So much style, so little substance

Rating: 3/10 (14 July 2006)

To me, this movie captured the essence of Miami Vice much more than Mann's actual Miami Vice movie. This movie has the look, the colors, the characters, etc. Anybody that remembers back to the good old days of Miami Vice, remembers that the bulk of each episode was centered around driving around the city at night and looking cool in clubs. Well, this movie is centered around those two things as well. I have to admit, it looks so cool. HOWEVER, the story is very weak and to say the ending is a stretch is the understatement of all-time. In fact, I would dare say that the ending was ridiculous. Cruise and Foxx do their absolute best with what is written for them and in most Michael Mann films that would be enough. However, Michael Mann usually writes his own films, this one he did not. The result is obvious and quite inferior in comparison to other Mann products, such as Heat. I think anything over 7 given to this movie is a real stretch. However, the cool look of the film keeps me from going under 6. It is just sad that Mann felt the need to make a money grab with this film and that is what Collateral is. It is a stylish, oversimplified story with major star power to draw people in. Mann used to be about style with a lot more substance. I liked the old Mann better.