Blade Runner meets Splash - another crime which wasn't prevented

Rating: 5/10 (17 July 2002)

This film managed to keep my attention but, in hindsight, was a sloppy piece of sci-fi which stole gimmicks from Bladerunner, the Matrix, and [insert name of any previous half-decent sci-fi film].
So what's it all about? Search me. It seems that Daryl Hannah (AKA Samantha Morton as the main precog who also does a great line in gasping) has to lie shaven-headed in a flotation tank all day with two other mermen. Whenever she has a premonition of a future crime, she triggers the National Lottery machine which produces two bonus balls with the name of the victim & the perp. (Sadly not Dale Winton.)
When this happens, Tom Cruise comes over all "Jean-Michel Jarre" and starts conducting a large interactive monitor (not quite so sexy with a mouse & a keyboard)in order to pinpoint the exact location of said crime so he can catch the future miscreant before it happens.
Said miscreant is then housed in The Matrix (copyright Wachowski) with only a lone organist for company and - hey presto - the world is again a safer, crime-free place.
But, oh no, the system's flawed! And - oh my god! - it looks like poor, troubled-after-the-death-of-his-son-so-now-addicted-to-ventolin? Tom Cruise could be implicated!!!
After that, I stopped caring as the plot's numerous holes were instead filled with outrageous product placement and interminable "action" scenes.

Not unlike the precogs, I had a feeling as I went into the cinema that a crime was about to be committed. Unfortunately, no pre-crime cops came crashing through the roof in time to stop the projectionist...
The real criminals, Hollywood directors such as Spielberg, are guilty of laziness & complacency. The fact that they fail to think through the plots of such big budget films really beggars belief - are they that desperate for the cash? Do they really think their audiences are that stupid?
I want to see more films made with interesting & complex plots (Twelve Monkeys); excellent dialogue (Heat) and intelligent casting (Wonder Boys) - spending less on CGI and more on the script. By demanding an end to fast-buck films, we can stop any further crimes before they're committed!