Preview

A comparison between Philip K. Dick Novel "Minority Report" and Steven Spielberg-Tom Cruise's movie 'Minority Report'.

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
791 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
A comparison between Philip K. Dick Novel "Minority Report" and Steven Spielberg-Tom Cruise's movie 'Minority Report'.
In more than one way, the film release of the Steven Spielberg-Tom Cruise movie 'Minority Report' could not have been better planned than what is based on a Philip K. Dick book of the same name. Compared to the Book, movie is more detailed, imaginative, creative and original. And on the other side the original book, that is serviceable but unpolished, it's also a little clunky and short.

The film renders a much more detailed view of a near-term future world than that present in the original book, like the film also omits certain story details for example, no punch cards. And on the other side the whole book is about 90 pages long, which is not considered a very professional length for a book. Whereas in the movie, the main characters are described and well detailed, for example its starts with John Anderton (Tom Cruise) head of an elite division of law enforcement known as "Precrime", using the visions of three clairvoyants called "Pre-Cogs," the Precrime unit is able to determine the exact date and time in the future that a murder will take place, as well as the names of the perpetrator and victim. While in the original story there's no such plot like that and it just talks about the precrime system and a bit about "pre-Cogs", and Anderton.

When compared to the original book, the film's plot is much better. The movie plot begins in 2054 and the murder rate in Washington, D.C. has been reduced to zero. The reason is the establishment of the Department of Precrime, which analyzes the visions of three precognizant humans to stop murders before they happen. The Precogs (the trade term for the three psychics) can predict a murder to the second it will occur. The system is so effective that there has not been a murder in six years because of the work of people like department of Chief John Anderton (Tom Cruise). The federal government is preparing to bring the experiment to the national level, but before undertaking such an effort, the bureaucrats need to make sure

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The first noticeable major difference is how the story is told. In the novel, Jon Krakauer writes from his own point of view, providing his own input and opinions on McCandless, while the film is told in his sister’s point of view; she is scarcely mentioned in the novel, aside from the fact that Chris was very fond of her. The shift in narrators in a way limits the amount of information that can be delivered to the audience. Though the narration by Chris’s sister adds a more…

    • 596 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Ever read a book, and then seen the movie? The book is usually better right? That’s most likely because of the differences. The book is more descriptive most of the time. Events in the book are missing from the movie. Or the movie adds some in.…

    • 219 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The book Fahrenheit 451 and the movie Minority Report are similar in many different ways such as the main characters, they both change there opinions in the end and the technology.…

    • 341 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Based on Philip Dick’s 1956 science-fiction novel, Minority Report is a film directed by Steven Spielberg and released in 2002. Set in the apparent utopian society of 2054 in Washington DC, murder has been virtually eliminated as a result of a specialised division of law enforcement known as “pre-crime”. Three children, called pre-cogs, with the ability to foresee murders allow them to arrest criminals before any harm is done. John Anderton heads up this department, until he is convicted of the future murder of someone he doesn’t even know. In an attempt to prove his innocence, John discovers flaws in the once-perfect system of pre-crime. Throughout the film, Spielberg utilises the plot, characterisation, cinematic techniques such as music and camera angles, as well as context to convey the theme that even when it appears that we are being controlled, everybody always has a choice.…

    • 819 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Chapter two of "The Minority Report” illustrates a lot of qualities of the Pre-crime Commissioner, John A Anderton, but one of his quality that was clearly seen in his character was that his manner was not in a regular pattern, like he was continuous skeptical about everything, he was suspicious about his environment and the surrounding people Anderton main suspect was Witwer because once he is imprisoned , Pre-crime will fall under his control ; For example, when John A Anderton realized his behavior he went to his wife Lisa, he discusses the situation with her about the people are trying to frame him intentionally and maliciously. John A Anderton said “This creature is out to get my job. The Senate is getting at me through him.” Lisa was not believing what John A Anderton said to her, Lisa faltered replied back saying “It’s not really credible that Ed Witwer is trying to frame you.…

    • 516 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    On the contrary, in the movie everyone arrives by a ski lift to a cold, snowy mountain. Many of the indictments are changed between the two works. In the book, General Macarthur put his wife’s new lover in the frontline of battle, but in the book General Mandrake sends 5 men to their death. Miss Emily Brent scolds a woman into suicide in the book, while in the movie Miss Burgan kills her husband. Vera Claythorne let’s a young child drown in the book, and in the movie Ann Clide said to be responsible for the death of her sister’s fiance. Philip Lombard from the book killed a whole tribe by depriving them of provisions, while in the movie he is said to of killed the mother of his unborn child.…

    • 552 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The two computers “All the Troubles in the World” and “Minority Report” are both machines that can predict the future, but they operate in different ways. The computer in Minority Report is actually 3 human beings with psychic powers. However the computer in “All the Troubles in the World” is actually a super computer that becomes so complex it starts to act like a human. Some other differences are that Multivac controls the world’s economy and can predict everybody’s actions before the people can even think about doing it, while the Pre-Cogs can only predicts murders with vague visions. The ways the two machines operate are vastly different; the Pre-cogs need a technician to constant watch them and special medication, but all Multivac needs are replacement parts to be installed occasionally. People also see Multivac as a god as it can predict almost anything with the data its collected. The Pre-Cogs on the other hand are constantly doubted as some people don’t believe they are 100% accurate. Although the two machines have many differences they are similar in some aspects, they both can predict murders and a police force can stop it before it happens. Both of the universes heavily rely on the two machines to make the world a better place. Overall the two stories “All the Troubles of the World” and “Minority Report” have similar concepts but are very different when you look at how the machines function.…

