Tom Cruiseand Steven Spielberg are two of the biggest names in Hollywood, and it was only a matter of time before they collaborated. Cruise became one of the biggest movie stars of all time with roles inTop Gunandthe Mission: Impossible films, as well as earning acclaim for performances in the likes ofJerry MaguireandMagnolia.
Though he has had a longer career, Spielberg has likewise risen to the top of the directing world, beginning when he created the summer blockbuster withJaws50 years ago. From there, Spielberg has made one classic movie after another, from the belovedIndiana Jonesfranchiseto the Best Picture winnerSchindler’s List.
Spielberg has also proven himself a master of sci-fi movies, which offered the perfect genre for him and Cruise to join their collective powers. However, despite seeming like an obvious director and actor team, Cruise and Spielberg have only worked together twice, and it wasn’t until the 21st century that they first collaborated.
Minority Report Is A Must-Watch For Fans Of Cruise, Spielberg & Sci-Fi
Minority Report Is Now Available On Tubi
Minority Reportwas the first movie Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg made together, and this collaboration was worth the wait. Based on sci-fi author Philip K. Dick’s novella,Minority Reporthas a brilliant sci-fi premiseof a future in which murders are predicted before they happen. As of July 1,fans can streamMinority Reporton Tubi for free.
The concept of the predicted crimes, foretold by a trio of “precogs”, is one of the great concepts in any sci-fi movie.
Cruise stars as John Anderton, the top cop in the Precrime department, who finds himself being accused of a crime he has yet to commit.The movie takes this thrilling setup to tell a story about a hero on the run and trying to prove his innocence in a vivid sci-fi setting.
The movie is the perfect project for the two Hollywood titans. Spielberg builds a fully realized and exciting world that allows him to deliver incredible set pieces and maintain a fast-paced blockbuster adventure. Cruise delivers his typical committed performance, bringing intensity and determination to the hero, grounding the story.
The concept of the predicted crimes, foretold by a trio of “precogs,” is one of thegreat concepts in any sci-fi movie.It introduces a fascinating idea that would change society as we know it while also offering the dark reality behind the concept by asking the question, “what if they are wrong?”
Minority Report Was Better Than Cruise & Spielberg’s Next Sci-Fi Movie
War Of The Worlds Was A Flawed Sci-Fi Blockbuster
It was a long wait before fans could see Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg working together for the first time, but the success ofMinority Reportmeant that we didn’t have to wait long for the second collaboration. Just three years afterMinority Report, Spielberg directed Cruise in the blockbuster sci-fi remakeWar of the Worlds.
War of the Worlds' ending is seen as a particular issue for the movie, as it takes away from the stakes of the story we had just watched, while also leaving us on an anticlimactic note.
An update on theclassic H.G. Wells sci-fi novel,War of the Worldsstars Cruise as a divorced man taking care of his somewhat estranged children when the world is torn apart by the arrival of destructive alien invaders. It seemed like the perfect large-scale sci-fi project to keep Cruise and Spielberg’s creative relationship going.
Unfortunately,after the brilliance ofMinority Report, War of the Worldswas a slight disappointment. Both artists certainly show their talents in the project, as Spielberg once again delivers thrilling set pieces and Cruise elevates the story with his strong performance. However, there are a number of flaws that are harder to overlook.
War of the Worlds' endingis seen as a particular issue for the movie, as it takes away from the stakes of the story we had just watched, while also leaving us on an anticlimactic note. While certainly not a bad movie by any means,the promise ofMinority Reportmay have set a high bar thatWar of the Worldswas unable to reach.
Tom Cruiseand Steven Spielberg haven’t made a movie sinceWar of the Worlds, though both have returned to sci-fi with some success. Though there is particular excitement forSpielberg’s upcoming sci-fi return, it would be great to see him working again with Cruise before too long.
