Note: Minority Report aired in the UK before the US, so here is Melissa’s review of the pilot – which airs tonight in the US!
Minority Report is one of my favourite movies, so when I learned there was to be a television programme I was understandably intrigued. If you haven’t had the pleasure, the movie is set in the future. Basically, thanks to three siblings (Agatha, Arthur and Dash) – precognitives who can predict the future, a special police unit known as Precrime is able to arrest murderers before they commit the crime.
The pilot episode, set ten years after the end of Precrime, focuses on Dash, one of the three precogs. Dash is alone in the city, and tormented by his premonitions of murder. Without his siblings, these visions are unclear. He only gets bits and pieces of the crime (mainly faces), which he draws compulsively in a notebook.
Stark Sands as Dash.
Understandably, Dash becomes obsessed with preventing the murders and, until he meets Det. Lara Vega, all his attempts at intervention fail. Miserably.
I enjoyed Stark Sands’ portrayal of Dash; a man tortured by his abilities, and his past. Since he’s spent most of his life in isolation, his social skills are underdeveloped and this makes for some awkward, and often amusing interactions. It was refreshing to get to know one of the brothers, especially as the movie focused on Agatha.
Meagan Good as Det. Lara Vega.
It’s an interesting twist too, the fact that his abilities are more of a hindrance than a blessing. As his visions are incomplete, he has no choice but to fumble through and try to fit the pieces together. This makes for a great dynamic between Dash and Vega. She’s an experienced detective with technology on her side, and together they can solve the crime before it even happens. In theory.
Highlights
Dash’s almost childlike innocence and social faux pas. It worked, at least in this first episode. There’s potential for him to grow, and it gave the character a vulnerable side – a chance for the audience to connect with him.
The visions and flashbacks into Dash’s past. I enjoyed how these were filmed, the sense of disorientation – the connection to the character and his experiences.
Det. Vega’s passion. When Vega was first introduced, her focus and drive brought the scene to life. She’s competent and has good instincts. We got a glimpse of the technology used to reconstruct a crime scene and, I have to say, it was pretty exciting.
Low points
If I’m honest, the storyline was a little weak, and finding the answers to the predicted murder was too easy. If the show is to carry itself on the premise that these two characters work together to save lives, it would have worked better if they had utilised a few more investigative techniques. We already know Dash struggles to interpret the puzzle, but with Vega’s skills and technology at their fingertips, exploring different scenarios would have bumped up the thrill factor.
The case itself was a little odd, and the climax a let-down. But the characters are likeable and there’s definitely potential for this duo.
Apart from the odd futuristic element, I wasn’t wowed by the technology as a whole. But, as the episode was character centric, there’s a chance there will be more to come.
The verdict
Minority Report definitely has potential. The characters and their motivations are believable, and the ground work is in place so the show can build on that. The familiarity factor is a definite pull, so although I wasn’t blown away, I’ll definitely be watching the first few episodes and reserving judgement until then.
How about you? Are you excited about the show? Are you a fan of the movie? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
