Film 29/52: Collateral (2004)


It had been quite some time since I had watched Michael Mann's Collateral, and as I have developed a greater appreciation for Tom Cruise in recent years, I felt it was an ideal selection for showcasing on the Slaughtered Lamb screen.

While I had a clear memory of Tom Cruise's hitman Vincent and Jamie Foxx's cab-driver Max, I hadn't realized how many other now recognizable faces populate the film! Right off the bat, I was shocked to see Jason Statham(!) in a bit part (credited as 'Airport Man') handing off Vincent's reference materials when he arrives at LAX. I had to check out his IMDB page afterwards to confirm that he took this bit part after he had already made the transition from Guy Ritchie films to higher-profile films like The Transporter and The Italian Job. Vonna thought the leading lady (and object of Max's affection) looked a lot like Jada Pinkett Smith, and I had to confirm that it actually was. I was also pleasantly surprised to see Mark Ruffalo channelling his inner-Johnny Depp. After adjusting to him as Bruce Banner/Hulk, I wouldn't mind seeing him take on roles more like Detective Fanning in this. It's always nice to see Bruce McGill (D-Day in Animal House, the Sheriff in My Cousin Vinny) turn up in a film, even in a small role like one of the Feds in Collateral. And I had no recollection that Javier Bardem played Felix, the boss who hired Vincent. 

As you might expect, such a strong cast never hurts, and the film is an entertaining ride. When Max agrees to take Vincent on a series of stops before dropping him back off at the airport in the morning, he gets more than the impressive rate he was offered after the first stop results in a body crash-landing on his cab. Once he realizes that Vincent is a hitman with jobs at each scheduled stop, he tries to find a way out, but can't quite get away from the charismatic killer. Cruise is good, though as Vonna will point out, his look is almost distracting with his bleached hair and dark glasses. Still, he gives a fine performance as the too-cool hitman. The film pretty much plays out as one might expect, and while it doesn't have any major set-pieces on par with the bank robbery in Mann's classic Heat, it's still a fun watch. Another winning selection for our 52 Pick-Up series!



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