Los Angeles is nicknamed the City of Angels but at times it
is also referred to as Hell-A. In Michael Mann’s new thriller, “Collateral,” which
stars Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx, L.A. is shown to be at times
hauntingly beautiful and nightmarishly dark. It is a place where
people have big dreams, some even coming true, but it is also
a place where people can feel very disconnected from one another,
despite sharing the area with millions of other people. By having
cab driver Max (Foxx) and hired gun Vincent (Cruise) traveling
in both of these worlds in the film, Mann takes viewers on a
wild ride where things can change very quickly.
Max has been “temporarily” working as a cab driver
for 12 years. Vincent is a hit man who has five “jobs” to
complete in one night and Max’s cab just happens to be the
one he gets into. Max learns about Vincent’s career early
on and, though he tries to escape or get help on numerous occasions,
he is dragged along to all of Vincent’s stops. Both Foxx
and Cruise do great work in the film and they have a lot to work
with thanks to the script by Stuart Beattie, which keeps things
moving briskly. The supporting cast is also very good, including
a barely recognizable Mark Ruffalo and a solid performance from
Jada Pinkett-Smith.
The real star of the movie is Los Angeles, which Mann films
beautifully. Instead of seeing the same old images of Hollywood
or sun, sand and surf, Mann shows the audience the city that
few people ever see or really look at. There are many beautiful
shots in the film and at times it feels as if the audience is
also on a cab ride through the non-traditional stops in Los Angeles,
watching ghostly palm trees sway in the breeze or witnessing
a coyote amble across the street. Mann also knows how and when
to ratchet up the intensity and there are several scenes in the
film that keep you on the edge of your seat.
“Collateral” is an above average crime-thriller and
only a few, tiny, nagging details kept it from being even better.
However, I can’t reveal the details without spoiling the
ending. I do recommend seeing this film though and there may
not be a better thriller without aliens or Predators coming out
this year.
