Minority Report: Blu-ray (2002)

There aren't that many Stephen Spielberg movies yet available on blu-ray (Close Encounters, Indiana Jones and the Crappy Aliens, Saving Private Ryan next month), so anytime one is released it's a pretty big deal. Minority Report isn't usually considered among Stephen Spielberg's best work but it's right there on the second tier of his films along with Catch Me If You Can and Munich.

The movie is a mix of sci-fi, action and noir that asks an intriguing question about foreknowledge and free will. Is the future set or can we as people alter it? My biggest complaint with Minority Report is that the film never really digs deep into that question. It instead opts for a enjoyable and superbly directed chase movie. It's viscerally exciting and well acted by the cast (Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Max Von Sydow being the main parts) but there's just not as much under he surface as there could have been. With that and a few other minor nitpicks (the comic relief can be pretty painful and the movie runs a tad too long) aside, it's easy to focus on all the good things Spielberg presents us with. The visuals are impressive, special effects are seamless and the set design is wonderful. Characters seem real and there is some heart at the center of it a well. In the end Minority Report is really just a fun, exciting and fairly intelligent popcorn flick and while there's nothing wrong with that, it could have been more.

The blu-ray is technically terrific. While the color scheme is fairly muted, with everything tending to blacks, grays and blues, it looks fantastic. Shadows are of great importance for the film's style and thankfully black levels are very strong. They really helps set the noirish look and feel of the film. Detail as well is outstanding. Facial features are readily apparent and the shots of scenery reveal things I had never noticed on DVD. The audio as well it great. Low end is powerful, surrounds are put to great use in the action scenes and there is plenty of ambiance in the quieter moments. Dialogue is never lost in the mix, rounding out an all around excellent experience.

While there are a couple things that hold Minority Report back from being a true classic, it's a solid and entertaining flick nonetheless. The blu-ray is fantastic and worth the upgrade for fans.

Ratings:

Movie: 4/5
Blu-ray: 5/5