I'm surprised that there's not already a thread about Collateral. So here's one.
I just saw this movie today, and I dug it. First, I thought it was very well executed by the director. There's been a tendancy recently in movies like this for directors to use extremely distracting techniques in order to appear stylish. Michael Mann, fortunately, has been at it long enough to have nothing to prove. Oh, it was very stylish. But there was no excessive handicam use, slo-mo, bullet time, long tracking shots, or any of the other things that make a movie focus more on the director than the story. Everything he did was very subtle and at the same time very effective. And he pulled some great performances out of the actors.
Likewise, the fighting was completely appropriate. It wasn't a movie about fighting, so they didn't make any attempt to incorporate elaborate martial arts as, again, a lesser director may have done to prove himself. The fighting in this film was quick, utilitarian, powerful and completely suited to the film. The profanity in the dialogue was also appropriate. Usually an action movie means one of two things: a PG-13 in which the toughest characters go to great lengths to save up their F-word, or an R movie in which everyone goes to great lengths to include 800 F-words in an effort to appear edgy. This movie was rated R, but there were about 5 or 10 F-words, which is about how normal people really talk. Further, there was enough violence to qualify the movie for an R-rating. But there weren't the fountains of gore that would ordinarily come when a director decides to shoot for an R-rating in a film like this.
I was completely surprised by Jamie Foxx. I remember seeing him on In Living Color. He was quite funny in that, but I've never seen him in a real serious acting role. I was really impressed. It wasn't like watching Sandler, Carrey or Robin Williams in a dramatic role, where you could see them suppressing their comedic instincts. I can't believe Jamie was ever in comedy. He was such a natural that I completely forgot his comic persona. I know he's been in dramas before, but I've never seen them. I had no idea he was so versatile.
I already liked Tom Cruise. But he was scary in this one. He reminded me a little of Denzel in Training Day. He was a menacing sociopath, but at the same time he was so charming and slick that I had to like him. Very scary.
It wasn't a perfect movie. I don't know if I'd buy it on DVD. It wasn't so profoundly good or original that I must have it. And the ending, when Zombie Tom Cruise was chasing them around the subway, was a little cheesy. Inevitable, but cheesy. However, it was, overall, an intelligent and well-written script that was executed near flawlessly. The best action/drama movie I've seen this year. Well worth the first-run theatre prices.
[ August 12, 2004, 09:17 PM: Message edited by: Speed 2: Cruise Control ]
Posted by Speed 2: Cruise Control (Member # 6765) on :
Come on... the #1 movie in America, and I'm the only one who saw it? That doesn't sound right.
Posted by Foust (Member # 3043) on :
Well, I'm thinking this was the second best movie I've seen this year. First would be Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Posted by Promethius (Member # 2468) on :
I loved this movie, but I did not understand why Tom Cruise went psycho in the Asian dance club. I do not see a reason for him breaking that first guys neck. The only conclusion I came to was that he was trying to create chaos. Perhaps someone who picked up on something I did not could shine some light on the dance club craziness?
Posted by AeroB1033 (Member # 6375) on :
One of my top five movies this year, and yes, Jamie Foxx was surprisingly incredible, perhaps even better than Cruise in this film. I'd post my full review of it, but I'm saving that for when I get my movie/TV review site up.
Posted by Foust (Member # 3043) on :
Cruise was attacking the club's security.
Posted by Promethius (Member # 2468) on :
Oh, I thought the first guy he killed was just some random dancer. And I was thinking, "Now Tom, there is just no need for that."