In 2002 Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report was released. Based on a short story by Phillip K. Dick (Whose other literary works have bred films from Blade Runner to this years The Adjustment Bureau) and starring Tom Cruise, the story focused on precrime detective John Anderton. Set in Washington D.C. in the year 2054, three people with visions of the future known as precogs have given birth to a new way of dealing with murder, arrest the perpetrators before they have committed the crime. As the United States is set to vote on whether to take this experiment national, John Anderton is accused of the future murder of a man he has never met, causing him to flee from those he worked with and question what he worked for.
Nine years since its release, Minority Report maintains its relevance and its visual wonder through a mixture of Phillip K. Dick’s timeless moral question and Spielberg’s assured direction. Minority Report is an old school detective film noir; it’s a futuristic chase movie, it’s a morality piece, it’s a story about parenthood, about love, science and religion. The fact that Minority Report encompasses so many different elements, marries two distinct styles and poses such deep philosophical questions yet still functions as a serviceable and relatable summer blockbuster truly is a testament to the type of filmmaker that Spielberg is and the possibilities of the science fiction genre.
In the Blu-Ray special features Spielberg notes how science fiction allows you to “be philosophical without being pretentious because with sci-fi the audience comes in expecting anything…you don’t have to give them something they relate to like a straight drama…you just need the audience to buy the science” Minority Report is a true example of the potential of science fiction as a genre, as in a way science fiction can be the marriage of every genre.
Look no further than BBC’S classic TV series Doctor Who. It is a show, which is at times a comedy, at times a drama, frequently a horror yet also described as a science fiction show. Star Wars, one of the most loved films of all time is commonly and rightly referred to as science fiction yet it is also an action adventure and a love story. Science fiction is a genre, which attracts hybridization as ultimately all science fiction is in its most basic form is speculative fiction, it is the genre which more than any other explores real world ideas and questions through the prism of a fictional reality. It is also perhaps the most flexible genre of them all, you can pretty much tell any story you want to tell through the genre of science fiction. Science fiction can be done as a romance, as an action adventure, as a drama, as a horror or as all of the above.
Going back to the film itself, nine years after its release the art direction, sound design and visual effects are all still state of the art and all shine on the films fantastic Blu-Ray transfer. The world created by Spielberg, Scott Frank and Jon Cohen and the production designer Alex McDowell is one that is futuristic yet also grounded in believable advancements, advancements that spoke to the feelings of the U.S. and the world at the time of the films release and advancements that are already starting to become an eerie reality. One of the many futuristic inventions in Minority Report is the interactive advertisement. Billboards surround the characters and by scanning their eyes specifically target the individual rather than the masses. In one scene where Tom Cruise’s character walks into a GAP, a hologram scans him, addresses him by name and recommends what his next purchase should be based on previous acquisitions. We see this today, whether it be recommended videos on Youtube, recommended friends on Facebook, recommended songs on Itunes. The rise of the Internet since the releases of Minority Report means that we are more connected and targeted than ever. It is not just through advertising however where Minority Report acted as both a predictor and mirror of our modern day society.
Nine years since its release, Minority Report maintains its relevance and its visual wonder through a mixture of Phillip K. Dick’s timeless moral question and Spielberg’s assured direction. Minority Report is an old school detective film noir; it’s a futuristic chase movie, it’s a morality piece, it’s a story about parenthood, about love, science and religion. The fact that Minority Report encompasses so many different elements, marries two distinct styles and poses such deep philosophical questions yet still functions as a serviceable and relatable summer blockbuster truly is a testament to the type of filmmaker that Spielberg is and the possibilities of the science fiction genre.
In the Blu-Ray special features Spielberg notes how science fiction allows you to “be philosophical without being pretentious because with sci-fi the audience comes in expecting anything…you don’t have to give them something they relate to like a straight drama…you just need the audience to buy the science” Minority Report is a true example of the potential of science fiction as a genre, as in a way science fiction can be the marriage of every genre.
Look no further than BBC’S classic TV series Doctor Who. It is a show, which is at times a comedy, at times a drama, frequently a horror yet also described as a science fiction show. Star Wars, one of the most loved films of all time is commonly and rightly referred to as science fiction yet it is also an action adventure and a love story. Science fiction is a genre, which attracts hybridization as ultimately all science fiction is in its most basic form is speculative fiction, it is the genre which more than any other explores real world ideas and questions through the prism of a fictional reality. It is also perhaps the most flexible genre of them all, you can pretty much tell any story you want to tell through the genre of science fiction. Science fiction can be done as a romance, as an action adventure, as a drama, as a horror or as all of the above.
