Flashy sci-fi fluff

Rating: 5/10 (24 November 2005)

Watchable sci-fi action film, but nothing like as deep as it would at first appear. The story is overly contrived, the flaws in the central premise never fully dealt with, and the ending far too simplistic to make this an overall satisfying experience. The ostensibly complex conundrum at the heart of this film- whether preventing a predicted event actually negates the concept of fate upon which precognition rests- is conveniently swept aside in favour of mindless action, and the futuristic setting merely an excuse for Spielberg to play with some expensive CGI toys. The plot holes become more gaping with each viewing. See it once and enjoy the visuals, but don't think about it too hard.