Plot Synopsis:
A cab driver (Jamie Foxx) finds himself the hostage of an engaging contract killer (Tom Cruise) as he makes his rounds from hit to hit during one night in Los Angeles. He must find a way to save both himself and one last victim.
Also starring Jada Pinkett Smith and Mark Ruffolo.
Directed by Michael Mann, written by Stuart Beattie.
Official Trailer:
Full Review:
After the atrocities of The Art Of The Steal, which was my last feature film review (read it HERE), I bring to you Collateral in all of it’s guns-blazing glory. And to be fully honest, this may come as a surprise but, this is actually one of my favourite action films of all time. Why? Read the bloody review! But essentially, I love it because of it’s simplicity, meaningful characters, and unforgettable bad-ass action sequences! Allow me to elaborate on all of these points:
Just to clarify, the reason why I thought the fact that Collateral is my favourite action flick may be surprising is because, in my opinion, it’s quite underrated! You hardly see it among many Top 10 lists and it’s not lauded as a modern cinematic masterpiece either. Granted it isn’t a masterpiece, but I believe that it’s so damn good it has become incredibly hard for me to ignore ever since my first viewing. And since then, I’ve re-watched the holy bajeezus out of this and I’m ready to give you my thoughts in full!
First off, this is exactly how action should be filmed. You won’t see any stupid shaky cam, where it’s so vigorous you can’t even make out any details in the scene. Instead, director Michael Mann (Heat, The Insider) treats you with clear, crisp action that’s intense and fast paced, which successfully grips you tightly and shows no signs of letting go. And better yet, it is astoundingly brutal and feels real. Unlike Rambo or Terminator 2: Judgement Day, the set pieces aren’t over the top nor are they specifically designed to boost your testosterone. Each sequence serves to lure us to the extreme edges of our seats as well as enhancing character development and progressing the tricky predicament they find themselves in.
Whilst I’m on the topic of characters, the ones in Collateral are fully fleshed out and are actually interesting! Throughout the film, you are intrigued by Tom Cruise’s (Top Gun, Jerry Maguire) character Vincent & his elusive background, and you feel incredibly sympathetic towards Max who is played by Jamie Foxx (Ray, Django Unchained). Both characters are played extraordinarily by their respective actors as you’d expect from these two mighty fine gentlemen. In fact, the acting was so good, The Academy even offered Foxx an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his sublime performance!
And I have to say that I was shocked that Cruise didn’t get the same treatment since this is genuinely the best performance of his career. End of.. He’s not just a set of cheekbones in this film; he’s meticulous, commanding, and is absolutely hellbent throughout. For someone who doesn’t usually play this kind of role, Cruise is in complete control from start to finish. You could even call it ‘Cruise Control’!!! No? Let’s move on…
From directing to acting, let’s talk about the writing. Stuart Beattie (Pirates Of The Caribbean, G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra) writes a terrific screenplay despite not having the best of track records. The dialogue is engaging when the film switches from bullets upon bullets to serious drama that, although allows you to breathe between action scenes, reels you even more through further character development. And as I said at the beginning of the review, this is a film that’s very simple in concept and in execution. A killer is escorted around town by a taxi driver being held hostage. Done! That’s all you need to know about the plot. There isn’t a ton of sub-plots or hidden meanings you need to worry about, therefore your overall experience is a lot more engrossing. And of course, as mentioned previously, the characters are written with such depth it really adds a lot more substance to an otherwise generic plot.
Speaking of generic, that’s probably my only complaint. At times, the story seems a bit reciprocal in how it all unfolds. Particularly the third act, the film will feel reminiscent of other similar (but not as fascinating) action films. But nevertheless, I wasn’t bothered by this the first time round simply because I was so invested in the film I didn’t think much of it. You know you’ve got a good film when you can make an audience member shut up and forget about any evident problems purely through what’s being shown on screen! Despite seeming familiar, it’s execution is fierce and unlike anything you’ve seen beforehand.
Collateral is not only a tense thrill ride, it’s an intriguing story that revolves around people. Wait… a film that focuses on characters?! Preposterous! That’s uncommon amongst most action films! Trust me mate, that’s a plus point about this film; not so much for Hollywood! This is an atmospheric noir sensation that is as exciting as it is compelling. It has somewhat undeservedly flown under the radar over the years, so don’t let it shoot past you if you haven’t seen it already.
Fergie’s Final Fifteen:
Visceral and thrilling action, with engaging drama and intriguing characters. An under-rated tour de force.
FERGIE FILMS 