Morals Without God?
Next: The Free Will vs. Determinism debate
Yay Netflix. I've watched two movies that addressed the hypothetical situation where knowledge of the future was known (and identified as 100% full-proof) and the corresponding reaction of what society would be like.
So, the two movies: TiMER and Minority Report.
I was really intrigued that despite the two genres having extremely different stylistic takes and feels: 1)Indie Romantic Comedy; and 2)Blockbuster Action Conspiracy Thriller, there was quite the striking similarity at the beginning on how they presented the deterministic technology and the benefits.
A) Utilizing an advertising campaign to hawk the benefits of the deterministic technology:
1. TiMER: A implanted timer watch that countdowns to the day you will meet your true love based on the release and detection of some "love hormone". Knowledge of when you'll meet your true soulmate means a society of no more divorce or heartbreak.
2. Minority Report: Precognitive beings are able to pinpoint the exact time (with corresponding images to deduce the place) a murder will occur, including victim and perpetrator based on the detection of a "metaphysical tear" in the world. The difference from TiMER is that the murder is preventable while the soulmate-meeting is not. So now, we have a society where no one has been murdered for six years.
So you would think - dark futuristic sci-fi thriller directed by world renowned director OR fluffy romantic movie about finding true love: which would have a more realistic approach to the philosophical debate on the pros and cons of having to face the reality of a world without free will? Surprisingly, the latter.
It stinks when you discover your destiny and it is not aligned with what you want. In Minority Report, it's Tom Cruise having to find out he's a killer. In TiMER, it's Emma Caulfield finding out 15 minutes before the movie's conclusion that the guy she's been seeing the entire duration of the film (and adorably so) is not her soul mate, and instead, it's the guy that her stepsister has shown interest in (also adorably so).
So, moving forward, what did the screenwriters do for the above dilemmas (*spoiler alert*)?
Minority Report: Fill the entire story with convenient gaping plot holes (minority reports! They exist! But in his case it doesn't! But that doesn't matter!), flawed conspiracy theories, and an emotional (also plot hole-filled) back story for our hero as a stimulus that he DOES have free will and despite THERE BEING NO MURDERS FOR SIX YEARS the deterministic system must be immediately dismantled and it's a happy ending for all (try telling that to all the murdered people in the future)! Way to circumvent the philosophical debate and Philip K. Dick, screenwriters.
TiMER: Realize that the TiMERs are 100% infallible (as the precogs were before Tom Cruise conveniently had to get away with murder) and having Emma Caulfield break up with her cute boyfriend and start small-talking to her true soulmate at the end. Unsatisfying for the lack of squee-inducing conclusion expected from a romantic film? Yes. But realistic and thought-provoking (are the TiMERs really just self-fulfilling prophecies? Should she have broken up with Mikey?)? Also yes. I guess it's the big difference when you're independent and don't have to pander to a large audience wanting a pat happy ending despite agreeing to see a movie that devotes the first hour explaining how you have no control over your pretty sucky future.
Thematic take: it kind of sucks balls if you no longer have free will, though a lot of it is attributed to the response people have to knowing their destiny and acting accordingly, which in term brings up the debate on whether or not determinism is just an act of free will satisfying a self-fulfilling prophecy.
So while I completely entertained with Minority Report with it's awesome CG, neat futuristic tech, and well directed action sequences, for wanting to take on such a heavy though-provoking theme - it sucked, story wise. Which wouldn't be too bad if the dialogue didn't try SO HARD to convince you that it was thought out and smart. Cause it wasn't.
TiMER was totally fluffy and the "soul mate" premise a bit silly but I give kudos for not taking the easy way out.
