The Movie Mystic
by Stephen Simon
MINORITY REPORT
and
THE ROAD TO PERDITION
 Welcome
to The Movie Mystic! The films we discuss each month in this column are not
"reviewed" in the traditional sense of that word; rather, we look at
"mystical messages" in films, both current and classic.
??
The depiction of the dark side of life in entertainment is a controversial
subject. As challenging as the concept may be, we live in a world that
unfortunately often reflects back to us the darkest aspects of the human
experience. I personally believe that denying the existence of such darkness and
decrying even its tasteful depiction in entertainment may indeed shove the
darkness deeper into our collective psyches.
As we travel our own spiritual paths in life, we have all discovered from
time to time that there can actually be great beauty in darkness. Sometimes, we
encounter situations that, on their surface, seem dark and even dangerous or
frightening; however, when we look deeper, often in retrospect, we can find
great inspiration hidden in the light shadow of a dark experience.
Both Minority Report and the Road to Perdition are indeed dark
glimpses into certain aspects of our humanity (or lack thereof) but they also
contain powerful messages about choice and indeed love.
On one level, Minority Report is a very bleak look at the state of
both law enforcement and personal liberties in the year 2054. Underneath that
surface, however, there is a very hopeful mystical message.
The film stars Tom Cruise as John Anderton, the star cop in a new
"pre-crime" system that utilizes psychics (called
"pre-cogs") to predict how and when murders are going to occur. The
police then intervene just before the crime is about to happen, saving the
intended victims and imprisoning the would-be murderers in a state of suspended
animation. The action of the film revolves around Anderton himself being
identified as a future killer, causing him to go on the run to prove his
innocence.
The pre-cogs have never been wrong so their predictions go completely
unchallenged. No questions. No trials. No appeals. The underlying concept of
such a system is that our fates are predetermined, our destinies immutable. Such
a philosophy is obviously disempowering because there is no room for either
personal choice or last minute changes of heart. If we were to really believe
that our futures are impervious to our own will, we would be merely human trains
traveling the pre-laid tracks of our lives to a destination beyond our conscious
control.
Sounds grim, yes??.but wait?
Fortunately, the very title of the film suggests that the system is not
infallible and the ultimate mystical message in the film reminds us that we are,
in fact, the masters of our own fates. No matter how dark things may look, we
can change the course of our lives at any time and we do indeed create our own
reality. Such a message is a powerful and welcome reminder for all of us in
these troubled times.
Similarly, The Road to Perdition is a dark, violent film about the
unraveling of the life of hit man Michael Sullivan who works for a gangland boss
in the 1930?s. Conversely, the film has some extraordinary insights about the
bonds between fathers and sons. If you think you had problems dealing with YOUR
father, consider the plight of 12 year old Michael Sullivan, Jr. in this film,
who finds out that his father Michael, Sr. kills people for a living. Not
exactly the kind of thing you can discuss with your friends on the playground at
recess, is it?
In the film, it is said that "sons are put on this earth to trouble
their fathers". There are three such combinations in the movie but the key
is the relationship between the Sullivans. Early on, we see that Michael, Sr. is
always decent to his son and genuinely loves him. Unfortunately, his profession
catches up to him in a tragic way and he must go on the run to save his son?s
life. (Just seeing Tom Hanks, who plays the hit man, and Paul Newman, who plays
the gangland boss, on the same screen is worth the price of admission. Hanks is
almost certainly the most beloved actor of his generation and Newman one of the
most treasured of his era. They both play dark characters here but they each
bring such a strange and compelling humanity to their roles, and portray them
with such power and nuance, that Academy Award nominations in 2003 seem a
deserved certainty for both of them..)
Again, it sounds utterly grim, doesn?t it??but wait?
On the road, young Michael grows up very quickly and he soon realizes that
his father?s entire commitment is to keep him safe. In a way, they both
discover Michael, Sr.?s humanity at the same time. The bond between father and
son is so profound and special that, even with all the trauma, Michael knows
that his father loves him. The denouement of the film is so touching and
beautiful that it transcends the rest of the despair around it.
So, these are two films that, beneath their dark and violent veneers, possess
powerful messages about the constancy of both choice and love. There is nothing
gratuitous about the violence in either film; rather, the violence serves only
the purpose of furthering the plots. (Unfortunately, Minority Report is
rated "PG-13" and, in my opinion, it should be rated "R" as The
Road to Perdition correctly is.) Violence is a fact of modern-day life.
Handled sensitively and intelligently, and presented by, to, and for adults,
filmic violence can sometimes be a pathway for self-awareness and can indeed
even provide insights about the beautiful aspects of our own humanity.
NEXT MONTH: Signs?and our fascination with aliens!
*****
Movie Mystic Chakra Ratings
for Minority Report and The Road To Perdition
Movies are rated 1-5 for each Chakra, for a total score range of 7-35. The
scores correspond roughly to the familiar A-F grading system, with a
"3" score being similar to receiving a "C". Please keep in
mind that the Chakra Rating system used herein relates to rating movies, not as
a definition for Chakras per se?.and is just for fun!
(For a full explanation of the Chakra Rating System,
please visit www.MysticalMovies.com)
Chakra 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Minority Report 4 3 4 3 4 5 3
The Road To Perdition 3 5 5 4 5 4 4
*****
 Stephen
Simon's first book The Force Is With You: Mystical Movie Messages
That Inspire Our Lives will be published October 15th, 2002 by
Walsch Books/Hampton Roads.
Info
or pre-order this book.
About the Author
Stephen
Simon has produced such films as Somewhere
in Time and What
Dreams May Come. A sought-after speaker on topics
related to visionary cinema, Stephen teaches a seminar across the United States
called "Mystical Movie Messages That Inspire Our Lives." He invites
you to visit his website, www.MysticalMovies.com,
for more information and to read previous Movie Mystic columns. Stephen also
welcomes your comments:
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