    • 750 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    One thing in particular that the book does much better is making use of complex metaphors and themes, such as: the river for life, and oneness with nature, that string themselves together as you turn each page of the book, while in the movie the metaphors and symbolism are represented in a much different way through picture. In the book, both themes regarding the river are very vivid and clear, as they use strong imagery of nature to draw pictures in the minds of the readers. In the movie both themes are represented and referred to much less because of the lack of narration.…

    • 1118 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Is it inhumane to arrest and convict a person of terrible crimes, even if it is not yet committed, if it is certain that it will be? Utopia is an imaginary place in which everything is perfect; in comparison, dystopia is an imaginary state in which the condition of life is extremely bad as from deprivation, oppression, or terror. George Orwell’s 1984 (1949), is a novel based on life in a dystopian setting, with a totalitarian government centered on war and hatred. Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report (2002) is a film in a futuristic setting with a system which predicts future murders so that citizens live a homicide-free utopian life. Winston Smith is the main character in 1984. His rebelious views on his society and government cause his arrest for ‘thoughtcrime,’ for which he is brainwashed until he complies to his society’s views. In Minority Report, John Anderton (Tom Cruise) begins by completely trusting the system which allegedly predicts murders before they happen. In fact, Anderton is an officer of precrime himself, and is responsible for figuring out the specific details of the murders. However, when it is revealed in the film that Anderton will murder a man he has not even met, he tries to fight the system to prove his innocence. The idea that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely is the central message of both 1984 and Minority Report. This is because technology is used to enforce power, it is purported to be infallible, and the result of the misuse of power is corruption.…

    • 1352 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Ionn Know

    • 308 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Minority report and Harrison Bergeron both have something to do with how things might end up I the future. There are many more similarities between them such as both being fictions about what is to come in the future. However, there are also many differences. For instance, Minority Report was much more about stopping crimes before they happened. While Harrison Bergeron was simply about everybody are equal and no one being better or worse than anyone else.…

    • 308 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Minority Report Dystopian

    • 562 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In a world by steven spielberg we experience a harrowing future about our freedom that may become true. Minority report is a dystopian movie because there is dehumanization,lack of freedom, and a illusion of a perfect society.…

    • 562 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    My Sister's Keeper

    • 2215 Words
    • 9 Pages

    The biggest change in the movie adaptation is the ending. In the novel, the protagonist is Anna, a young girl who wins her court case against her parents, receiving medical emancipation. Unfortunately, she is then involved in a car accident that ends up leaving her brain dead. Anna being unable to make decisions about her body, her lawyer, Campbell Alexander has the power to make medical decisions concerning her. He allows Anna’s organs to be donated, thus saving Kate’s (Anna’s sister) life; Kate was dying of leukemia and believes that Anna took her place in heaven. Whereas, in the motion picture, it is more focused on Kate and her memories, using a scrapbook she made for her mother. As well as, Anna is told she won her case and Kate died because of her leukemia. The ending of the story is key to the book’s message, “that sad things in life are going to happen and some things can’t be reversed”. Changing this final event of the story caused the movie to not contain the deep emotional truth that author Jodi Picoult was trying to portray. Medically, the ending was a realistic scenario and thematically, it was the best way to conclude to all the characters what is truly important in life. But the movie version made the ending much more predictable…

    • 2215 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the film “Minority report” important ideas are demonstrated to the audience. The director of this film “Steven Spielberg” uses the technique of symbolism to support the interesting idea of freewill vs. destiny.…

    • 359 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In Washington, D.C., in the year 2054, murder has been eliminated. The future is foretold and the guilty punished before the crime has ever been committed. From a nexus deep within the Justice Department's elite Pre-Crime unit, all the evidence to convict felons, from imagery alluding to the time, place and other details is seen by the "Pre-Cogs," three psychic beings whose visions of murders have never been wrong. It is the nation's most advanced crime force, a perfect system. And no one works harder for Pre-Crime than its top man, Chief John Anderton. Destroyed by a tragic loss, Anderton has thrown all of his passion into a system that could potentially spare thousands of people from the tragedy he lived through. Six years later, the coming vote to take it national has only fueled his conviction that Pre-Crime works. Anderton has no reason to doubt it until he becomes its #1 suspect. As the head of the unit, Anderton is the first to see the images as they flow from the liquid suspension chamber where the Pre-Cogs dream of murder. The faces are unknown to him, but this time, the killer's identity is clear to Anderton when he sees himself murder a total stranger in less than 36 hours. Now with his own unit tracking his every move, led by his rival Danny Witwer, Anderton must go below the radar in this state-of-the-art automated city, where every step you take is monitored. Because people can't hide, everybody runs. With no way to defend himself against the charge of Pre-Crime, John must trace the roots of what brought him here, and uncover the truth behind the questions he has spent the past six years working to eliminate: Is it possible for the Pre-Cogs to be wrong?…

    • 569 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    “When a film director works from an adapted screenplay, the results are not the same for various reasons. For example, a film that precisely follows a novel would be too long for most audiences to sit through at a single showing, so most things must be left out.” The directors and producers have to revise the script over and over to make sure that they have most of the important ideas and concepts. That is why there are always things they have to edit and remove from the movie. Because in the book anything is possible, but in the movie they have to rely on what resources their money can provide for them.…

    • 1160 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics