Review of Collateral (2004) by Wesley M — 14 Jun 2011

Action thrillers with a brain are few and far between, and rarely are they this well acted. While I initially thought that Jamie Foxx might be outclassed having to share the screen with Tom Cruise, he holds his own and his character transformation is indeed well handled. Cruise is his usual suave self (not counting that Oprah incident) and somehow makes his stoic, true neutral character crackle with intensity. We spend plenty of time with our two main characters hopefully to achieve some kind of connection and the chemistry between Cruise and Foxx works really well to this effect. You'll probably be rooting for Max (or Vincent, for a few of you) by about the halfway point, and its very likely you'll be invested in the outcome.

The outcome is left quite unclear, and circumstances are designed so that no character is safe at any given time. The helps build tension, especially at the climax and should make for a thrilling ride for those who stick with it. The first hour is relatively slow paced but doesn't feel lengthy as it is packed full of content and interactions and basically lets you get to know the players at work here. Then the second hour picks up the pace and throws everyone into the mix. Although Cruise and Foxx are the only two with any real development, Mark Ruffalo makes the most out of his short time on screen and Jada Pinkett Smith is a treat as well. Everyone plays their roles to the hilt and it really enhances the experience.

I'm glad the film didn't use any cheap tricks or cliches to move the film along. It keeps all its occurrences realistic and sensible, its one extravagance coming in the form of a club shootout that is both stylish and exciting. I Can't believe that they avoided a car chase sequence, given how much of the film is set in a Taxi, but I am glad that they did. In fact, most of the film acts more like a character study than anything else. Cruise's philosophical hitman plays off Foxx's resigned but hopeful everyman turns into the main draw of the film, and their battle of wills provides an interesting undercurrent to the rest of the events.

All in all, this is a skillfully done film (as expected) which makes the most of all of its cast and makes for an action thriller that won't insult your intelligence and is actually worth the price of admission. It works on several levels to make an all around great film.