Collateral (2004)

Collateral offers a change of pace for Tom Cruise as a ruthless contract killer, but that's just one of many reasons to recommend this well-crafted thriller. It's from Michael Mann, after all, and the director's stellar track record with crime thrillers (Thief, Manhunter, and especially Heat) guarantees a rich combination of intelligent plotting, well-drawn characters, and escalating tension, beginning here when icy hit-man Vincent (Cruise) recruits cab driver Max (Jamie Foxx) to drive him through a nocturnal tour of Los Angeles, during which he will execute five people in a 10-hour spree. While Stuart Beattie's screenplay deftly combines intimate character study with raw bursts of action (in keeping with Mann's directorial trademark), Foxx does the best work of his career to date (between his excellent performance in Ali and his title-role showcase in Ray), and Cruise is fiercely convincing as an ultra-disciplined sociopath. Jada Pinkett-Smith rises above the limitations of a supporting role, and Mann directs with the confidence of a master, turning L.A. into a third major character (much as it was in the Mann-produced TV series Robbery Homicide Division). Collateral is a bit slow at first, but as it develops subtle themes of elusive dreams and lives on the edge, it shifts into overdrive and races, with breathtaking precision, toward a nail-biting climax. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com

Man of Action meets Man of Thinking - Excellent Movie

This movie is about a man of action who meets a man of thinking and what happens when the two meet and interact with each other and thus learn from and change each other. It is my belief that the movie shows the psychological make-up of each person and how this produces collateral effects - in the structure and make-up of their own lives, as well as in each character's interactions with others.

The character played by Jamie Foxx is all thought and no action. This is impacting his life, the life of the people he comes into contact with on the streets of LA, and his relationship with his family (grandmother). He analyzes everything and never acts. He is paralyzed by his analysis (like the saying analysis paralysis). He doesn't take action.

The character played by Tom Cruise is all action and no thinking. He hasn't thought about the impact his job is having on other people. He doesn't care. He just executes his assigned missions. He doesn't even assign his own missions, or stated differently, he doesn't even direct his own life - he just takes orders. He is like a robot. He is like a machine and not a thinking human. He just acts. He hasn't really even thought about what he is doing with his life. He doesn't care. He doesn't think.

When the two meet, they collide. They change each other. This change in each other changes other people as well. The meeting and interaction of Tom Cruise's character with Jamie Foxx's character produces "collateral effects" and hence the title of the movie.

In the end, they each become both men of action and men of thought. For one character, he moves on with his life with his new psychological make-up (a mix of both thought and action), but for the other character, his new mix of thought and action and his new realization of his life is too late.

This movie is an excellent psychological thriller. The cinematography is unique and powerful. The direction and the writing - excellent as well.
I also love the soundtrack.

This is another brilliant and excellent work by Michael Mann. June 22, 2008

Not quite as amazing as I was expecting but still a very good film.

Thriller about a taxi driver picking up a hit man and being forced to drive him around Los Angeles as he carries out several hits during one long night. Tom Cruise is excellent as the hit man and Jamie Foxx also puts in a fine performance as the hapless taxi driver whom Tom Cruise `hires' for the night. Watch out for the scene in the night club where Tom Cruise's hit man shows just how lethal he is, as well as the tense finale on a subway train. A well put together film which although not quite reaching the heights I was expecting is nonetheless an excellent way to pass a couple of hours. June 8, 2008

Collateral

Pretty good movie, just another addition to my collection. Plus I really like Jamie Foxx June 7, 2008

The nightclub scene is the best.

Collateral starring Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx is a film that actually works even though the premise is outrageous. This is probably Cruise's best performance ever! Who knew he could play such a seedy character. Foxx was nominated for best supporting actor, he is pretty good in this even though he is not my cup of tea. The only thing wrong with this film is the casting of Jada Pinkett Smith, jeez that woman cannot act worth a dime! This film isn't perfect but it's pretty close thanks to director Michael Mann. June 7, 2008

Gritty, Dark, Intense

I love this movie. It's gritty, dark, and intense as only Michael Mann knows how to make his movies. I love Mann's style of making crime dramas. If you enjoyed Heat, and Miami Vice, then you'll appreciate Mann's work here. He uses that similar dark style of filming that pretty much takes place throughout the course of an evening, so that way he can capture different light angles and images that come out from everyday street life. He really enjoys making a film that takes place at night and in the big city so he can fully encompass that city life type of atmosphere. It's a crime drama, it's in a big city, it's a professional scenario. Aside from Mann's brilliance in directing, I will boldy go out on a limb and say that this is Tom Cruise's best acting role to date. He's usually an over-the-top actor that is rarely believable, but I thoroughly enjoyed his role as a stoic hitman who doesn't show emotion, but is just as witty as the next guy. Jamie Foxx plays your typical dopey cab driver who is always aspiring to leave the cab, but knows he lacks that one spark to make him do it. Well that fire is ignited once he lets Tom Cruise's character into his cab for what he thinks will be just a regular cab ride. If you're a fan of the movies Heat and Miami Vice then you'll like Collateral for its simple storyline but amazing cinematography and dialogue pretty much between two characters in Vincent and Max.

Keep Michael Mann on your radar if you haven't already. I hope he comes out with dozens of more films like this. March 19, 2008

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