Good, but not quite up to snuff for Michael Mann

Rating: 7/10 (17 December 2004)

I heard the plot outline and thought to myself this doesn't have the makings for a good movie. Why would a hit man choose a cabbie to drive him around? Why would this be interesting? But, I had similar thoughts before seeing "The Insider" - why would a movie about a corporate whistle blower be interesting. Now, "The Insider", along with "Heat", "The Last of the Mohicans", and "Manhunter" are some of my favorite movies.
After seeing Collateral, I surprisingly really didn't have a problem with the issue of why a hit-man would have a cabbie drive him around from hit to hit. But, it didn't live up to other Michael Mann movies that I love. It seemed like a long version of an RHD episode.
If you want an entertaining movie, this will suffice. If you want Michael Mann at the top of his form, this isn't it.