Minority Report Trailer Deconstruction

The trailer for “Minority Report” starts immediately into the action of the film. A low angle shot is used to show four 'officers' from 'Pre-crime' crashing through a skylight window into a house and apprehending a felon for committing murder before he has actually committed the crime. A close up of the main officer singles out actor Tom Cruise as the protagonist as he arrests a man for the “future murder” of his wife. Due to this opening, the film's genre is apparent as a Sci-Fi Thriller straight away. Emphasis on the action element of the opening is put on by the lack of music, which fades in but remains quiet throughout the scene. A blue tint effect is used throughout the trailer to further show the futuristic, sci-fi, element of the film's narrative.

A black screen follows the 'arrest', in which bold white anchorage is used to explain that “The Future Can Be Seen / The Guilty Punished / Before The Crime Is Ever Committed”. The use of “The System Is Perfect / It's Never Wrong” and a law enforcement style badge/logo indicates the film is set in a controlled society, whereby the “Department of Precrime” has the power to arrest criminals before they commit a crime.

The shot then zooms in on the logo to show three people who seem to be connected through telepathic monitors, highlighting the sci-fi genre via futuristic technology. The shot zooms further until it reaches the eye of one of them. At this point anchorage fades in saying “Until It Comes After You” and the shot changes to Tom Cruise's character, now in casual clothes, being told not to run. It is clear to an audience that he has become a victim of the system and as protagonist, an audience should sympathise with him.

Cruise's character then replies “Everybody runs” and the music swells and speeds up, which is then coupled with a series of fast paced straight cuts that depict several action scenes of the film. During these cuts Tom Cruise's name flashes up to signify the importance of his character and also his name in drawing in a potential audience of the film. Steven Spielberg's name as director also has this effect and is displayed after Cruise's. Another series of straight cuts from the film begins and speeds up along with the music and ends with a banging sound and a new screen with “Minority Report”. The block font, shiny metallic colour and use of the “Department of Precrime” logo as the 'o' in “Minority” brings emphasis to the film's sci-fi genre, as well as its focus on futuristic law enforcement.

'Minority Report' Poster Deconstruction

The poster for 'Minority Report' gives obvious emphasis to the character played by Tom Cruise. The lack of any other characters on the poster shows the significance of the character in the film's narrative and also the attraction of an audience towards watching a film that features Tom Cruise. Cruise's name is at the top of the poster, and this shows the importance of his name in attracting a potential audience for a film. The fact that it is the only name signifies that there are few other important actors within the film, or that Cruise's name alone sells the film to an audience.

The stance that Cruise has adopted shows the action-theme of the film, especially with the added effect of the streaks of light around him. The background image, which reads “Pre Crime” also adds to the sense of action within the narrative, alluding to police involvement. This shows the element of crime-thriller within the narrative also, and the audience makes a connection between Cruise's character and “Pre Crime”. The image of “Pre Crime” is created to give the impression of a law enforcement badge in the USA, and “Pre Crime” is indeed a department of law enforcement in the USA in the narrative of the film. The lack of this badge on Cruise's character suggests that he is a senior member of law enforcement, therefore wearing his own clothes, or that he is working against the law. In the narrative of the film, Cruise's character is actually both. The costume of a black leather jacket, which is typically associated with rebellion or “cool”, indicates that Cruise is playing a rogue character, to whom the audience will sympathise with, and his worried, but seemingly in thought, facial expression also heightens this.

The typography of the poster, a white bold font, corresponds directly with the background colours of shades of blue. This again highlights the inclusion of the law in the USA, as the typical US uniform of law enforcement officials is blue. The lighting effects, however, indicate that the narrative features a futuristic form of law enforcement, also highlighted by “Pre Crime”. Although in smaller text, the name of the director, Steven Spielberg, also draws the attention of a potential audience as Spielberg is the most respected and revered director of his time.