (Tom Cruise - MISSION IMPOSSIBLE) is chief of the "Pre-Crime" Department in the District of Columbia, a law-enforcement unit which prevents murders before they occur. The system entails the use of "precogs" (precognitives), a trio of psychics jacked into a machine that are able to predict every murder (apparently only within D.C.), but lack any rights of their own. In the six years of the system's existence, not a single murder has taken place. Danny Witwer (Colin Farrell - TIGERLAND), an agent from the Justice Department, has been sent to investigate the merits of this system, while the bureau director Burgess (Max von Sydow - THE EXORCIST), Anderton's mentor and friend, does his best to protect him from this investigation. In a sudden and surreal turn of events, Anderton discovers that he has been predetermined to commit murder. He then goes on the run to find out whether he has been setup and why.

The movie is so full of splendor that in writing this review, I could scarcely organize my thoughts where to begin. The futuristic world which it presents makes one gasp in amazement, just as Metropolis did in the 1920s, and as BLADE RUNNER in the 80s. But it doesn't just show us the big picture. The abundance of details are everywhere and in practically every shot. On the larger scale, the ultramodern Washington D.C. is full of hi-tech infrastructure such as intertwining skyways where cars travel on magnetic cushions. But these structures are built around existing monuments due to preservation laws.

Going down to street-level, the movie's vision is equally astonishing. Almost every surface is capable of displaying moving images, even newspapers and cereal boxes (of course they couldn't be made of paper or cardboard). Advertisements are targeted at individuals and follow them wherever they go (this makes sense just as unwanted mail and pop-ups bother us to no end). In the Pre-Crime facility, Anderton operates a transparent visual display floating in mid-air and manipulates moving images on an incredible operating system using hand gestures, (just as a conductor would an orchestra as the background classical music suggests). And the creativity in the endless array of devices (automatically driven cars, transparent PCs using light technology, retinal scans on spider robots and buildings, and even illegal drugs) will leave you flabbergasted. This is the most overwhelming atmosphere I have been immersed in since DARK CITY.

Every scene is five times more resonant than in any action-adventure I have seen in the last decade, and Spielberg shows his visual mastery over the movie's fabulous sequences. I have already described Pre-Crime operating system. But the film has many other treats. The movie's first sequence is not only impressive in how it turns up the tension but how it clearly describes how the system works. Also memorable are sights of the chamber which contains every murderer-to-be, Anderton's escape on a vertical highway, an extraordinary overhead shot of rooms during the spider-robots' hunt (reminiscent of Brian De Palma's SNAKE EYES, but done much better), and the pair of Anderton and the precog Agatha (Samantha Morton) fleeing capture with the use of her precognitive abilities.

The film is not all eye-candy. Despite the profusion of details, the movie's clear and constant focus is the story and its characters. The turns and twists that ensue after Anderton's dilemma, and the performances that are played in them, are all absorbing. Colin Farrell's character, Witwer, is more than a match for Anderton. He gives so much intensity, that you know he isn't going to give up on his investigation. Max von Sydow, one of cinema's great actors, has so much presence in reminding how you don't need to reach too far to make an impression. Samantha Morton appears primarily in the film's second half, yet she has the right eerie quality to keep you uncomfortable until the end. And Tom Cruise is rock solid, playing the whole gamut of emotions, from confidence, to sadness, to disbelief, to paranoia, to fear, and to rage. He compels us to watch him with his star power, forcing us to care about him.

This picture shows Steven Spielberg at the height of his cinematic prowess. He showcases all of his strengths and none of his weaknesses. I was enthralled with his skill in scaring (he did direct Jaws) and even more so with the handling of this plot. It's as if he's reminding us not to forget who he is (just one of the greatest directors of all time), and that he can handle this dark stuff better than anybody (and it's hard to argue with him). And just when you think that you've seen every imaginable shot, camera angle, and movement, he invents new ones and renders you speechless with them. One shot that is impossible to miss is his two-shot of Agatha and Anderton, which summarizes the entire film. You'll know it when you see it. In age where directors make movies focusing special effects, it's good to know that he focuses on the story. He doesn't depend on CGI, he merely uses it, and knows that you don't have to climax a movie with a big explosion to turn up the heat.

When a movie like Minority Report comes along, a film critic has more than just a duty to scrutinize it. He must cheer it on. When it comes to creativity, it's an adrenaline rush. When it comes to plot, it more than follows through (THE MATRIX just had an incredible idea). It makes us ask questions about predestination and the lack of privacy. Now that Stanley Kubrick has taken Spielberg to the dark side (remember A.I.?), we must now ask ourselves whether we like him there. I say bring it on. Just as Anderton orchestrates his moving images, so does Spielberg with his. MINORITY REPORT is Steven Spielberg reborn. It has made me into something I haven't been in a long time... a fan.

Posted by FLIPCRITIC at June 28, 2002 12:00 AM