One of the best thrillers in recent years.

Rating: 9/10 (4 December 2007)

Max (Jamie Foxx), a taxi driver, falls victim to Vincent (Tom Cruise), who takes him hostage so that he could complete five hits in one night in the city of Los Angeles. With a basic plot at that, one could think about how predictable the show would become.
Thankfully, it doesn't.
Thanks to a solid script and masterful performances by Cruise and Foxx, the movie is saved from losing credibility. Mostly a character-driven movie, Collateral is a throwback to the old Noir genre of the 50's, and we get it with a modern and masterful touch, kudos of director Michael Mann, who, no matter what, seem to inject flair and energy into his actors. I mean, just look at Heat! Notice how intense Pacino and De Niro were acting. This shows how good his direction can be.
Cruise steals the limelight of the show, something he could not quite achieve during the previous years. Here, he plays a cold-blooded villain for the first time, and he makes the character into his own. He has believability and that look of viciousness in his eyes. In fact, I myself did not believe that Cruise was playing the hit-man until 50 minutes into the movie. It is with strong belief that Cruise was robbed of even an Oscar nomination.
Jamie Foxx is also excellent as Max, the cab driver. His character is an ordinary human, an Average Joe, that is suddenly thrown into the world of crime and violence the moment Vincent steps into the cab. Foxx also delivers credibility into the role, making us wonder what would he do next, as Foxx's character represents us, the regular, normal, audience, who is experiencing the fear that he is while watching the movie.
Supporting actors are also good here. Mark Ruffalo delivers a credible performance as Fanning, who is investigating the five hits. Javier Bardem is superb as his brief portrayal as Vincent's employer, Felix. And Jada Pinkett-Smith is good in her brief performance as Annie, a lawyer who is dropped off by Max right before Vincent steps in.
The storyline is basic, but it's the screenplay that compels us. The lines are sharp and crisp, and made even more believable when executed by the actors. The tension is there, and it makes the story more human. Layer by layer, minute by minute, the story unravels slowly and in a steady pace, so that the audience is able to understand the situation and become engrossed in it.
The action sequences are handled nicely. Superb camera work and editing. They are loud, fast, swift and brutal. The best example of such a scene is the climax. I won't spoil it for you, see it for yourself.
The direction, as mentioned earlier, is superb. Michael Mann adds another classic movie to his resume. Here he adds his elements into making another one of his masterpiece, that made "Heat" great. Overall, he really injects life and credibility into the movie, giving such realism and flair in the picture.
The cinematography is handled also superbly. Here, Mann shot the film in HD so that we would be able to see night-time Los Angeles in all its glory. Add a haunting score by James Newton Howard, and you have an atmosphere that is gritty, urban, and most of all, realistic.
Overall, a breath of fresh air from the now not-so-original Hollywood, and one of the best thrillers for the new millennium. Kudos to Cruise for giving an outstanding performance and to Mann for making an old story seem new.
A must see.
8.894/10
Delton