Collateral [2004]

Micheal Mann might be a part of the Hollywood bandwagon, but he manages to retain his signature in the otherwise faceless crowd. In his expert hands in the stylish and visually stunning Collateral, Los Angeles isn’t just another teeming metropolis, but a living, breathing entity with a character of its own. On one hand it is dark, brooding and deeply alienating, while on the other it is vibrant, gorgeous, and with an intoxicating air about it. The tale of Max, a good-natured cab-driver, becoming an unwilling accomplice to Vincent, a cold-blooded contract killer, is almost in the fashion of a good old-fashioned character-based thriller. Jamie Foxx, as the classic case of being “in wrong place, in wrong time”, is the soul of the movie, while Tom Cruise, cast against his type, might just have delivered, along with his terrific turn in Magnolia, one of the most memorable performances of his career. The only real weakness of the movie lies in its formulaic ending that is oh-so-big-bad-Hollywood. But, if you can somehow forgive that, you’ll be in for a smart and entertaining ride.










Director: Michael Mann
Genre: Thriller/Crime Thriller
Language: English
Country: US