Collateral: mmm mmm good

Rating: Null/10 (6 August 2004)

I am a big Michael Mann fan, and have been very excited to see this movie, which is why I got a little nervous when he signed on Jamie Foxx and Jada Pinkett Smith (not to mention shooting on digital), but my fears were misplaced. Both actors got the job done well, and Tom Cruise made one of his best performances since I dunno, Risky Business. The story was simple enough, with basic twists and turns, some more predictable than others, but it achieved it's over all goal in taking the audience on a crazy ride through LA with a scary hit-man and a deer-in-the-headlights taxi driver who just wanted to make it through the night.
There were some moments were Mann's motive in making some cuts and shots here and there that left me wondering where he was going with that, for instance, if you have seen it, Tom Cruise and Foxx see wolves walk in front of the cab, and Mann really made this a big point, stopping the whole movie and fading in music. Was it to symbolize how Cruise and Foxx were out hunting like wolves? I don't know, get back to the story Mann. He pulled a Scorcese (in reference to Gangs of New York) when he played some really bad, modern, MTV rock music in a few scenes. They worked, not too well, but I'm guessing some Exec put him up to it, to please the younger crowd.
Nonetheless, there was nothing in the movie that left me feeling let-down. It was involving, exciting, scary, and deep, and the whole time I felt like I was sitting next to Jamie Foxx driving 80 mph down a freeway with Tom Cruise holding a gun to my head, fantastic.