Bergy's Back on form!!!

Rating: 7/10 (21 July 2002)

Finally Spielberg returns to form with a thought provoking and gritty drama while doing what he does best, eye popping visual effects.

Although it is sad to see CG effects overused once again when practical and miniature effects could be enhanced instead of replaced, the boffins at ILM manage to drop a lot of their "gee whiz" factor from the effects shots, allowing the audience to become immersed in an "almost" believable future world.
Effects aside the story is compelling with some ingenious twists and turns and a more adult theme then Spielberg's recent efforts, this being down to Phillip K Dick's original short story. They also touch briefly on the fundemental paradox that is "if you prevent the crime before it is committed, has a crime actually taken place?"
Tom Cruise as Anderton is actually rather good, the posturing and floppy hair are gone and replaced by a nicely portrayed character that allows you to forgive the travesty of Ethan Hunt in M:I. However it is the supporting cast that really shines, Sydow is once more on form as the director of the precrime department who takes up the father figure role to Anderton, and Colin Farrell is outstanding as the department of justice overseer. Young brit Samantha Morton is not really used to her full potential as the precog Agatha, but no doubt having worked previously with the likes of Woody Allen this will merely be a role that will dump her squarely in the Hollywood limelight.
The main drawback with the story is the schmaltzy Hollywood ending, if only the movie could have finished 7 mins sooner I would have had very little plot wise to grumble about, but this being a blockbuster summer movie straight from Hollywood's desk, I really should have been prepared.

On the whole a slightly edgier summer blockbuster.