one of Cruise's best

Rating: 8/10 (3 May 2006)

Firstly, excuse me while I run around the room and scream like a pathetic little fangirl. JASON STATHAM WAS IN COLLATERAL! Who knew? I can't believe that nobody TOLD me that one of my most favorite actors in the whole wide world had a cameo in this flick. I would have gone and seen it SO much sooner if I'd known. Plus, he used his real accent for all of the two lines he had. *swoon* Ahem. Okay, fangirl moment over.
The initial idea that came to mind after the movie ended was this: I read rave reviews for the Ethan Hawke flick Training Day, in which Denzel Washington portrays a rogue cop with an agenda for murdering his rookie partner. In most of these reviews, Denzel was said to be "completely gripping, fiercely charismatic." He even won an Oscar for the role. Although I enjoyed the movie, I thought that the reviews of Denzel's acting were ridiculous. He was no more gripping and charismatic in that film than he was in Glory or Virtuosity.
Those compliments, however, would fit Tom Cruise perfectly. He captivates with his villain turn in Collateral. Nothing describes the cocky, smooth-talking Vincent better than the term 'fiercely charismatic.' Every moment that Cruise was on screen, I was enamored, breathless, on the edge of my seat to see what he'd do next. And all this coming from a non-Tom fan...
Jamie Foxx, in stark contrast to Cruise's slick confidence, is quiet and moody. He plays cab driver Max as beyond deep, someone who reels you in like a fish on a hook, someone who captures your heart and your interest in one fell swoop, and never- even in his brief moments of weakness- lets you look away.
In short, Collateral's acting is superb.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the addition of actors Mark Ruffalo and Jada Pinkett-Smith to the mix. (Mark Ruffalo's hot, but if you like him as much as I do you may not want to see this film- he meets a sad end before his character even really comes into his own.) Both were believable in their roles, although Ruffalo seemed to struggle a bit in the flat characterization of well-meaning undercover cop.
Max and Vincent have great chemistry- from the beginning, you sense a spark between the two that hints at some similarities besides the obvious. Max is quiet and submissive, and thus Vincent alternately bullies and builds him up throughout the movie. Ironically, in the end it is Vincent's constant encouragement that helps Max stand up to the contract killer. The dramatic rise in Max's self-confidence throughout the film is interesting to watch, and you can't tear your eyes from Vincent. He goes from cool, collected businessman to lethal killing machine, from threatening to put a bullet in Max's skull to killing a cop for aiming a gun at the cabbie. It's enough to make your head spin, and it's incredible.
In my opinion, the film was drawn out about twenty minutes too long. The ending was a bit too contrived, the dialogue a bit too stale. The saving grace in this film is, again, the incredibly vivid acting by both Cruise and Foxx. Their characters came to life for me; I could see aspects of their lives and imagine their thoughts.
This film is right up there with Road to Perdition on my list of fantastically directed and acted movies. Plus the cinematography was utterly fabulous. I'd recommend it to anyone.