If I learned anything this summer, it is this: George Lucas sucks. Steven Spielberg rocks.

Lucas is a fat, bloated old crook. Spielberg is the most amazing mainstream director America has to offer. His consistent good work is only marred by an occasional gaff. "Minority Report" is the kind of film that makes you forgive Spielberg for "A.I." "Minority Report" is the best Science Fiction film in years, perhaps the best since "Total Recall."

In fact, since it is also based on a story by Phillip K. Dick, "Minority Report" reminds one of "Total Recall." But Spielberg also recalls "Tron," "2001" (Kubrick is felt much stronger here than in "A.I.") and other classic sci-fi films in "Report." His washed-out, sun bleached world of the future evokes a society struggling for black and white ideology and justice. When a system, using humanoid psychics, evolves to predict crimes and murders, society sees it as a godsend and crime becomes nearly non-existent. But something may be amiss. Tom Cruise, as a cop who believes in the system, finds himself accused of a crime he is yet to commit and through his experience, we see the complexity and possible problems with the system.

When all is said and done, Spielberg has created a film that is highly patriotic and very American. This film explores nothing less than the idea that each man is innocent until proven guilty. It also stands as a remarkable testament to the power and the beauty of free will.

I won't get too much into plot here. Although there are several storylines going on, it is all fairly easy to follow. Spielberg is a master storyteller, so he does not get bogged down in plot. There is some scientific mumbo-jumbo to describe how the psychic system works, but this seems more homage to Dick's vision rather than bad scripting. The one element from the source material that appears here which seems horribly silly and out-dated is the use of wooden balls to name the killer and the victim of the future crime. In a society as advanced as the one pictured here, this cumbersome and pointless mechanism would be rendered unnecessary by technology. Names would simply appear on a screen rather than be etched into a wooden ball and shunted down a habitrail to the police. It's hopelessly silly but does, at least, give the film's imagery a rather sci-fi visual feel.

Meanwhile, there are tons of cool visual effects to negate this one minor glitch. Watching Cruise navigate the computer system in the film wearing gloves which allow him to move images and information around looks awesome as hell. Cruise looks like some futuristic cyber-symphony conductor orchestrating a masterpiece. (Imagine a sort of touchless touch screen). Even cooler are the futuristic cars used in the film. Although the CGI effects can be a bit obvious here and there, the chase scene on the modernistic freeway is fantastic.

In fact, the action sequences, including the freeway scene, make the first hour of "Minority Report" a rock show. Spielberg choreographs not one, not two, but three exciting action scenes right in a row within the first hour. The first involves cars, the second involves jet-packs and the third involves a futuristic robotic factory conveyor belt (so much better than the conveyor belt scene in "Star Wars"). What is strange is Spielberg's distance from action in the second half of the film. After this 1,2,3 punch, Spielberg begins to focus on story rather than chase scenes and the film opens up to become even more science-fiction-esque. Again, this is perhaps more homage to Dick rather than bad pacing or scripting. Spielberg, the master, hooks his audience with action (including a killer opening scene that explains the entire system for us with an interesting plot) and then gently submerges them in the story, until character and story becomes as important and as interesting to us as action.

In the second half of the film, Spielberg again pays homage to Kubrick with a scene lifted from "A Clockwork Orange" that is both riveting and repulsive. And then there's the cool effect of the robotic spiders which makes the film continue to have a real sci-fi feel. Spielberg crafts scene after scene of cool effects and interesting action for much of the film. And when the piece slows down for plot, the entire use of action seems integral and important to the story taking place. There are no real erroneous jaunts into sub-plot here. At 2 hours and 20 minutes, Spielberg makes almost every second of "Minority Report" matter.

Cruise is marvellous here. His hero here is both flawed and vulnerable and Cruise creates a multi-dimensional character not sene in sci-fi in quite a long time. The fact that the drug usage of his character is included from the source story (Dick was a notorious speed freak) proves just how much respect both Cruise and Spielberg have for the original material.

I will say it again: Spielberg is an artist, a rock star and a film director with a vast and interesting arsenal of work. He makes that hack George Lucas look like a child here. Spielberg even makes the product placements in the film an integral part of the plot. That's what a genius he is. If you really love science fiction, and you like it dark and futuristic, than "Minority Report" is the film for you.

Note:

Also with Max Von Sydow, Colin Farrell, Steve Harris, Anna Maria Horsford, Samantha Morton, Tim Blake Nelson, Arye Gross, Mike Binder, Jessica Harper, and Peter Stormare.

Director Cameron Crowe has a cameo in this film, just as Spielberg had a cameo in the Crowe directed Cruise flick, "Vanilla Sky."

Scripter Scott Frank has a cameo.

Score by John Williams, of course.

Fans of Dick (Phillip K., that is) should also check out (the last 20 minutes of) "Waking Life."

Report Card Script: A Acting: A+ Cinematography\Lighting: A+ Special Effects\Make Up: A Music: A Final Grade: A+

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