Review of Collateral (2004) by Christopherp. — 23 Feb 2008

I love this movie. What is most appealing about it is the suspense, pacing, and overall style. Vincent (Tom Cruise) is the epitome of a cool-headed, deliberate and heartless professional killer. Attractive of his role is the depth of his character.

Often he'll respond to Max's (Jamie Foxx) obvious signs of distress and anxiety with a psychological and philosophical response meant to calm him, at one point lecturing to him the concept of adaptation.

. It really separates him from the typical hit man in many movies, and it's very entertaining to watch. Jamie Foxx does an intense performance, portraying well Max's coping and dealing with his predicament, and he develops as a character as he faces more severe stress, following the theme of "adaptation" that Vincent mentions early in the movie.

Side characters such as Fanning (Mark Ruffalo) add to the depth of the story well by giving a different perspective. During the twist near the end of the movie involving Vincent and Fanning, Vincent's nihilistic philosophies are highlighted.

I've heard a lot of complaints regarding the unrealism of the ending, but I didn't have too much of a problem with it. I mean, Vincent was shot in the face beforehand, so that may have been a bit disorienting.

With regards to that, I thought it closed very well and had a well-directed final few moments that kept me on the edge of my seat. It's overall an exceptionally entertaining film to watch, with quick pacing, sharp dialogue, intense performances, and consistently evolving characters.