A majority of a film critic's time is devoted to deciphering the difference between good movies and bad ones. Pinpointing the difference between those films that are good and those that achieve a level of greatness is a task that doesn't seem to present itself nearly as often. When it does, it is always a pleasure. While a great movie-going experience cannot really be defined in stone, there is one quality that great films possess: they have ingenious ideas that never stop developing.

Steven Spielberg's "Minority Report" is a great movie. Yes, it does have an ingenious premise, but it doesn't stop there. The idea is a mere springboard from which an assortment of questions, issues, conclusions, and more questions is launched. The complexity with which Spielberg and his writers, Scott Frank and Jon Cohen (working from a short story by Philip K. Dick) handle the topic is similar to the director's previous effort, "A.I." But while that movie did seem a little uneven at times, "Minority Report" is a marvelously even-handed combination of brilliant concepts, intriguing characters, surprising plot twists, captivating cinematography, and top-notch acting led by Tom Cruise.

The Sales Pitch

The year is 2054. There is a new, revolutionary way to combat the seething criminal forces that run rampant throughout society. It is called Pre-Crime, and is the brainchild of Lamar Burgess (Max Von Sydow). Here's how it works: using the precognitive potential of three gifted (and genetically altered) individuals, a team of field officers led by Captain John Anderton (Cruise) can zero in on a murderer before the crime is committed. The three "Pre-Cogs," as they are known, are able to provide psychic images that can be retrieved, downloaded, and studied to determine the nature of the crime as well as the whereabouts of the perpetrator. Think of it, people. A world without crime! No more stories of abducted children, school shootings, or serial killings! A world where the average citizen is free of anxiety over the possible nature of those whom they don't know.

Breaking News!

Washington, D.C. - In a statement just released by the Department of Pre-Crime, Captain John Anderton, the officer heading up the Pre-Crime Mobilization Unit, is now under suspicion of murder. Details are sketchy at this point, but sources claim the image of Captain Anderton has been captured in a Pre-Cog vision executing an unidentified individual. Investigators have no motive at this point. We have just learned that Anderton, a veteran of the Pre-Crime unit, has just kidnapped one of the Pre-Cogs (Samantha Morton), perhaps in an effort to prove his innocence. In his absence, the Mobilization Unit will be headed by Special Agent Danny Witwer (Colin Farrell). Pre-Crime spokespersons had no further comment, saying only that their investigation is continuing. We'll have more on this breaking news story as it becomes available.

The Debate

The following excerpt was taken from a radio talk show. The names have been withheld (for no real reason) but the exchange involves viewpoints both for and against the idea of Pre-Crime.

Host: So, does Pre-Crime have a future?

Analyst AGAINST Pre-Crime: We won't know for sure until the investigation into the validity of Captain Anderton's possible future felony, but I believe there are enough doubts to do away with the idea of Pre-Crime.

Analyst PRO Pre-Crime: Enough doubts? What doubt? We haven't had a murder in the District of Columbia in over six years! We still don't know what will become of Anderton, or his potential victim. But assuming for a second that he's guilty and apprehended, we will continue to have no doubts as to the effectiveness of Pre-Crime. It gets the job done. Bottom line.

Analyst AGAINST Pre-Crime: But what if he really is innocent, as he claims? Are the Pre-Cog visions totally accurate? Can you answer that? Do you have that information? It's a rhetorical question, as I know there is no way you could possibly know. That's my point. The citizens are expected to trust the Pre-Cogs, but what do we really know about them? How can we be sure that no illegal tampering is taking place? Mr. Burgess is so tight-lipped about the inner-workings of the Department of Pre-Crime, how do we know what goes on behind the scenes? Do you not feel we, as United States citizens, have the right to know?

Analyst PRO Pre-Crime: Freedom has a price, as any war veteran will be eager to tell you. You want security, you want freedom, but you want to question the manner in which you comfortably receive both. The fact is, everything has a price. To never again worry about being lulled into a false sense of security? I'd be willing to pay a pretty hefty price for that.

Analyst AGAINST Pre-Crime: But since Pre-Crime deals only in what will happen, does the accused not have a right to defend himself and question the charges brought against him? Apparently Anderton doesn't. You're basically eliminating the entire judicial system in favor of "psychic visions." Whatever happened to reasonable doubt? And what about the rights of the Pre-Cogs themselves? We've recently learned that they're kept in controlled settings so as to aid their ability to "see" into the future? Do they not deserve the same rights bestowed upon the rest of us?

Spielberg handles the complex issues introduced by the script in a very thoughtful manner while intertwining them with superbly staged action sequences that give the movie a thundering kinetic energy that ripples throughout the theatre. Cinematographer and longtime Spielberg collaborator Janusz Kaminski incorporates a visual style that evokes the shadowy atmosphere of 1940's film noir. And Tom Cruise continues his amazing streak of solid performances, making John Anderton wounded and complex, as opposed to inherently heroic.

Movies like "Minority Report" not only grab hold of our emotions, but also our views of the world around us. We are reminded that we have the right to be free and safe. We also have the right to question anything we see fit, even if our inquiry directly impacts our need to feel safe and secure. If we give up that right ... well, let's just hope it never comes to that.