Wonderful film! Michael Mann does it again!

Rating: 9/10 (16 August 2004)

**POSSIBLE SPOILERS BELOW**
Collateral is one of the best movies of the year. Michael Mann takes us on another great ride, as only he can. The documentary feel always works for me when it's done right, and Mann has a great way of using it without being distracting. Masterful directing and cinematography, adding an eerie, realist aura to the film; making it that much more enjoyable and intriguing. Mann filmed and showed LA the way Coppola showed Tokyo in Lost In Translation'just letting the scenery speak for itself. I don't know where he found the locations he used, but they set the mood perfectly. I caught onto Mann ever since Heat'..there's something about his documentary, in-your-face style that is very intriguing, and I can't help but anticipate every film he directs.
The acting was great all around; especially the two main characters, Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx. Cruise makes a great turn as a villain; more and more he proves that he's versatile and I give him all the respect in the world for taking those types of risks. Tom Cruise was just wonderful as Vincent, his performance was flawless; from his demeanor to the way he was handling the gun. Foxx proves to me more and more every day that he's ready to take that next step.he was great in his role as the ill-fated cab driver. With a recent string of stellar performances, he's moved himself into the realm of elite African-American actors, which is very few as it is. From Any Given Sunday, to Redemption, to Ali, to Collateral, and the upcoming Rayif he keeps this up he'll be a shoe-in for Tom Hanks status; it could be argued that he's there already. Jada Pinkett-Smith does what she usually does in a supporting role, she came off more mature here. The only negative I have as far as the acting goes is Mark Ruffalo as the detective; he never convinces me in his roles, and it was extremely hard for me to take him seriously here as a detective.
My only beef with the film, though not a major one at all, is the ending. I didn't really mind the way it ended; but I wanted Vincent (Tom Cruise) to live. I'm a person who roots for the bad guy, so I had hoped for Vincent to kill everyone he had to and get off scott-free. Once I saw that Jada Pinkett was his last target, I knew the ending was going to be Hollywood-fied' and that he was going to die, obviously by Max's hands. Doesn't really hurt the film, but for my personal taste I would've liked to have seen Vincent triumph. Collateral is a very smart, stylish thriller breathing much needed life into the genre.
***1/2 out of **** stars.