Steven Spielberg was always a director who ’’boldly go where no man has gone before’’. More often than not, he was rewarded richly (rather obscenely rich rewards) by box-office revenues. But off late, I think he is over estimating his abilities in ’’pre-cogging’’ the public acceptance of his movies!! When A. I bombed at box office, which was way ahead of its age, people thought (rather I thought), Spiely would not venture into these ’’outside-the-off stick’’ stories anymore, atleast for now. But like always, he wanted to prove everyone wrong and here it is, another Philip K Dick’s short story, released as a movie....
The Background
In the year 2048, the Washington.D.C police department creates an experimental program called ’’Pre-Crime Unit’’. This is based on three psychic Precognitives (PreCogs) whose brain waves are connected to an elaborate machine that shows their visions of a Crime ’’yet-to-happen’’ in form of pictures (High Resolution Color Movies, probably MPEG-100 or MPEG-200 versions!!!, who knows probably WindowsZZZ MPlayer Versions!!!). I think the images also give Location, time etc (I’m not sure but). With these pictures which normally comes within 10 minutes boundary, and also advanced weapons, the PCU reaches that location and ambushes the suspect, before he commits the crime. Then he is imprisoned by freezing (cryogenically).
The Story
John Anderton (Tom Cruise), the Chief of PCU is a staunch believer of the system, because of his personal loss - his young son was abducted many years ago and he never recovered from that. Each time a suspect is arrested he thinks someday he will find his son, still with the hope that his son is alive.
Lamar Burgess ( Max Von Sydow) is the Director of Pre-Crime who is ambitious about Pre-Crime becoming national but is threatened by the advances of an FBI agent Danny Witwer (Colin Farrell), who is bent to find a flaw in the system and questions the ethics of Pre-Crime.
The Plot
The system is working perfectly with thousands of ’’suspects’’ frozen for life till the year 2054, that’s when the movie starts of. One day Anderton sees his own image in the HRES MPEG File ( hehehehe ) killing a man who he has never seen before in his life in the next 36 hours, and that changes his whole life forever. He is on the run. He realizes a little while later that he has been framed by ’’someone’’ with the help of the system which he has perfected to the pinnacle with his own efforts.
His belief stems from a vision which Agatha gets actually is a repeat of a same vision the Pre-Cogs envisioned sometime before. That shakes his belief in Pre-Crime and to prove that the Pre-Cogs are not ’’bug-free’’, he kidnaps (Anderton insists he liberated her) one of the Pre-Cogs Agatha (Samantha Morton), to find out the real truth. And also to solve the mysterious disappearance of his son.
What happens then is a series of cat-chase-mouse game, ofcourse both cat and mouse are from 2054 so little hi-fi gadgets come to our view!! Does he prove his innocence or does he kill that man as in the vision? Go get a DVD to find out. (Don’t blame me if you didn’t like it)...
The Gadgets : Section moved to Comments... no space here
Ok Lets analyze...
Story (3/5)
There is a story, yes. Is the story good? Yes it is. But the downside is the story is only fit to be read, not as a movie. Because in 2.5 hours it looks like a Hindi movie and not an English Movie!!! Moreover the message that this story wants to convey is too heavy and sort of hits you rather very hard - ’’heavy handed, long-winded philosophy’’ (Expression Courtesy : Hollywood.com)
Plot (4/5)
The suspense is amazing. But it takes 2-3 repeat views to actually understand it. Nevertheless brilliant plot and the director has carried the suspense till the end. You might have guessed who is framing Tom but you would never guess why he is framing him or how he is framing him!!! So intricate the plot is.
Science & Fiction (3/5)
’’Contains no Science or Science Pulp’’, just pure fiction. But this fiction is too complex to be explained in detail, under 1.5 hours. Even 2.5 hours couldn’t do justice!! Many concepts like the ’’refreshing’’ newspaper, talking cereal box etc are finesse. But it sort of too much of attention to details.
Cast & Direction (3/5)
Tom looks amazing in his role as Anderton. Even though he might have covered his face with unrecognizable mask, the passion with which he performs it is unmistakably Cruise, thus making that a memorable performance. Colin Farrell really makes an FBI Agent. Initially he is mellow but the fight scene with Tom brings the action-actor in him. Max Von makes a dull performance, cause that’s what the role offer him. Morton overdoes the ’’innocent-thing-in-a-strange-land’’ role as the Pre-Cog out of the tank!!
Spielberg’s direction is beyond the words of a lesser mortal like me. One particular line sort of comes up ever now and then : ’’Is freezing a man before he commits a crime ethical?’’. Kinda you get bored when question of that century pops up each time you settled into a sequence of events. But for that amazing direction, as always...
Special Effects (5/5)
Spielberg leaves no stone unturned (read no corner unused) in his view finder for any scene... Every scene has something that screams for your attention. Absolutely brilliant special effects by George Lucas’ ILM studio. To a count, I believe, there are 400 special effects shots!!!
Movie Pace (3/5)
Since the movie is in Action Movie Genre, the speed is pretty good. When Anderton takes the Pre-Cog to his house and all those scenes are a little drag. Rather but for few scenes, the movie pace is ok.
Final Verdict (3/5)
There are two sub-categories in Science Fiction movies : One for kids and casual viewers (Star Wars) and the other for people who really read science fiction and expect minute details to be perfect, like this one. So If you are the one who appreciate the small details attended to perfection, movies with intricate plots and imagination, then this one is for you.
In general this is not a bad movie for a single watch. But it doesn’t matter if you missed it. It aint a movie that shouldn’t be missed!!
Anticipating your valuable comments......
Venkat
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MR Trivia
The movie had a budget of $102 Million
There were 15 major brands including USA Today, The Gap, Guinness, Lexus, Nokia and Ben & Jerry’s had cross promotions with MR.
According to Variety these brands have contributed $25 Million to the MR kitty.