Collateral (2004)

Sick Product of a Sick System

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Highly Overrated But Still Good

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

Collateral is a stylish and compelling noir thriller. Jamie Foxx has very well supported the movie as an actor. Tom Cruise on other side has nailed it as a character of an assassin (Hitman). It's all about an incident took place one night, runoffs, pickups, and action. After a shoot out against Vincent, Max and Annie (another character) run off in the dawn of the new day. {3.5/5}

Collaterall - First time watching Tom Cruise in white hair and he is donning an antagonist role in this film. I am not sure how I can miss this movie since being his fan. Jamie Foxx played a cabbie role with taking control the climax. A thriller ride movie from veteran director Michael Mann in 2004.

As the movie begins we're introduced to Jamie Foxx - a taxi driver residing in a bustling Los Angeles. We relate to Jamie Foxx's character Max, he's just an everyday American keeping his nose out of trouble with a 9 to 5 job, a jerk of a boss and aspirations that he still has dreams of but ultimately take a backseat when real life comes knocking. Cruise is introduced as a professional, calculated hit-man and as soon as he is introduced into the story we take a turn into a high stakes, thrilling plot that follows Tom Cruise - playing Vincent and Max through the mesmerizing Los Angeles setting as Vincent forces Max to escort him to his next handful of hits.Eventually, Mark Ruffalo is welcomed into the story as Detective Fanning, which works exquisitely as a supporting character as he portrays a wise, level headed detective who drives the story forward with smart, intuitive actions and believable, and compelling character motivations.Overall, Collateral works as a riveting, action thriller and there is very little negative things to say about the story as a whole. Tom Cruise playing a villain for once is a breath of fresh air and his chemistry with Jamie Foxx is magnetic throughout every viewing. Definitely check this one out.

I have to admit up front that I am no fan of Tom Cruise's acting. Much to my surprise, the acting in this film is its strength. Nice cameo by Javier Bardem, but his presence if pretty much wasted. The problem is the heavy handed directing and typical Hollywood boorish script. A reasonable person can pretty much predict the outcome within the first half hour of the film. The ending left me less than satisfied and laughing at the lack of ingenuity. I think Michael Mann has found his calling with Transformers.