Collateral (2004)

Directed by:  Michael Mann

Screenplay by:  Stuart Beattie

Starring:  Tom Cruise, Jamie Fox, Jada Pinkett Smith 

Plot:  After meeting the woman of his dreams, a Los Angeles cabbie in denial catches up with a killer brimming with STYLE!…It’s really kind of a bummer for the Cabbie.  Either way, both men will never be the same.

Review:  Alright alright, I know this is way ridiculous.  It has been a whole YEAR since I’ve written a review, and after all this time, I resort to reviewing ANOTHER Michael Mann movie.  My last review was The Last of the Mohicans, where I happened to unabashedly profess my love for the director and his films.  So where do I go now?  The MANN!

I coincidentally happened to watch Collateral recently, and as I meant to get back into the spirit of sharing my feelings on film with the masses (currently mass…or lack thereof), this 2004 beauty seemed like the perfect place to hang.  Do my ecstatic feelings shown previously appear in this endeavor?  For the most part, yest.

Collateral is a film I find myself pushing endlessly towards the masses (again…maybe just Mom here) regardless of my recent knowledge of it.  In all actuality, I truly believe I’d only seen this film twice, and the second time possibly more than 5 years ago.  Upon this revisit, there were moment of true bliss, and others that left me slightly perplexed; these were few and far between however, as Collateral may very well be Mann’s most taut film to date.

One major difference compared to all of his previous work is the script: it wasn’t his (although he reportedly revised it substantially).  Stuart Beattie is credited with this little baby (early drafts by Executive Producer Frank Darabont of Shawshank and The Walking Dead Fame) making quite a tightknit piece of work.  Not only does the story take place over the course of one night, but much of it is in a cab with major philosophical battle between the two leads.  The story is simple enough, with Vincent the hit man (played cool and efficiently by Tom Cruise) essentially taking Max the cabbie (Jamie Foxx in a star making turn) hostage, as he takes out his 5 targets he has been contracted to kill.  While you may think one has the upper hand over the other, events of the night and fairly calm debates show a continually alternating picture of who each of these two men really are, played effectively up front and in the subtext.

Mann’s first foray into digital cinematography (and justified by the accent of the LA night) truly is a visual masterwork.  Scenes showcasing life in and out of the taxi cab, in clubs, skyrises, and trains are truly stunning and beautiful.  One issue I could not separate myself from was that while it looked like Mann, it did not completely feel like Mann, most likely based on the fact that the story did not originate from him.  This should not be viewed as a fault necessarily; directors shouldn’t have to keep exactly consistent from movie to movie (why should they).  It just took me slightly out of the story, and I can’t help but feel upset.  Still….that’s my own damn fault, isn’t it?!  Not the fault of the MANN!  Even if it was something completely new, he actually did go with a script that in the end seems almost to be tailor made for his visual sensibilities. 

Maybe in my old age, I’m becoming a little short with my favorite filmmaker.  Regardless, Collateral truly is a slick spectacle that remains taut and tight through to the end.  Music here is fairly stellar (maybe a little too bombastic at the end) and the setting of LA is fleshed out well enough to truly be a supporting character.  And speaking of supporting, the cast adds depth and background that effectively surrounds our two leads without being overbearing.  Some of the cast you will may not even recognize at first (Mark Ruffalo never looked so Narc) while others might be making some of their first big US appearances (never realized Javier Bardem was here).

Even though at first the film may have differed from what I remember, I cannot deny the cool, the real, the vibe that makes me truly feel I’m in LA like I’ve never seen it before.  He may have not written the piece, but make no mistake, this is Michael Mann’s movie, and it ranks up there with his best.