But is the System fool-proof ? That is the big question. The Pre-Cogs are psychic beings held in a womb-like chamber, suspended in fluid. Agatha (Samantha Morton) is most active in the story. But are there dissenting voices ?

Based on a short story, The Minority Report by Philip K. Dick, the film has exciting possibilities and thanks to an excellent screenplay by Scott Frank and Jon Cohen it keeps the viewer absorbed from the word go. Director Steven Spielberg also is in good nick. In A.I—Artificial Intelligence he was overindulgent. Here, it is the judicious use of special effects (FX) and a strong narrative that go hand in hand but it is the credibility of the situation that is its best selling point.

The futuristic setting is brilliantly assembled by Scott Farrar of Industrial Lights & Magic (ILM). May be the traffic moving in the air began in Fifth Element, but here it assumes magical proportions. So are the buildings and other props, the Hall of Containment for example, that womb-like chamber in which the Pre-Cogs are housed.

The establishing shots are excellent and Spielberg is in his element introducing the story. "The moment pre-crime goes national, the eyes of the nation will be on us," says Anderton as though anticipating opposition. His worst fears are confirmed when officer Danny Witwer (Colin Farrell) is sent to Pre-crime by the US Attorney-General to investigate and determine the accuracy of the pre-crime system.

Anderton, the hunter, soon becomes the hunted and not before long a Pandora's Box is thrown open. What are the flaws in the system and what exactly is the Minority Report ? Iris Hineman (Lois Smith) is one of the researchers who have paved the way for this radical new system and Agatha is taken out of the Hall of Containment to get some secrets out of her. And on whose side is the father of Pre-Crime Lamar Burgess (Max von Sydow) ? These are the questions thrown up by the film.

As for Anderton, he is a hero on the run. The razzle-dazzle special effects help but thankfully they never bog the story down. If one has to pick holes, the middle is a tad too long but once the denouement begins, it is riveting again and the intricate plot is unravelled in style.

I'm not a great fan of Spielberg but this is easily one of his best films, like Jaws or Close Encounters or E.T.—the Extra-Terrestrial.

Tom Cruise is his usual competent self though he seems to grow in strength in every successive film and in veteran Mazx von Sydow he finds excellent support. Colin Farrell grabs a good deal of footage in the first half of the film and Samantha Morton and Lois Smith serve their purpose. Kathryn Morris as the Anderton's estranged wife comes in quite briefly towards the end.

Spielberg of course has his usual team with him. John Williams music was enchanting and for me Moon River had a special appeal because it brought memories of Audrey Hepburn playing the guiter and singing it in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Michael Kahn's editing is slick and Janusz Kaminski's

camerawork caressing. These factors surely embellished the film but basically it is the absorbing, edge-of-the-seat drama that makes Minority Report an absolute must-see.