Collateral (2004)

Director: Michael Mann
Format: DVD
DVD Features: making of, deleted scenes, featurettes, trailers
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Tom Cruise, Mark Ruffalo
Trailer

I’d seen the trailer for Collateral go by on the disks of a few of my other films before. One night, I apparently had enough and buckled under the pressure of Hollywood advertising. So, this week, I found it in my mailbox from Netflix. Since I usually make my selections when I’m a bit inebriated, it’s always an adventure to see what the postman will bring. It’s not the kind of movie I would usually rent. I’m frequently viewing action films, it’s true, but not usually with the cast that Collateral has to offer. So, with some trepidation, I popped this disc into my player.

Jamie Foxx plays Max, a cab driver in L.A. with big plans for the future, plans that he’s been procrastinating on for 12 years. One night, he picks up grey haired, sharp suited Vincent (Tom Cruise), who offers him several hundred dollars to break regulations and chauffer him around for the rest of the night. Max gets his first inkling that it won’t be a quiet evening when Vincent’s latest victim drops out of a window and slams into the cab’s windshield. But, the dead man who finds his way into the trunk of Max’s cab wasn’t just another lowlife. He happens to be the target of an undercover investigation. When Detective Fanning (Mark Ruffalo) discovers that his lead has disappeared in a shower of blood and broken glass, he starts to suspect that there’s something bigger going on. And, when the hospital mortician shows him the collection of recent corpses, Fanning connects the string of murders to an FBI investigation.

I’ve never been particularly fond of Jamie Foxx. I’d had the impression that the actor had quite a high opinion of himself, an opinion that hasn’t been earned. However, his portrayal of Max in this film has changed my views. Max is by no means a big and powerful man. Neither is he a fast action hero or a clever spy. Max is a very nervous, slightly obsessive compulsive, humble fellow who’s frankly just terrified of the whole situation. And Foxx does a very convincing job in the role. On the other side of the coin is costar Cruise. I remember a time when I actually liked the guy – the movies Legend and Top Gun spring to mind. But it seems that no matter what character he’s played since, he’s always Tom Cruise. He’s arrogant, egotistical, and rough with the ladies. The man seems to have his nose so far up in the air these days and I almost never make it a point to see his films. Granted, he was good in Collateral. He was still Tom Cruise though and he’s good at being Tom Cruise. I’m surprised there weren’t any love scenes.

Some of the cinematography is a bit strange. Most of the movie is shot with run of the mill film. Every now and then, though, the movie footage becomes gritty and unpolished like a home video tape. While I’ve often seen this technique used with a positive impact, I didn’t think it was well used in Collateral. There didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to its placement or particular plot point that it accentuated. Although there aren’t any CGI or amazing stunts in the movie, it’s not necessary.

I was pleasantly surprised by Collateral. The plot was clever and some of the dialogue brings forth some very true points about society. Likewise, the performances were unexpectedly superb. Although the movie is not chock full of gore and explosions, the point comes across without the need for flashy antics. It’s a little more thoughtful than the average action flick, but manages to maintain the fun aspects of the genre. I think it’d be a candidate for a successful girlfriend/boyfriend movie night compromise.

Overall Rating: 4
Hottie Rating: 0 (Cruise is not hot)

Alternate Viewing: The Borne Supremacy (or The Borne Identity)
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IMDB Site
Entertainmentopia Review

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