Minority Report (Steven Spielberg)

Tom Cruise: jumping futuristic cars and anticipating crimes.

Film Review Archive (date seen: December 11, 2010)

“Blade Runner”, “Total Recall”, and now “Minority Report”. Philip K. Dick’s alternative view of dystopia and the condition of future society has influenced modern filmmakers. From cyberpunk films to neo-noir-ish treatment of the sci-fi genre, his works have, although its scientific ideas were not entirely plausible, in some ways, churned up visions that might as well be prophetic and relevant to both our world’s current technological advancements and present state of morality.

Fresh from his work on the Kubrick-conceived “Artificial Intelligence”, Steven Spielberg then tried to merge his own visions with Philip K. Dick’s, and the result is “Minority Report”, quite possibly one of the best sci-fi films of our generation. I’ve always preferred sci-fi films not delving into much computer-generated overkill, but in this case, I have to make an exception. Because although Spielberg is quite well-known as a visual baroque, this film is less a flamboyant display of futuristic computer-altered images than it is an effective portrayal of a ‘perfect’ system that is really not what it seems to be. Tom Cruise is great as John Anderton, mixing his past experiences with hard action films with emotional depth and some mild black comedy (in the eye transplant scene, with the exceptional Peter Stormare).

Paralleling Max Von Sydow’s character’s surname (Burgess) with “A Clockwork Orange’s” author, both works deal with the same subject matter. And though a bit different in substantial attack, have clamored for one common, irreversible fact: That ‘crime’ cannot be prevented by the repression of human nature. Its solution lies within one’s own “choice”. An outstanding film that meritoriously worked on a cerebral level, but also did not falter on its entertainment value.

FINAL RATING

Metropolis (Fritz Lang)

The futuristic whore of Babylon.

Film Review Archive (date seen: September 25, 2010)

Now, who would say that limitless imagination can only be met by advanced special effects? Made in 1927 by Fritz Lang, "Metropolis" is a relentless early science fiction masterpiece. But the praise and influence haven't stopped in the confines of the silent era; instead it surpassed that seminal border to also become one of the best films of all time.

Aside from it being one of the foundations of the genre, it has ever since been the most commonly followed blueprint both in visuals and themes when filmmakers and writers formulate a derived dystopian universe. Yes, the film techniques used in the film were of course dated, but witnessing such effects and conceptual scale in a time period where even such things can't still be imagined, it's still an image to behold, appreciate, and inspire awe from its immense beauty in all its silent, black and white glory.

I also admire how Fritz Lang has interwoven the sci-fi bits with apocalyptic symbolism and Marxist themes, making "Metropolis" not just a technical masterwork from the silent era, but also a consistently layered film filled with varied evocative emotions from the simplest idea of love and brotherhood to the most anarchic feeling of doom. "Metropolis" has succeeded to hit the right criteria not just of a 'great' silent film, but of all films as a whole.

Unlike other films of the era which only served as fading brush strokes of aged masters of the craft, "Metropolis" still stands tall, up in a tower as tall as that of Babel. But unlike the parable that surrounds it, everyone's on one clear understanding regarding "Metropolis": A phenomenal treasure of world cinema and an early example of imagination at the peak of its creative powers.

FINAL RATING