Going back to the film itself, nine years after its release the art direction, sound design and visual effects are all still state of the art and all shine on the films fantastic Blu-Ray transfer. The world created by Spielberg, Scott Frank and Jon Cohen and the production designer Alex McDowell is one that is futuristic yet also grounded in believable advancements, advancements that spoke to the feelings of the U.S. and the world at the time of the films release and advancements that are already starting to become an eerie reality. One of the many futuristic inventions in Minority Report is the interactive advertisement. Billboards surround the characters and by scanning their eyes specifically target the individual rather than the masses. In one scene where Tom Cruise’s character walks into a GAP, a hologram scans him, addresses him by name and recommends what his next purchase should be based on previous acquisitions. We see this today, whether it be recommended videos on Youtube, recommended friends on Facebook, recommended songs on Itunes. The rise of the Internet since the releases of Minority Report means that we are more connected and targeted than ever. It is not just through advertising however where Minority Report acted as both a predictor and mirror of our modern day society.
Released in 2002, the U.S. and the world were still reeling from the tragic events of September 11th. Paranoia has been a prevalent mind set throughout human history, however it will always be at its highest after a tragic event caused deliberately by man. The question of how much freedom we are prepared to give up to stay safe is one that will always be pondered however with acts such as the Patriot Act coming in to place, privacy started to become one of the freedoms potentially under threat in a quest to stay safe. In Minority Report, a desire not just to stay safe but also to stop murder for good has led to an even greater violation of freedom. Minority Report presents us with a world in which being arrested despite potentially never having committed murder is an accepted and supposedly flawless practice. As Dr. Iris Henimen says in the film “When the chips are down, when the pressure is on, every creature on the face of the Earth is interested in one thing and one thing only…its own survival” It’s one of the, if not the main question behind Minority Report, would you support a precrime program? Yes it potentially guarantees a world without murder but is it morally right to arrest somebody for something they have not done?
One of the most memorable dialogue exchanges about this quandary in the film is between Cruise’s Anderton and Colin Farrell’s Witwer. Anderton throws a ball which Witwer instinctively catches before it hits the ground.
“Why did you catch that?” asks Anderton.
“Because it was going to fall” replies Witwer.
“You’re certain?”
“Yes”
“But it didn’t fall. You caught it. The fact you prevented it from happening doesn’t change the fact that it was going to happen”
This leads us to arguably the biggest theme in Minority Report, the role of free will in a world where actions are pre determined and foreseen. For instance the conviction of Anderton by the precog is what made him go on the run and ultimately search out somebody he would never have searched for otherwise. In short the precog visions can be blamed for causing the murder in this case, self-fulfilling prophecy. The idea of whether we control our destiny or whether it is controlled for us is an idea that has been explored in numerous works and even in K. Dick’s other stories such as The Adjustment Bureau. In The Adjustment Bureau the titular organization are the ones who control our lives; free will is something that is “allowed” in certain circumstances but not something that is common. Precrime like The Adjustment Bureau takes free will away from you, would you have killed that man? Surely you should have a choice? No. Precrime says that you would have killed that man; your “free will” is foreseen and acted upon before you have had the right to exercise it.
Spielberg himself has stated that if such a program existed he would only vote for it if there were no doubt whatsoever in its efficiency. Minority Report is ultimately one big case against such a program, it starts off merely questioning its morals but then goes further suggesting that nobody could be trusted in running such a program, to quote an Alan Moore masterpiece “Who watches the watchmen?” the power of human beings free will, is a power too vast to be put in the hands of man, nothing is perfect, everything has flaws and precrime is no different.
Moving away from the deep philosophical debate about the role of free will in precrime and the paranoia that could breed acceptance of such an initiative, which leads to what is much more of a scientific debate. Minority Report is also a film that has religious echoes, echoes that are much less discussed than the comments about our society found through the now real advertising techniques or the comment on human nature and free will through the precrime debate (Of which an entire essay paper could be written regarding philosophy, scientific ethics and theory of knowledge)
In one scene a precrime worker remarks to John Anderton “We are more like clergy than cops” also in the Blu-Ray special features, frequent Spielberg collaborator Janusz Kaminski remarks on how the most powerful precog Agatha, is shot in an angelic way. The film also addresses faith, at the start of the film John Anderton has complete faith in the precrime program, faith that as a certain character remarks is born out of pain. This represents how at times of hardship and loss people will turn to something such as religion or in the case of this film something like the precrime program. Something that is in the mind of John Anderton flawless, something that provides all the answers, provides security and comfort, something that enables him to do good. His faith in precrime is shaken as it accuses him rather than comforts him and he begins to realize that there are other alternatives to what the precogs say, there are Minority Reports.
