Minority Report "Pilot" (REVIEW)
written by Omar Castillon (omar_castillon)
As skeptical as I was when I heard that a series about Minority Report was in the works, I’m actually glad I had the chance to really check this show out. It’s not trying to be the movie or the story by Phillip K. Dick (known for Blade Runner, A Scanner Darkly and Minority Report) instead it continues the world that was set up in the film. PreCogs and the futuristic setting of the 2060s sound like a complex situation and to start the series off, they actually did a good job introducing (or reintroducing) the world of Minority Report.
all that tech... very reminiscent of the film
It starts off introducing the PreCogs that were used in the film to predict murders as they grew up. If you remember, the PreCogs were more of a back drop and somewhat the plot point in the second half of Minority Report with Tom Cruise. The setting to the series takes place 10 years after the Precrime program was shut down and the PreCogs themselves after suffering for several years placed into an isolated location away from where they used to be aka Washington D.C.
We are then introduced to Dash (Stark Sands), one of the twin PreCogs, as he has one of his visions involving a murder. He frantically draws the scene and times himself before the crime happens. In the next 10 or so minutes you actually do feel a tense and want Dash to save the victim in the vision. Unfortunately he doesn’t get there on time.
Megan Good as Lara Vega
The crime then leads to our other main character Lara Vega (Meagan Good) as she investigates in the most awesome way possible, Batman Arkham City crime scene analysis! This then connects to one survivor who was the daughter of the victim. What ensues after is the chance meeting with Dash and Vega as Dash gives Vega the drawing involving the victim in the intro. Between Dash and Vega they partner up and solve the crime by using a very limited version of the PreCog premonition powers. Dash is said to only have the visual side. His twin Arthur (Nick Zano) who is kind of a pompous prick has the power to remember information and numbers. Finally there is their older sister Agatha (Laura Regan) who was the PreCog that was being escorted by Tom Cruise in the film.
Vega's crime scene recreation lenses
As for the plot throughout the episode, it was actually pretty intriguing. It was fun seeing Dash and Vega keep in secret and also shows some humanity in a technologically savvy world with big brother elements and holograms. I’m a fan of the details pertaining to the future like 75 seasons of The Simpsons and Iggy Azalea being vintage oddly enough. Even in the future there are still Vinyl records being played. Thanks hipster generation!
But aside from this, the bare bones for a murder mystery are there. Which I guess is one of the flaws; predictability. Sure there was that tense moment at the beginning but once they make it close to the end, it’s as if everything gets solved with a neat bow and a little hint to the future episodes. It would be nice to see the main characters fail in the first episode just to emphasize the weakness Dash has of not knowing the full details and having his twin brother introduced later.(there was that one guy they were looking for that gets killed in the middle but aside from that)
our hero Dash
It also seems like this might be the victim of overbudget and cancelled too soon syndrome. FOX hasn’t had a great record with shows set in the future since Firefly, Terra Nova and the other near future show with cool technology Almost Human. I’m not saying that Minority Report will lose steam immediately but it’s more of a cautionary tale of bad luck. Don’t get me wrong Minority Report’s pilot was good, it’s just I’m not expecting a long run with the show. However long the series lasts, here’s hoping the show does justice to Philip K. Dick’s story.
