Fireworks with no fire (a tedious piece of work)

Rating: 4/10 (13 January 2003)

A strange lifeless film by the Hollywood master, Spielberg. It follows the usual story arch, which we have seen too many times already, so nothing surprises. And despite this being a science fiction movie of sorts. Of sorts, because besides the premise, everything else appears to be only futuristic rather than science fiction, which is not the same. Somewhere along the line the energy dissipates. It becomes an empty exercise on pirotechnics (aka FX aka special effects) in an extended chase that does not add up to drama. Performances are well below average for all actors, all of whom besides Tom Cruise and Max von Sydow are unknowns or TV cops that eat on screen while they talk (same food as in 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s cop movies...). In fact, they fail to be believable. Cruise remains capable and saves the tedium with his charisma. Von Sydow tries hard with very little. Production design is flawless, cinematography superb, and direction capable without pulling it off as it should. Fails absolutely to deliver an exciting action scifi film along the lines of the classic of all classics, "Blade Runner." Pass the DVD rental unless you are a film student in need of some FX background.