One of the films great “victories” is the liberation of these earth bound angels from their precrime trappings. This could potentially be seen as a religious allegory, god’s gifts and his teachings are not devices to be strapped down and to be exploited. The oxymoron at the centre of the precrime program is that its basis is ultimately exploitative. These three precogs are tied down in a pool, harvested like animals in order to produce these visions and not expected nor allowed to live any other way. A lot of Minority Report comments on man’s exploitative nature. Precrime exploits the precogs, Burgess exploits Anderton and advertisements exploit us all.
One of the most memorable dialogue exchanges about this quandary in the film is between Cruise’s Anderton and Colin Farrell’s Witwer. Anderton throws a ball which Witwer instinctively catches before it hits the ground.
“Why did you catch that?” asks Anderton.
“Because it was going to fall” replies Witwer.
“You’re certain?”
“Yes”
“But it didn’t fall. You caught it. The fact you prevented it from happening doesn’t change the fact that it was going to happen”
This leads us to arguably the biggest theme in Minority Report, the role of free will in a world where actions are pre determined and foreseen. For instance the conviction of Anderton by the precog is what made him go on the run and ultimately search out somebody he would never have searched for otherwise. In short the precog visions can be blamed for causing the murder in this case, self-fulfilling prophecy. The idea of whether we control our destiny or whether it is controlled for us is an idea that has been explored in numerous works and even in K. Dick’s other stories such as The Adjustment Bureau. In The Adjustment Bureau the titular organization are the ones who control our lives; free will is something that is “allowed” in certain circumstances but not something that is common. Precrime like The Adjustment Bureau takes free will away from you, would you have killed that man? Surely you should have a choice? No. Precrime says that you would have killed that man; your “free will” is foreseen and acted upon before you have had the right to exercise it.
Spielberg himself has stated that if such a program existed he would only vote for it if there were no doubt whatsoever in its efficiency. Minority Report is ultimately one big case against such a program, it starts off merely questioning its morals but then goes further suggesting that nobody could be trusted in running such a program, to quote an Alan Moore masterpiece “Who watches the watchmen?” the power of human beings free will, is a power too vast to be put in the hands of man, nothing is perfect, everything has flaws and precrime is no different.
Moving away from the deep philosophical debate about the role of free will in precrime and the paranoia that could breed acceptance of such an initiative, which leads to what is much more of a scientific debate. Minority Report is also a film that has religious echoes, echoes that are much less discussed than the comments about our society found through the now real advertising techniques or the comment on human nature and free will through the precrime debate (Of which an entire essay paper could be written regarding philosophy, scientific ethics and theory of knowledge)
In one scene a precrime worker remarks to John Anderton “We are more like clergy than cops” also in the Blu-Ray special features, frequent Spielberg collaborator Janusz Kaminski remarks on how the most powerful precog Agatha, is shot in an angelic way. The film also addresses faith, at the start of the film John Anderton has complete faith in the precrime program, faith that as a certain character remarks is born out of pain. This represents how at times of hardship and loss people will turn to something such as religion or in the case of this film something like the precrime program. Something that is in the mind of John Anderton flawless, something that provides all the answers, provides security and comfort, something that enables him to do good. His faith in precrime is shaken as it accuses him rather than comforts him and he begins to realize that there are other alternatives to what the precogs say, there are Minority Reports.
One of the films great “victories” is the liberation of these earth bound angels from their precrime trappings. This could potentially be seen as a religious allegory, god’s gifts and his teachings are not devices to be strapped down and to be exploited. The oxymoron at the centre of the precrime program is that its basis is ultimately exploitative. These three precogs are tied down in a pool, harvested like animals in order to produce these visions and not expected nor allowed to live any other way. A lot of Minority Report comments on man’s exploitative nature. Precrime exploits the precogs, Burgess exploits Anderton and advertisements exploit us all.
