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Steven Spielberg directs Tom Cruise in this taut adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s sci-fi novelette set in 2054, when cops are able to use the visions of three uniquely gifted people called ‘precogs’ to arrest criminals before they commit their crimes. Cruise plays a ‘precrime’ cop motivated by the kidnapping and murder of his young son several years earlier. But when the precogs name him as a perpetrator of a future crime, he finds himself on the run from his colleagues and unsure who to trust. Attempting to clear his name, he uncovers a dark secret involving one of the precogs (Samantha Morton) and the founder of the precrime department (Max von Sydow) that threatens to bring down the entire division and its controversial technology.
Minority Report follows A.I.: Artificial Intelligence as an uncommonly dark, dystopian film from Spielberg, who spent the previous few decades delivering many more colorful, optimistic stories. But it’s a hell of a ride with great pacing, provocative sci-fi concepts, and a terrific cast. Cruise is built for this kind of ‘hero on the lam’ role, with Colin Farrell as a government official who serves as a primary antagonist in the film. Von Sydow brings further gravitas to the film, with Morton offering an emotional performance as the vulnerable precog, and Lois Smith (Twister) delivering a quirky, memorable performance as a reclusive geneticist who sets Cruise down the path to discovery. Kathryn Morris plays Cruise’s estranged wife in a small but pivotal role that gives her the chance to be the movie’s primary hero for a short time.
Highlights include a horrific back-alley eye transplant Cruise must endure to throw the feds off his trail (they rely heavily on retinal scanning), and a twisty-turny third act that yields more than its fair share of surprises. Janusz Kaminski’s dark, desaturated, grainy cinematography may be an acquired taste, but composer John Williams is as reliable as ever.
With Peter Stormare, Steve Harris, Neal McDonough, and Patrick Kilpatrick.
Oscar Nomination: Best Sound Editing