Review of Collateral (2004) by Judge L — 03 Jan 2014

Although Michael Mann and Jamie Foxx's collaboration on Miami Vice proved to be a depressingly poor crime drama, I had much higher hopes for Collateral because Jamie Foxx scored an Academy Award nomination for his performance, and considering he won the same year for playing Ray Charles in the biopic Ray, I had to see this.

Even though I don't understand how the budget of this film turned out to be $75 million unless most of that was Tom Cruise and Michael Mann's salaries, Collateral is definitely one of Michael Mann's much better films.

The story is a bit like the film The Hitcher in a way, since it deals with a man being the chauffeur of a criminal and all the thrills that come with it as it develops into a game of cat and mouse. It becomes increasingly intense as it develops, and the thrills just keep growing and growing. Collateral is like if The Hitcher was executed a lot better than it actually was, and it isn't afraid to show off what a great film it is. It's an exhilarating and intense experience to witness, and Michael Mann just gives it an incredible effort as director which truly does pay off. He even ensures that Collateral succeeds as a technical achievement, as well as one with a memorably atmospheric musical score.

The cinematography is powerful, because when Jamie Foxx has an intense stare in his eyes, and the camera tends to lock its focus on that which sets up the mood of the film as being thoroughly intense. Yet it stares at them from outside of the Taxicab so it gives us a mood about how we don't actually know what's going on but can see it happen, just like Jamie Foxx's character Max Durocher. This makes it more insightful and easier to connect to the audience, so it just adds to making Collateral a successful film.

Really, Collateral is an entertaining crime thriller because its simple and well written without relying on excessive visuals. Collateral is reliant on nothing, but its most memorable for the powerful efforts of its talented cast.

Jamie Foxx's performance was just perfect. Even though he isn't the key subject of the story since it chronicled the mysterious actions that Tom Cruise's character Vincent commits and how Max Durocher is made an accomplice by being the taxi driver for his crimes, in his own way he is the main character because the way he attempts to learn what Vincent is up to is like us attempting to figure out what he is doing, and the simple fact that viewers can easily understand Jamie Foxx's mind through elements as simple as his facial gestures as well as appreciate his development as a character from a stoic unsuspecting taxi driver into a hero is worth nothing short of an Academy Award nomination, which luckily enough he did receive in the same year he won the Best Actor award for Ray.

Tom Cruise's performance is truly one of his best. Even though he's a supporting actor in Collateral, his strength as an actor ensures that he practically steals the screen at every chance he needs to. He proves that supporting roles are a specialty to him, and he's powerfully intense and villainous which makes him all the more stronger as an actor. Collateral is a much simpler film than he tends to work in, and its good to see him back to working at a more simple character driven concept.

Mark Ruffalo looks nothing like he has in other films, but he acts just as well. His character in Collateral is significantly less sophisticated yet Mark Ruffalo's acting abilities are not. He gives great support and delivers a performance that reminds us.

Why he is held in such high regard as an actor today.

Javier Bardem was powerful too.

Even Jason Statham's cameo at the start was cool and mood setting, especially since I'm a fan of the guy and his films.

So Collateral is anything but basic or bad, it is a powerfully dramatic and incredibly acted yet simple crime thriller which benefits from Michael Mann's fine direction and a good story development.