Another winner from Michael Mann!

Rating: 10/10 (4 August 2004)

COLLATERAL has been the movie I've been anticipating the most this past summer. Yea, movies like SPIDER-MAN 2, TERMINAL, BOURNE Supremacy, and THE VILLAGE were films that I was excited about, and was very pleased with the finish product. Then films like SHREK 2, and MANCHURIAN CANIDATE were films that I wasn't excited about, and winded up being pleasantly surprised. Yet, I was expecting a majority of the summer films to be like I-ROBOT, DAY AFTER TOMORROW, and VAN HELSING, look good, but no substance. COLLATERAL was a different story, since the least appreciated director working in Hollywood today, Michael Mann, directs it. Watching the sneak preview tonight, everybody in line was psyched up because it was the new "Tom Cruise film." I sat in line with my tiny Pocket Essentials copy of the filmography and career of Michael Mann. When I asked people in line if they knew who Michael Mann was, I got from everybody, "uh, nope!" No surprise there. I've been building up my excitement for this movie the last couple of weeks by watching the previous films from Mann's career, Thief, THE KEEP, MANHUNTER, LAST OF THE MOHICIANS, THE INSIDER, ALI (director's cut), and my favorite HEAT.
I also watched the episode of the directors that airs on Encore about Mann's life and career and reading my two paperback books about Michael Mann's films (no big surprised, both books were published in England). In short COLLATERAL in America will be hyped as the "New Tom Cruise film" in Europe, it will be known as the "New Michael Mann film." To put it simply, I analyzed and studied what all of Mann's films have in common and what his style was, then I watched COLLATERAL. COLLATERAL has a hit man, Vincent (Tom Cruise), arriving at LAX in the late afternoon, with not really giving details at first what his objective is. A cabdriver, Max (Jamie Foxx), is shown beginning his evening shift. After Max picks up a customer, Annie (Jada Pinkett Smith), he convinces her that he knows the fastest way to get around Los Angeles, and proves it to her. By having an enjoyable conversation, Annie is intrigued and interested in Max, so much that she gives him her business card, hoping to talk to him again soon. After what seems like what is going to be a great night for Max, the next customer is Vincent, who asks if Max can take Vincent to five different stops in L.A. for the evening, paying Max twice the amount for a cab driver's pay. Max doesn't see this as a problem, until while at the first stop; a body falls down on Max's taxi. It turns out that Vincent is a hit man and the five stops involves with five different people that Vincent is planning on killing. While Vincent and Max travel around L.A., with Max hesitating with what he is doing, a police detective, Fanning (Mark Ruffalo) visits the apartment where Vincent made his first kill, the man isn't there, but there's a broken window and evidence of struggle. While Vincent has Max take him around L.A. to different locations for his contract killings, Fanning is investigating on who did murder the man in the apartment. COLLATERAL similar to Mann's previous crime films, (Thief, MANHUNTER, L.A. TAKEDOWN, and HEAT) is very intelligent and clever, that is what I love about Mann's films. The criminals are smart, while the police officers are also smart (no bumbling crooks or doughnut eating cops in Mann's films). The character of Vincent shows that he is a professional with his job by the way he holds his gun (the similar way all of Mann's characters hold their guns, holding it up while aiming at the same time). While the character of Fanning shows logical motives to what could have happened to the people who were killed.
This isn't a slam-bang action packed film, but then again, there isn't a Michael Mann film that is all action and no plot. HEAT and Thief gives complex characters with their motives, feelings, ambitions and personalities, while COLLATERAL does the same thing. If you pay attention to what the characters have to say in COLLATERAL (at least Vincent and Max), you will see them as people, not characters. COLLATERAL is a thinking man's thriller. The acting by Jamie Foxx is good; it's nice to see Foxx being able to give a performance that is different than the comedic roles that he has played in the past (BAIT, HELD UP, BOOTY CALL, etc.) COLLATERAL shows that Foxx can do a great job being a serious actor, and hopefully for his sake, will be seen as a serious actor. While Ruffalo, and Pinkett Smith also do good jobs with their supporting roles. But it is Tom Cruise who proves to do a fantastic job with his role as Vincent. Not since INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE has Cruise left his good guy, heroic image for a dark character, (well the same might also be said about MAGNOLIA). But Cruise shedding his handsome image shows that he really put a lot of effort into playing Vincent. The character of Vincent is for me the most enjoyable and fun villain that I've seen since Daniel Day Lewis' performance as Bill the Butcher in GANGS OF NEW YORK. A villain that shoots out fantastic lines like a Sergio Leone film. But it is Mann's directing is what really impressed me with this film. All of his trademarks are shown in this film. First the digital high definition camera work looked great! Since Mann hasn't worked with Dante Spinotti since THE INSIDER, both Dion Beebe and Paul Cameron do a great job giving COLLATERAL the Mann look, blue lighting with the various TOT (tricks of the trade) shots.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, only Michael Mann can make a city like Los Angeles and make it look like a beautiful city with the cinematography. Besides the cinematography, Mann uses his other trademarks, the great soundtrack, this time it is techno music mixed with, blues, and Latin, and the characters (particularly Vincent) dressed sharp and stylish. But since Vincent is a criminal, he doesn't wear a tie, similar to Neil McCauley, DeNiro's character in HEAT. Plus Mann shoots on location in L.A., making the city more realistic, mixing office high rises with Koreatown stores and nightclubs, and old well kept apartment buildings. In my review of HEAT I praised Mann for giving the viewer an accurate look of Los Angeles. Since L.A. is my second home, Mann uses the same moves in COLLATERAL. I could go into more detail why I loved COLLATERAL, but why spoil the party? This is the best film I have seen all summer and perhaps this year (although I still love KILL BILL VOL. 2). My expectations were met and like all of Mann's other films, COLLATERAL requires multiple viewings. For people who love Michael Mann films, I would rank this film his 3rd best, behind HEAT and THE INSIDER. For people who enjoy a smart intelligent thriller, like BOURNE Supremacy, but not as much action and less jerking of the camera, then COLLATERAL should please you. But if you're looking for an action packed Jerry Bruckheimer /Michael Bay film, then watch something else. But COLLATERAL is the first film this year that can be considered worthy of an Oscar nomination or two. Great show! ***** (Out of five)