"Where's My Minority Report? Do I Even Have One?"

The One Where Tom Cruise Stars On My 50" Plasma

I think you could make a case that A.I, Minority Report and Catch Me If You Can are Spielbergs three most underrated films. When you have a resume like his, I'm sure he wont lose sleep, but A.I and MR represented the first time Spielberg merged his kiddy films, with the adult stuff. Throw in War Of The Worlds, with its obvious nods to 9/11 and you have a different Spielberg.

Its a Spielberg that I love. Munich is a superb film, that never found its audience. Indys misstep is still... fun... but Terminal is dire. Those two black marks stopped what was an incredible run, and Report was right in the middle of it.



I love Tom Cruise. I always have. I don't think I need to labour that point. I think this might be in his top three for performances. Magnolia may never be topped, but he was lauded for that. Here, with his drug addiction and guilt over his lost son... it's heartbreaking stuff. He seems to have chatted to Spielberg and said, "Hey, I want to be different, too". He nails it.

The opening ten minutes, setting the "rules" is brilliant. Tension, future technology that is becoming a reality. It crackles. They set the scene perfectly. You know exactly what the score is.



I have a son. If anything happened to him, I'd be Tom Cruise in this movie. Going over and over pictures and images of him. The breakdown of his marriage, his isolation at home... it's dark, dark stuff.

So what we need is some comic relief. That comes in the set pieces, which is a credit to The Berg. The jet pack scene? Full of gags... literally. Being Spielberg, it's of course high calibre action. Great effects, and quality acting with it.




Plus it has Colin Farrell. I love the guy. He's hugely underrated as an 
actor, because for a while, he was a dick off it. Bit of a shame. He's 
great in this.The scene in the lift, where he thinks he has Cruise 
cornered is class. Cruise pulls a gun. "Calm down... I don't hear a 
red ball" - Cue the siren for a red ball. Farrells face is immense.
Not sure if the red ball is for him, or if Cruise is going to run... 
...everybody runs.





It's not without it's faults. Despite loving Max Von Sydows role, 
and the heart stopping moment where he goes for his gun... I 
just feel the ending is always going to be anti climatic. I 
appreciate it's not an action film per se, and I wouldn't change 
that... but when you have the chase on vertical cars, a showdown 
on a roof, will always feel a little light.


That said, the ending is perfect, in my opinion. Not the pre cogs, 
as such, but Cruise... back in his apartment. This time, plus 
guests. Check it out on Blu. It looks great. But again, it's the 
sound for me. Top dollar.

Be a Fan