Michael Mann's Brilliant Gritty Thriller.

Rating: 8/10 (6 November 2006)

When a prominent actor such as Tom Cruise, accustomed to portraying heroes on screen, decides to try his hands at being a villain, it is always interesting to view the final result. Will the character be believably villainous? Will we be able to forget all those occasions that Ethan Hunt or John Anderton or Jerry Maguire or Maverick saved the day with his gallant efforts, and instead learn to loathe this character? Not surprisingly, a grey-haired, quick-witted Tom Cruise does incredibly well, reminding us that he is a superb actor, after all!
Max (Jamie Foxx, 'Ray,' 2004) is a Los Angeles cab driver. Having maintained the same job for twelve years, Max yearns for change, but he can't accept that his dreams of starting a limousine company will never materialise. It is then that Vincent (Tom Cruise, 'Minority Report,' 2002) takes a seat in Max's cab. He instructs Max to travel to an apartment complex, and, once they arrive, to await his prompt return. Waiting patiently, Max is thoroughly shocked when a body plummets from an upper-floor window and obliterates his car windscreen.
A cool and collected Vincent returns, a pistol clasped in his hand, and he commands Max to drive him around the city to each of his hits. When an aghast Max splutters, "You killed him?" Vincent replies with a matter-of-fact, "No, I shot him. Bullets and the fall killed him."
Vincent is a complex and effective film character, and Cruise portrays him suitably. Foxx turns in a stellar performance for which, despite being the leading actor in the film, he received a Best Supporting Actor nomination (in any case, he won the Best Actor Oscar for 'Ray' that same year).
'Collateral' was the first major motion picture to be shot with the digital Viper FilmStream Camera, and this, coupled with director Michael Mann's decision to film with a hand-held camera, gives the film a raw, gritty feel, adding a sense of realism to the plot.