better than average tom cruise movie.

Rating: 6/10 (10 April 2005)

Based on the philip k dick short story of the same name.
Where the movie and original story intersect is the premise, pre-cogs have the gift to see crime before it happens allowing a team of police to prevent the crimes from happening the criminals are arrested before they commit victims aren't victims anymore. The existing chief(cruise) of the unit is under inspection by an outsider(farrel).
The film does several things very well, the vision of the future it presents is excellent in the sense that it is believable that America could look like that in 50 years.
The action scenes are good, punchy, not drawn out and full of themselves. The acting certainly didn't embarrass itself and the film moves along seamlessly from one phase to another.
Where it does fall down is behind the action there is, well, nothing of note. The short story was more concerned with how far someone would go to protect what they believe is right idea what sacrifices would they make. This was what philip k dick was more interested in, everything else was salad dressing. For the film the salad was sacrificed, becoming standard action fair, guns, fights, chases, damsel in distress and make sure the bad guy gets it in the end.
It just feels empty and disappointing, it could have been more than just an action movie by the numbers.
Not to mention the complete lack of suspense, I didn't come across anything in the film which I thought that's a surprise, didn't see that coming.
Ultimately the film is one of the better Tom Cruise action movies which Tom Cruise fans will enjoy, Philip K. Dick fans however may not.