Minority Report - 2002

20th Century Fox, Dreamsworks

Directed by Steven Spielburg

Cast:

• Chief Jon Anderton – Tom Cruise
• Dir. Lamar Burgess – Max Von Sydow
• Agatha – Samantha Morton
• Lara Anderton – Kathryn Morris
• Jad – Steve Harris
• Fletcher – Neal McDonough
• Knott – Patrick Kilpatrick
• Evanna – Jessica Capshaw

Story: Big brother is alive and well in 2054, where thanks to the discovery of the Precognitives, the Pre-Crime division in the District of Columbia arrests people before the commit murder. The “Precogs” are apparently infallible, based on their impeccable record of preventing murders. But, we learn, not all the facts are in evidence. Even Jon Anderton, the Chief of Pre-Crime, is unaware of the Minority Reports that exist in the system. When the precogs see a murder, they sometimes see two different events, or two different outcomes. When that occurs, the “minority report” is swept under the rug. Chief Anderton's first hand experience when he is identified as a murderer make him uncover the secret, and the man behind hiding the Minority Reports.

Review:Now, personally, this would have been a better film if they had gotten Ridley Scott to direct. After all, if you have ever seen Bladerunner (also written by Philip K Dick...we'll cover that one later in another review), you'll have to agree he has a better perspective of the future envisioned by Dick. Tom Cruise is good as Jon Anderton, although his character seems more like Ethan Hawke than a man in a Philip K. Dick story. Kathryn Morris, who isn't listed in the cast on the IMDB page, is excellent as the estranged spouse, and Max Von Sydow is Max Von Sydow, enough said. The story is excellent, the casting good, and the movie plays well for a Spielburg non-epic. The effects are awesome, and there is a very interesting scene where Cruise is leaping from transport to transport that is flawless in its execution. All in all, not my favorite Philip K. Dick film, but not bad.