Potentially Great Film Falls Flat

Rating: 5/10 (23 February 2003)

By the end of "Minority Report," I felt cheated that a wonderful premise, fraught with social and political ambiguity, and the makings of a potentially great film, so completely, tragically missed its mark. It is difficult for me to believe that this is the film Spielberg wanted to make. It is visually interesting, if self-consciously so, but there is little substance behind the high-tech crap. And moments of 'levity'--inserted, I suppose, to occasionally lighten up the tone of the film--is sophomorically, embarrassingly silly (small SPOILER: like Tom Cruise chasing after his runaway eyeballs). The only aspect that was, for me, mildly engaging was the plight of the "precogs," especially Agatha, movingly portrayed by Samantha Morton. The only other performance of note is by the wonderful Tim Blake Nelson (of 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' fame), who certainly knows how to make the most of a small role. The rest, even the great Max von Sydow, cannot rise above the clumsy script and even clumsier direction (sorry, Steven). Dashing Tom Cruise slaps on a face of grim determination and tries to pass it off as acting. Colin Farrell, equally dashing and determined, pulls off a Javert-like performance that is solid, if not illuminating. (One more possible small SPOILER) The happily-ever-after ending was especially annoying to me, and persuaded me from a passive "oh-well-you-can't-win-'em-all-Steven" attitude to an active dislike for this unbelievably sloppy film. ** out of *****.