The final theme of the film I wish to address is the theme of failed fathers. Broken families are a common thread in the films of Spielberg and Minority Report is no different. Anderton’s marriage falls apart as his wife cannot look at him without seeing their missing son, in certain scenes Witwer hints at placing the blame for Sean’s disappearance firmly on John’s door and John himself feels constant guilt over letting his son slip away. Minority Report could also be viewed as John’s redemption, yet he is not the only father figure in the story. In the Blu-Ray special features, Spielberg remarks that Burgess is a father figure or even a surrogate father for John Anderton. Burgess of course turns out to be the villain of the piece and is a failed father figure for John Anderton. John’s redemption as a father comes from exposing what a poor father figure Burgess has been for him.
Minority Report raises a lot of questions and deals with many themes and I have only just scratched the surface with my analysis. The thoughts above are what I got out of Minority Report on a first viewing and I cannot wait to revisit the film as I have a feeling that each viewing will emphasize the power of a different strand of the narrative. Whether it be the emotional story of a guilt ridden father looking for redemption, the whodunit murder/mystery chase movie or the multi layered comments on human nature and the role of free will in a society that depends on pre determination for protection, the influence of paranoia on human ethics, the importance of faith and freedom or the way in which exploitation dominates our lives. It is also worth noting that the acting from all the cast is top notch and for a two and a half hour film it flies by, with genuinely surprising twists and emotionally believable moments.
It also contains everything you would want from a Spielberg summer blockbuster with a chase/fight through a car factory being reminiscent of the excitement of Indiana Jones and a sequence involving high tech Spyders being akin to the tension created in Jaws. Both sequences that deserve long written analysis of their own due to both their technical brilliance but also their ability to have you on the edge of your seat for their entirety.
One final aspect of the film that has raised much discussion is its conclusion. Some have roasted it for being out of place with the rest of the picture and for being too sentimental and cliché while others have praised it for being one of the best-hidden twists in film history. While dialogue spoken by the character of Gideon could lead us to believe that the films conclusion is merely the product of John Anderton’s imprisoned comatose state, I do not believe that to be the case, at least on a first viewing. It is a theory that I like but I am not sure if it is a theory that the film supports.
Minority Report is a must see (Especially on Blu-Ray) and is a film that was wrongly shut out in the main categories at the Oscars. It is also worth mentioning, not that you need telling that the film is beautifully and brilliantly shot by Janusz Kaminski and has a wonderful score from John Williams. What do you think of Minority Report? Do you agree with my analysis of some of the films themes? What was your favourite scene? Let us know all your thoughts about Minority Report in the comments below and the Your Say section.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister
Michael Dalton
Minority Report raises a lot of questions and deals with many themes and I have only just scratched the surface with my analysis. The thoughts above are what I got out of Minority Report on a first viewing and I cannot wait to revisit the film as I have a feeling that each viewing will emphasize the power of a different strand of the narrative. Whether it be the emotional story of a guilt ridden father looking for redemption, the whodunit murder/mystery chase movie or the multi layered comments on human nature and the role of free will in a society that depends on pre determination for protection, the influence of paranoia on human ethics, the importance of faith and freedom or the way in which exploitation dominates our lives. It is also worth noting that the acting from all the cast is top notch and for a two and a half hour film it flies by, with genuinely surprising twists and emotionally believable moments.
It also contains everything you would want from a Spielberg summer blockbuster with a chase/fight through a car factory being reminiscent of the excitement of Indiana Jones and a sequence involving high tech Spyders being akin to the tension created in Jaws. Both sequences that deserve long written analysis of their own due to both their technical brilliance but also their ability to have you on the edge of your seat for their entirety.
One final aspect of the film that has raised much discussion is its conclusion. Some have roasted it for being out of place with the rest of the picture and for being too sentimental and cliché while others have praised it for being one of the best-hidden twists in film history. While dialogue spoken by the character of Gideon could lead us to believe that the films conclusion is merely the product of John Anderton’s imprisoned comatose state, I do not believe that to be the case, at least on a first viewing. It is a theory that I like but I am not sure if it is a theory that the film supports.
Minority Report is a must see (Especially on Blu-Ray) and is a film that was wrongly shut out in the main categories at the Oscars. It is also worth mentioning, not that you need telling that the film is beautifully and brilliantly shot by Janusz Kaminski and has a wonderful score from John Williams. What do you think of Minority Report? Do you agree with my analysis of some of the films themes? What was your favourite scene? Let us know all your thoughts about Minority Report in the comments below and the Your Say section.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister
Michael Dalton
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