By Jeff Kubik
Accused of a crime he didn’t commit. On the run from the law while fighting to uncover the truth. Sound familiar? Don’t fear, this movie is about a brand new kind of fugitive.
Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report is a complex assortment of various genres; it’s a sci-fi, action, whodunit that explores the ethical implications of sacrifices made in the name of justice. Think of it as Han Solo flying the Maltese Falcon through a volley of exploding Supreme Court Justices.
John Anderton (Tom Cruise) is the chief of the Washington D.C. Division of Pre-Crime, a provisional organization capturing criminals before their crimes ever take place. The system is flawless: murder is virtually eliminated. However, with the division’s mandate coming under scrutiny, Anderton finds irregularities in the system. Soon, he finds himself accused of a potential murder and must uncover the truth while fleeing the system he fought to protect.
While the movie’s look at the ethical sacrifices necessary for a world free of crime is an important element of the film, what truly makes this movie worth watching is its intensity. In true mystery style, Minority Report keeps the audience guessing through a variety of gripping twists interspersed with enough fight scenes, chases and impressive high-tech toys to keep any audience member placated for 140 minutes. Without a doubt, this report gets an "A."