Cruise,Ruffalo and Foxx shine in a tense,philosophical thriller. But it redefines suspension of disbelief and the third act prevents true greatness.

Rating: 9/10 (2 October 2012)

7,8,7,7,8...this is yet another time I wish the rating system had more options. But we can't always get what we want.
Like Collateral ending up a film that is more then the sum of its parts,a film that delivers an end-result that lives up to its ongoing promise of a classic and make you feel content and blown away when the credits roll. Collateral in the end becomes slightly schizophren,going from intellectual,tense and intriguing to chase-action,script out the window.
But it's never a bad film and for so long,it's a brilliant,hypnotizing film. Cruise manages to portray his nihilistic,cold assassin,a man who lacks depth cause it seems he wants to(though humanity shines through when he lets his guard down)....with depth. It's hard to explain and even trickier for an actor to pull off. Vincents grey suit and whole persona is on paper DeNiros McCauley in Heat,yet he creates something unreplicable. His best along with Magnolia.
A man with very little soul but who's a doer,a man of action takes Foxx's cabdriver hostage,a man with heart and a soul but a dreamer who lies to himself to get through the day without even knowing it with plans that remain just that. Polar opposites.
Vincent see through Maxx facade but doesn't bully him,sort of respects the working man. It takes a bit longer for Maxx to both get the balls to speak out and see Vincent for what he truly is but he gets there.
Good and evil debate,rationalize and share their very different views on life,there's a verbal and moral battle going on,a fight with words,culminating in both men calling the other out,holding up a mirror of the other mans twisted perception of himself.
Vincent isn't the kind of villain that will pistol-whip you if you say something he doesn't want to hear,no matter how harsh or true. He will defend his point of view and make Max confron his own selfdelusions and hypocrisy. The dialog between the two men is excellent written,Beattie does so much right for so long and the actors deliver. Foxx makes Max likable,we feel for him,how long can he let his fear get other people killed? He has to maintain an artificial cool for his safety at the same time as we see his increasing anger and frustration. Still,Oscarnom? Hmm...
Critics want to call L.A the third lead and though the city is as Vincent and Crash says"sprawly and disconnected,no one knows anyone.",it is a place Mann likes to root his crime sagas in,it's a soulless,cold city and makes it a unlikely but fascinating location for faiths to intertwine as they do here....still the third lead,minor one though and not from start to finish is played by Mark Ruffalo. His det. Ray Fanning is everything Harrelson failed to be in No Country for old men,without him it's a different film. It would get a bit claustrophobic in that cab for 2hrs,so the (Badass)introduction and subplot involving hope for Max is very welcome.
While not his best role,it might be his best performance. Gone is the shy rom-com guy or lovable loser we're used to. With swagger,facial hair,earring,backslick hairdo and mannerisms of a confident man,clothes look pimp,he Becomes Fanning. The eyes are restless,gears in his head grinding,a man of intuition and conscience.
Sure,it helps that his partner and the F.B.I are borderline-retarded but he still comes across as a street-smart,respectable cop and as the bodies pile up,he's the one who sees a pattern. Vincent's a wolf,so is Fanning,he's got the scent and can't ignore it. His obsession for the truth puts him in harms way.
The cop"with the crazy theory on his own" is a cliché-role but always a leading one,here it fits the story. We identify with him since he is the voice of reason...steals the flick,barely.
Jada Pinkett-Smith is an attorney we see briefly(It's almost a cameo) and we know we will see her again. From her chat with Max,we get that she is a workaholic and like the three men,a creature of the night. Four professionals who all are great at what they do and all will collide and paths will cross...and credibility will take a beating.
You see Annie get into Max's cab. Then Vincent gets into his cab. Fanning goes to see his snitch shortly after snitch has been payed a visit. Cop and baddie manages to end up in the same elevator. And that's just the beginning. Fates intertwine,really?
In the end,it is a tale with so many(Just one or two too many) unrealistic coincidences that Manns digital camera that gives it its realistic feeling make that effect slightly backfires.
The tension rises and after a very exciting but somewhat preposterous scene where an important player disappears from the story,unfortunately a lot or most of the scripts depth and ambiguity goes with him. Critics,you,me,we all agree the plot and film was more intriguing when it focused on the dynamic between Cruise and Foxx,with a plot in constant,unpredictable development.
Mann knows action,its not a dull moment but he goes overboard and the superassassin both becomes too super and too incompetent for no good reason except...we're"supposed" to want this. Compared to what came before,I didn't and suggest all fans of suspense to see this once,enjoy it and savor the memory of it.
It has a,lot of great moments(wolfs,man),great acting(Javier Bardem and Irma P.Hall put in good support),awesome editing and good music...it's just that it was headed towards a masterpiece. It's two thirds of that. One third mediocrity:(