Cruise control

Rating: 6/10 (30 October 2012)

Concerns a hired assassin (Cruise) being initially unwittingly ferried to his quarry by taxi driver (Fox) who only becomes aware of his passenger's deeds when a body lands on his bonnet following one such rendezvous. Cruise then retains his chauffeur driven services under duress as he dots around LA on stopover, taking care of business, hit-man style.
There's a couple of good fight scenes in which Cruise, playing a silver-haired, Armani-wearing mercenary displays his wu-tang skills (the dancefloor scene is a little reminiscent of "The Terminator", though obviously with a more diminutive terminator) on just about anyone foolish enough to go mano-a-mano with the trained killer. Fox is confined in a role that is mostly performed from behind the driver's wheel, albeit with some attempt at establishing a character who is struggling to rise above his job and take a shot at reaching his full potential. Jada Pinkett-Smith is the Government legal eagle impressed by his gab, who becomes his lifeline as his usefulness evaporates.
I usually enjoy a Tom Cruise movie about as much as a poke in the eye, but "Collateral" isn't as bothersome as those others; he's still irritatingly self absorbed (in-character), but the film has an undeniable attraction even if the ending is a shallow attempt at pathos. Some hard-hitting action, maybe worth a look.