Collateral (starring me)

Title:
Collateral (A-)
PH Release Date:
Aug. 6, 2004
Actors:
Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Jada Pinkett-Smith, MArk Ruffalo
Director:
Michael Mann
Story & Screenplay:
Stuart Beattie
Editor / Music:
Paul Rubell / James Newton Howard
Design / Photography:
David Wasco / Dion Beebe and Paul Cameron
Producer:
Michael Mann and Julie Richardson
Studio:
Paramount and Dreamworks

“It started just like any other after-the-movie night…. except this time I finished at 12 in the afternoon” – Tom Cruz

The samurai’s gone and the hitman comes in riding a cab driven my Mr. Slow Jamz (yah know, the song…some Luther Vandross…). My double ganger loses the long hair and changed it for a snowflakes type of do, and Jamie Foxx well, he’s still black.
Vincent (Cruise) is a hired assassin and his new assignment will draw him into meeting Max (Foxx) who’ll become his tour guide for the night. A couple of hours later and a couple of dead bodies, the movie’s over and well, I did have fun.
One of the strangest thing you might find in this movie is that it’s not so Hollywood in all sorta ways, even if Tom is in it, but then when it ended, you kinda change your mind. I’ve gotta say, that seeing Tom Cruise in such a role, and actually do it well, is kinda farfetched for me. I’ve always thought that he’s underrated, but a Cruise for a crook has always been an onion-ice cream type of relationship for me.
As some may find Jamie Foxx acting better than Cruise’s in this movie, well, I thought they did just the same. And the fact that Jamie had more chance to shine because of the complexity of his character, but barely did, tells me that a Denzel Washington might have done better.
Stuart (not little!) did a wonderful big screen 24 (you know, Kiefer Sutherland), although Tom’s character may have been better if he find more ways to expose it. He remained seemingly anonymous. However, the fact that he was able to write a not so typical action movie (except the ending, train station? Come on!!!!) that remains riveting till the very last frame (except the ending, he can so do better than that!!!) kinda emancipates him.
The real crown for the success of this movie must go to the director-producer (we surely know why he made sure this one’s good), Michael Mann. He just made a terrific job in this one, hands down to his unorthodox (at least for Americans) way of storytelling. He’s shots are captivating; it’ll hook your eyes in the screen and before you know it, the movie’s over, and you’ve seen every part of it. Plus, he’s ability to execute square scenes and make it his own is pretty impressive, not to mention that he was able to at least make Foxx convincing, just like what he did to Will Smith in Ali (Smith earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor).
Speaking of Smith, Jada-Pinkette was implausibly stunning in this movie. She was slamming. She never looked more gorgeous. It’s such a letdown that she had very few scenes and her character was quite ordinary, but nonetheless, she was banging (bump...bump…bump!!!).
An actor you might miss in this movie is Mark Ruffalo (he plays the kinda longhaired detective, I barely recognized him. At first, I thought it was him, but then I was skeptical. I thought it could be somebody else. He was that good. He’s a revelation in this movie. I never thought he could play more than a boy-next-door type of role.
The amazing photography and cinematography added glare to the graphic depiction of the LA nightlife. The dead town sure did appear flat. And the music complements the vivid picture very well.
Overall, it’s a finely crafted almost seemingly European type of movie. It delivers action, thrills, not much drama but unadulterated entertainment. Seeing this movie surely worth more than a gloomy taxi ride.

* they charge more than they usually do for this movie……..

Coming up: The Village (Aug. 11); The Bourne Supremacy (Aug. 18); The Princess Diaries 2 (Aug. 25)