A thriller with style to spare

Rating: 9/10 (18 April 2016)

Michael Mann, famous in Hollywood circles for his '90s crime thriller HEAT – a film I found distinctly average – comes back for a second go with COLLATERAL, a film which received publicity thanks to Tom Cruise's atypical performance as the bad guy. COLLATERAL is one of those films it's best not to say too much about; suffice that it takes place over the course of one night and that the city backdrop is a major character in its own right. Many scenes are simple two-handers between Cruise and good guy Jamie Foxx, who finds himself battling with his conscience as he converses with the cold assassin.
Cruise has been in many enjoyable films over the years (with the notable exception of WAR OF THE WORLDS, where he was given a dull and derivative, utterly bland character by Spielberg) and this is another one to add to that list. As the grey-haired, immaculate killer, you can tell he relishes the role, and he's really good in it too. Cruise is matched by newcomer Foxx, who holds his own, making his taxi driver a guy you respect and care about. Supporting cast members are pretty decent, including Jada Pinkett Smith, who I used to dislike, and Mark Ruffalo, exceptional as a sympathetic cop on the trail.
Mann breaks the building suspense up with some excellent set-pieces, with the massive shoot-out in the nightclub being a notable highlight. The film is actually at its most effective in the smaller, more original moments, like the opening body-on-the-cab shocker, the police intervention and the bag steal. The script is witty and relevant and nicely cyclical come the last image. There are also some humorous moments to engage the attention, like when Foxx asks for help and ends up getting mugged! That's America for you Things become pretty clichéd and predictable for the routine ending, which becomes one of those psycho-thriller things in which a killer stalks his victim in an empty building. For its type, though, it's still strong and decent music adds to the suspense. I could have done without yet ANOTHER scene on a train but Mann handles the camera well and makes the premise seem fresh and real, despite its hackneyed history. COLLATERAL is an action flick with a brain and a film wholeheartedly recommended.