Opens June 21st

      In Hollywood, if something seems like it's too good to be true, then that's because it probably is. Case in point is "Minority Report," the highly-anticipated first collaboration between superstar Tom Cruise and Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg. What should have been the cinematic equivalent of a sure thing ends up being more like a mixed bag. There's no doubt that the sci-fi thriller is an ambitious, complex, visually stunning and periodically exciting piece of futuristic film noir, but it's labored down by a heartless, contrived and very talky storyline that's missing the emotional hook that it sorely needs.

      The year is 2054, and murder has been virtually eliminated in the nation's capital by the Pre-Crime Division, which uses clairvoyant psychics (called "Pre-Cogs") to see the future and prevent crimes before they happen. Chief John Anderton (Tom Cruise) spearheaded the project after the tragic loss of his son 6 years earlier, but on the eve of a vote to take it to a national level, he has to defend the system from a nosy Justice official (Colin Farrell) who is looking for flaws. Anderton fully believes that Pre-Crime works...until he becomes its number one suspect. Alone and on the run, he has just 36 hours to find out who he's going to kill--and why--if he is going to prevent the future from happening.

      After channeling the ghost of Stanley Kubrick for last year's post-apocalyptic fairy tale "A.I. Artificial Intelligence," Steven Spielberg goes back to the future for another arty, but ominous look at things to come. This time around, he gives the film a grittier look that's filled with disturbing images of kidnapping, mutilation and murder, all of which are accentuated by the same faded color scheme that he used for "Saving Private Ryan." Certain scenes also recall the dark cinematography of Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner," which makes perfect sense, since both films were adapted from stories by Philip K. Dick.

      The problem is that where "A.I." was cerebral, riveting and sublime, "Minority Report" is cold, convoluted and confusing. Actually, it's almost too hard to follow to be fully appreciated the first time around. The story feels like it's being over-explained with too much information, and while everything does come together in the end, the effect of the payoff will depend upon how much moviegoers are able to retain along the way.

      The troubled script for "Minority Report" underwent a number of revisions over the years, so it's surprising that the end result is basically a loose, futuristic remake of "The Fugitive"--but with very little of that film's humor. Both movies feature characters who are on the run from the law and must single-handedly prove their innocence after being framed by the person closest to them. In addition--and without giving too much away--they even have similar endings.

      Tom Cruise continues to push the limits of his talents--and his fan base--by taking on challenging roles. After redefining himself as a sleazy self help guru in 1999's "Magnolia," and after going through an emotional roller-coaster ride in last year's mind-trippy "Vanilla Sky," Cruise takes on the tortured, flawed hero of John Anderton with similar devotion. But while Cruise pushes himself to his physical limits along the lines of "Mission: Impossible 2," he's psychologically stuck in a gritty funk that keeps his character from taking an emotional hold.

      If there's any performance that stands out, it's Colin Farrell as the Justice official who's hot on Cruise's tail. After critically acclaimed performances in "Tigerland" and "Hart's War," Farrell once again loses his thick Irish brogue for a dead-on American accent. More importantly, he holds his own against Cruise and displays a strong sense of confidence that takes his scene-stealing performance to the level of Tommy Lee Jones in "The Fugitive."

      The rest of "Minority Report" is peppered with supporting performances that are intriguing at best. Oscar-nominated actress Samantha Morton ("Sweet & Lowdown") plays the most gifted of the Pre-Cogs with haunting effectiveness, while the legendary Max von Sydow plays the administrator of the Pre-Crime division with hidden corruptiveness. Kathryn Morris gives an effective performance as Cruise's separated wife, but since she doesn't even make her first brief appearance until well past the film's halfway mark, her pro-active presence at the end doesn't make much sense and feels contrived.

      Like 1995's similarly gritty "12 Monkeys," "Minority Report" dares to ask the question, can you change the future, and more importantly, should you even try? Well, as far as the present goes, Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise continue to change and re-define themselves, even if it's with mixed results. While "Minority Report" has its flaws and may not be for everybody, it is a challenging piece of filmmaking, especially for movie lovers who choose to run back and see it again.

Scott Alan, 2002