Base plot similarities.

Rating: 6/10 (11 January 2006)

WARNING - SPOILERS! Some things you can't deny about this movie. Steven Spielberg is the best at telling a story visually. Tom Cruise gives 100%. And everyone else behind the camera does their best work.
But one thing bothered me about the plot. The main character's mentor, or the person he takes orders from, or the person he most reveres, turns out to be the bad guy. Well, la-de-freakin-da! And the bad guy's goal is to completely destroy the life and reputation of his star pupil/protégé for the good of a flawed system, and hide this plan from his protégé for as long as possible.
I've seen this come about as an actual trend in the last 10-15 years. There are too many films using this horrible writing crutch to name here, but I will name one that stands out as a prime example. "Judge Dread." And you know what? Max Von Sydow played the exact same bad guy in that movie, too.
I was disappointed.