THE BEST ARYE GROSS MOVIE EVER!

Rating: 8/10 (23 June 2002)

But that's not saying much, is it? "The Experts" anyone? Didn't think so. OK, on to the real review...
Contains Spoilers
"Minority Report" is a very good movie, but not nearly as superb as some on IMDB would have you believe. But in this day and age, it is so rare that we are treated to an intelligent, thought-provoking action/sci-fi movie that you just have to admire it. Yes, this is a welcome rebound from Spielberg after the dreadful "A.I." He is smart enough to show us a vision of the future that is neither a bleak wasteland nor a candy-coated utopia.
I, for one, very much enjoyed the muted cinematography and felt it added realism to the visual effects. The plot is solid, if somewhat predictable. Even though an observant viewer can see where the story is headed, there are enough twists and depth to the loyalties of each character that Spielberg keeps you guessing just enough to be enthralled. The acting is solid throughout, with special accolades going to Ruffalo as an impassioned investigator.
I did feel, however, that the film is conceptually flawed. One of the main themes driven home near the conclusion is that if you know what the future is to be, you have the power to alter it. This is obviously true, so why weren't the Precrime units used as a deterrent instead of an arrest force? If they can see someone is going to commit murder in 3 days, why not just go to their door and tell the future murderer that if he/she goes through with it that they're going to live the rest of their lives in a plastic tube with a pair of lobotomy earphones? That would stop me from committing murder. As for yet another minor complaint, I thought the overabundance of product placement was distracting.
But aside from those quibbles, I found this is to be a challenging, exciting and cerebral movie. Definitely worth a viewing.
Rating: 8/10