Introduction
“The Minority Report” is Spielberg’s look at the near future that might both fascinate and horrify the observer. This film is a combination of science fiction, film noir, and action, where the author tries to resolve the mysteries that the future holds in its store. Philosophical inquiry is an integral part of the work. Is a man capable of changing his future? If he is, will it hasten the end of the Pre-Crime? These are the main problems the main protagonist John Anderton (brilliantly performed by Tom Cruise), the Pre-Crime head, is concerned with.
Main body
The system of preventing crimes even before they happen works perfectly: the crime rate is rapidly decreasing. The system finds its supporters among the Government; they debate whether to expand the Pre-Crime program overall to the whole country. But the system seems to shake when it comes to John Anderton personally. The Cruise’s hero is expected to kill a man who he saw before. In a 36-year period, John Anderton is predicted to commit a crime, his victim’s name is Leo Crowe. Trying to solve the riddle that touches him personally, John Anderton finds out the origin of the three pre-cogs whose opinion is taken for granted when revealing the criminals.
Also, he gets to know that sometimes the pre-cogs predictions differ. The opinion of the most gifted pre-cog, namely, Agatha (the names of all pre-cogs are given after the well-known people) contradicts the opinions of the majority. Though the future seen by the pre-cogs is different, the preference is given to the majority, thus Agatha’s opinion turns to be a “minority report”. This is from there John Anderton should find the proof of his innocence.
The problem of “minority report” is directly connected with the problem of the human future. What if things will turn out according to the prediction of the minority? Is the man empowered to neglect this prediction? John Anderton is tortured by these questions all film long.
When John Anderton understands that the person he is going to kill is responsible for kidnapping his son, he realizes that there is no minority report for him. Actually, he had planned the murder before, as he always wanted to take revenge on the person who took his son away. It comes out that the main protagonist’s fate was predetermined. But knowing his future John Anderton still can change it. The problem arises whether he wants this change or not.
There exists a vicious circle: accused in the crime, Anderton runs away, the accusation itself makes him kill. No accusation – no question of committing murder by Anderton. Can the haunted man break away from this circle?
Spielberg does not give a direct answer to this question, he just makes several hints which every viewer can interpret in one own way. The adherents of freewill will argue the supporters of determinism.
But it seems that the future life of the main character answers this question itself: if someone knows one’s own future he or she is free to choose it, but the choice should be carefully considered and well-grounded.
The Pre-Crime system is shut down. The victims of the system were pardoned; the pre-cogs were taken to secure places where they were not pestered with their talents. The new life which Anderton’s wife is going to give birth to serves as a springboard to his future free of fears and remorse.
Conclusion
Hence, this analysis showed that Spielberg is a very talented director and made a great contribution to the development of the movie industry. But most of all he succeeded in projecting modernity into the future by creating captivating movies.
References
The Minority Report. Dir. Steven Spielberg. Perf. T. Cruise, C. Farrell, S. Harris, L. Smith, S. Morton. 2002. DVD.20th Century Fox, 2007.