Priority Report

Rating: Null/10 (2 August 2002)

I read the short story in an hour or two, then saw the film in 2 and a half. I must say, it's interesting and disappointing to see the dramatic differences- 90% different stories. I thought the book was really about the Minority Report, it's importance and the main character's priority conflict over the future of the Precrime Deptartment and his own life.
I wont go into details: suffice it to say that the book was not only far more entertaining and thought-provoking, but it actually took less time.

Last comment- many of my fans out there that enjoyed my other reviews might remember my scathing comments about Spielberg from A.I.; well, much of my criticism applies here too. The man is a master of cinematography- his 'in-your-face' directing style is as much a charater in any one of his movies as the Cruises, Dreyfuses and H.Ford's... but he is, without a doubt, one of the most unchallenging, corporate-pleasing, predictable story-tellers I've ever seen in motion pictures. Always the inappropriately cheap laughs and gut-sucking sentimentality in every film, always characters bawling their eyes out, etc. He leaves his stamp in pretty much every picture he makes, no matter what. I guess the money, the box-office numbers and other corporate Hollywood priorities are hard to ignore.
To sum up- the film is a 3/10. Some good effects and visually exciting stuff. But to take an excellent short story and pad it into a predictable special effects extravaganza is further proof that Hollywood is past it's prime.