SUNDAY
AUGUST 1, 3:50PM CT
There have been various reports on
different kinds of plots, summaries, and concepts for MINORITY
REPORT. It is still unknown whether a final draft has been
produced for this sci-fi flick. We do know that Spielberg has
wanted to start production this Fall with a release date set
for Fall 2000.
What exactly is this movie
about? It is supposed to be based
on the book, MINORITY REPORT, a short story by Philip
Dick, renowned author of Blade Runner and Total Recall.
The following are different
versions of the plot that the movie might follow:
Set in a futuristic New York City, John Anderton is the head of a police agency called Precrime. Using the powers of three helpless "precogs", the agency is able to foresee when a murder occurs and arrest the murderer before the crime. The tactics have been successful, cutting down felonies by 99.8% during Anderton's tenure.
Anderton finds that he has been accused of pre-murder and he must prove his innocence through the course of the story. He also must deal with the fact that a younger man, Ed Witwer is after his job. His wife Lisa has her own motivations as well. The story is a roller coster ride through the realm of the impossible. Intrigue and paranoia are common states of mind for John Anderton as he tries to figure out who are his allies and enemies as well as the truth behind the accusation.
This story leaves many possibilities for a filmmaker's interpretation.
Minority Report as a whole relies a lot on the imagination. It has a strong pulp sci-fi quality that creates a cool retro/futuristic atmosphere that could translate into a dynamic environment similar to
Dark City or The Thirteenth Floor. Since it is only a short story, descriptions are rather brief, instead focusing on the complexities of the plot
In the hands of Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks, anything is possible on the big screen. They have the resources, experience and budget to create one of the most intense science fiction movies ever made. If
Spielberg is able to understand and translate Dick's deeper questions (of guilt and innocence, the role of law enforcement in modern society and the tentative nature of reality) among the heavy-duty action sequences, this movie could live up to its true potential.
--Philip
K. Dick website on Minority Report
Based on a story by famed science fiction writer Philip K. Dick,
MINORITY REPORT is set in a futuristic judicial system in which killers are arrested and convicted before they commit murder.
--Official
Minority Report website
Based on a Philip K. Dick short story, Minority Report is about a cop in the future working in a division of the police department that arrests killers before they commit the crimes courtesy of some future viewing technology. Cruise's character has the tables turned on him when he is accused of a future crime and must find out what brought it about and stop it before it can happen.
--The
Internet Movie Database summary
