A tense and absorbing thriller

Rating: 9/10 (28 November 2009)

Movies are only effective if they involve the viewer; we can't enjoy someone's story if we don't care about what happens to them. In general, the best way to do this (at least for a mainstream movie) is to present a strong story. Based on the short story by Philip K. Dick, "Minority Report" is a tense thriller that poses a number of intriguing ethical questions.
Welcome to the era of PreCrime: a world without murder. Three special people, known as the PreCogs, are about to predict murders before they happen. Chief John Anderton (Tom Cruise) works for the PreCrime division, and is passionate that it works. But when the PreCogs predict that he is going to commit a murder, Anderton has to find out why before he is caught.
If you could see into the future, does that mean that what you saw is really going to happen? Can someone change their mind at the last minute? Is it right to arrest someone for a crime that they were going to commit, but hadn't done it yet? These questions lie at the heart of "Minority Report," and fortunately they are not mentioned then disregarded; the whole storyline revolves around answering them.
Despite his bizarre off-screen antics, Tom Cruise is a good actor. This is certainly one of his best performances. Anderton is a man who uses this opportunity to battle personal demons, although it only partly works. He is deeply troubled by his past, and that conflict makes Anderton an almost tragic figure. Cruise plays the part perfectly, and we never stop rooting for him. Colin Farrell is effective in his breakout role as Danny Witwer, the agent from the Judicial System who begins snooping around PreCrime, perhaps to take over John's job. Max von Sydow brings a deep note of class to the film as PreCrime's director, and John's mentor, Lamar Burgess. It's an effective performance, and for a man who could easily play an elderly man, von Sydow is certainly an arresting figure. Samantha Morton has the most difficult part as Agatha, one of the PreCogs. She's bizarre, acting as if she's on some sort of a drug. But Morton allows us to peek beneath to see her lucidity. Kathryn Morris, the always wonderful Lois Smith, and Mike Binder are good in bit parts, while Tim Blake Nelson and Peter Stormare steal scenes in terrifically loopy performances.
This is Steven Spielberg's best film since "Saving Private Ryan." He keeps the pace up, and shows us that he's still a director, and not just a name on a marquee. Spielberg has a vivid imagination and brings everything to life. This is a science fiction film, but it is grounded in reality enough that it is plausible that everything that happens in this film could be real in the near future. The film is well-paced and put together; it's a complex plot, and deals with some serious ethical questions, but it's never confusing. Special note goes to his music selection. Spielberg mixes some classical music into the film very effectively, and the soundtrack by John Williams represents some of his best work.
The only problem I have with the film is that in one scene, it breaks the rules the film functions by for its own convenience. That being said, most people won't notice (or care).
Note: while the action sequences are pretty standard stuff (albeit well-shot and choreographed), the flashbacks of murders are pretty graphic. This really pushes the boundaries of PG-13.