Film Review

COLLATERAL

aside = except for
climax = the most important or exciting point in a story or situation, which usually happens near the end
coach = to give special classes in sports or a school subject, especially privately, to one person or a small group
conceal = to prevent something from being seen or known about; to hide something
deliver = give
disappoint = to fail to satisfy someone or their hopes, wishes, etc.; to cause someone to feel unhappy
distinctive touch = do things in a way that is easy to recognize because it is different from other things
divine = guess something
earth-shattering = extremely important or very surprising
engage = to take part in something
finale = very exciting or emotional
fluke = something good that has happened that is the result of chance instead of skill or planning
foil = a comparison, something or someone that makes another's good or bad qualities more noticeable
impressive = if an object or achievement is impressive, you admire or respect it, usually because it is special, important or very large
of sorts = used to describe something which is not a typical or good example of something
pace = the speed at which someone or something moves, or with which something happens or changes
subtly = achieved in a quiet way which does not attract attention to itself and which is therefore good or clever
vary up = give variety
wind down = go more and more slowly and then stop


There are two kinds of roller coasters. The most modern kind uses maglev technology to take you from 0 to 100mph in a matter of seconds.
The old-school kind slowly creeps you up an incline before letting gravity pull you down at sickening speeds.
Collateral is definitely the latter, and actually more in the build-up than the plummet.

Cab driver Max (Jamie Foxx) is having an ordinary night until he picks up Annie (Jada Pinkett Smith).
They have a pleasant, interesting conversation, which director Michael Mann lets unfold at a natural, almost seductive .
When they finally part ways, you feel as if you've watched a short romantic comedy. Enter Vincent (Tom Cruise).
Vincent, Max's next fare, him in an equally amusing conversation but suddenly offers him an unusual proposition.
He'll give Max $600 to take him to all his appointments that night.
What Max doesn't know when he reluctantly accepts is that Vincent's "appointments" are all targets he's been hired to kill.
When a dead body lands on Max's cab minutes later, he catches .

For the rest of the night, Vincent and Max work on each other.
Vincent slowly begins to grow attached to Max as Max comes out of his shell and faces certain realities about himself and his aspirations.
When Vincent Max through telling off his boss, you can tell that both characters are enjoying it a little more than they probably should.
The sharp dialogue by Stuart Beattie and the focused performances of Cruise and Foxx prevent the proceedings from deteriorating into Assassin Eye for the Law-Abiding Guy.
Foxx portrays Max's affable exterior as a reservoir of denial and insecurity.
It makes his transformation into someone who could possibly challenge Vincent all the more interesting to watch.
Cruise's performance, while not -shattering, certainly provides an adequate for Foxx,
making their interplay one of the most enjoyable aspects of the film. (If you really want to see Tom Cruise play a villain, however, rent Magnolia.).
Mann's strength here is pace. He understands the value of the old-school roller coaster. We care far more about Max's predicament after watching some very human moments between him and Annie before the inhuman Vincent takes control. Even once the ride begins, Mann's smart enough to vary the rhythm.

No two of Vincent's appointments are the same. Like jazz (an oft discussed topic in the film) Mann keeps taking us in directions we don't expect.
The script keeps up with him until the final act.
As we wind to the inevitable confrontation between Max and Vincent, the script begins to sound much more like classical than jazz.
The same tired contrivances from a hundred other thrillers pop up to isolate the characters in such a way as to create a standard action .
It's not an incompetent , per se; it's just not nearly as interesting, or even as well written, as what's come before.
In spite of a somewhat conclusion, Collateral still delivers on several levels.
It allows Jamie Foxx to show us that the acting chops he displayed in Ali weren't a .
It allows Tom Cruise to check off "soulless assassin" on his list of roles to play.
And it allows Michael Mann to show us that it's not the kind of camera but the artist who it that makes all the difference.

Customer's review

Surprisingly enough Collateral is also a buddy movie of , or at least Tom Cruise's Vincent thinks he is making a friend, in as much as he is capable of making a friend.
Jamie Foxx doesn't think so since he clearly that Vincent is one very sick psychopath.
But what makes this movie stand out, from Foxx and Cruise doing such a great job, is how stylish is the development, how worldly wise the dialogue, and how crisp the direction. The fact that Jamie Foxx could have and should have gotten away from Cruise half a dozen times is really the only flaw in the movie.
Cruise is fantastic and Jamie Foxx is once again very .
The opening sequence me very much of Heat in a certain way and there is no doubt that this is a Michael Mann film.
It has his distinctive all over it. Very enjoyable


return to index