Great concept, great potential, poor execution!

Rating: 6/10 (23 June 2002)

What a tremendous potential this film has....
The first hour is dazzling high tech, fast action with almost a "John Woo on speed" character. The plot is well developed and engrossing. So, what happened?
For the remainder of the film the pacing is terrible (bursts of action moving the story along followed by long periods of...well...sluggish navel gazing). It's as if Spielberg has NO idea what kind of a film he is making.
I understand the problem, as Philip K. Dick stories tend toward the futuristic high tech combined with film noire. But Spielberg doesn't combine them...he just makes two different movies and shows us one during the first hour, with the second movie making up the remainder of the film.
It's worth watching, and even paying for...but don't expect anything great. Just enjoy the action in the first half, and then head for the snack bar for a pot of popcorn somewhere in the middle.
(6 out of 10)