Overwhelming; visually stunning; stylistically superb

Rating: 10/10 (24 December 2002)

This film is a masterpiece. Which is not to say it is without flaws, but rather that the movie overwhelms you with so many good things that you are able to overlook the minor plot points.
I agree that a couple points don't make sense in the film, but who cares. I saw it again tonight and was totally swept away again. This film is impressive in its blending of action, film noir, true science fiction, and suspense. And yet it is still full of whimsy, satire, and comedy.
I enjoyed the way the film meandered from genre to genre - early on concentrating on science fiction, then blending into action, which blended into suspense, all the while mixed with a touch of film noir. You get a lot of movie for your money here.
Perhaps the thing I most cherish, though, is the style of this film. The great visuals are a big part, but there's also a very strong layer of grit and perversity here. I don't think I've seen a big-budget film in a long time with so much concentration on the artistic details without sacrificing the rest of the film.
Truly the best film of 2002 that I've seen.