Worth a Watch...or two but don't expect too much.

Rating: 7/10 (25 March 2006)

So a lot of good was said about this film. I heard many people coming out saying, "That was a wicked film! Brilliant!". So was it? Well the answer is no. It's not a wicked film, it's not even a great film but that doesn't mean it isn't good. The cinematography is great with shaky cameras reflecting the ride in the cabs, though this does get a little annoying in 'on-foot' scenes which probably hints that the effect wasn't intentional. Maybe Mann should of simply used a steady-cam for 'out of car' scenes, that would make it a little less nauseating. But colours are dark and mysterious and you do get the sense of the short time phase this film take place in; one night, which a lot of films do not achieve. The one feeling viewers do not get a sense of is hate for Tom Cruise's character, a hit-man who simply "carries out the garbage" and kills people in cold blood. In fact we don't really feel very sorry for the main character which I feel could have been pulled off better.
The soundtrack for Collateral is staggered but very good. However, with the exception of Audioslave's re-recorded version of 'Shadow on the Sun' which works beautifully, the music wasn't implemented into the film very well . Even the main club sequence with the great remix of the dance track 'Ready Steady Go' by Oakenfold wasn't choreographed and/or synchronised well. The music builds up and you expect someone to really kick arse or maybe something cool to happen but it rarely does and the music simply fades away.
Saying that, the plot although quite weak, still keeps you watching. You're not really bored until the very end which comes quite suddenly. All that really happens is they kill four people, but this is still quite entertaining. All the best bits really happen at the start, the film starts to run out of fuel about halfway through.
Collateral is a good film to watch, and I would see it again, but don't expect the next Pulp Fiction this is still far off that mark.
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