Collateral (2004)

Cool "Collateral"

by Homer Yen

(c) 2004

"Collateral" is an unexpected ride that seemingly

takes you in one direction before surprising you

with a quick turn.  It is like one of those

carnival rides where you pile into a 4-seat car

that takes you into a makeshift haunted house.

It's dark inside; things pop up at you, and

you're never quite sure when the ride will end.

Perhaps riding a taxi offers the same kind of

feeling. And in this film, that distinctly

yellow vehicle serves as our ride as we make one

unexpected turn after another.

Now, this film doesn't pander to the

Friday-night, fun-seeking carnival crowd. This

is a skillfully written yarn that requires your

focus, but will reward you for it. If "Harold

and Kumar Go to White Castle" is the kind of

movie that's best seen after midnight and

half-awake, then "Collateral" is its opposite.

This is the kind of film that is best enjoyed

around sunset just as the city starts to awaken.

The film starts off like a spy flick, but the

film isn't that. We meet the seasoned and

confident Vincent (Tom Cruise). He says that

he's in Los Angeles for one night to visit a few

friends and to fulfill a contract, but he's not

really that. He coaxes Max (Jamie Foxx) to drive

him around, and although our cabbie may seem

meek-minded, we learn that he's not really that.

That "Collateral" primarily centers on the

interaction between Vincent and Max for much of

the film is unexpected given that it's

summertime. Essentially, it is one long

conversation that creates a three-dimensional

picture of these two people. Interspersed are

the various stops that Vincent makes throughout

the night which help further defines these two

characters. You may find that refreshing or

boring. However, Tom Cruise excels in this role

as a person who is self-assured and in control of

his situation as he dictates to Max what needs to

be done or as he improvises to remedy a volatile

situation. He reaffirms why he is a bankable

star. But the real surprise is the measured

performance of Jamie Foxx, who most will

associate with silly comedies with silly titles

like "Booty Call". This is the role that he's

been waiting for, In his dramatic supporting

role, he is always convincing as a ordinary taxi

driver who dreams of something better while

realizing that Vincent is not the fare you want

to have. 

Yet, the one element that will draw you in is the

realness of this film. Take for instance the

scene in which Vincent is ahead of schedule and

decides to relax by catching a jazz performance.

He is impressed with one of the band members and

they have the kind of conversation that makes you

wish that all your uncles recounted stories like

that jazz player, all your parent's had the

healthy skepticism of Max, and that all your

co-workers were as focused as Vincent. Also real

are the locations in which this was filmed. It

uses real shots of Los Angeles, and at no point

does the film feel like it's being cluttered with

special effects or being shot on an obvious set.

Like being in a martini lounge, it pulses with

energy, it conjures the perfect sunset

atmosphere, and it's as cool as old-school jazz.

Grade:        B+

S:        0 out of 3

L:        3 out of 3

V:        3 out of 3

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X-RAMR-ID: 38466
X-Language: en
X-RT-ReviewID: 1310528
X-RT-TitleID: 1134449
X-RT-AuthorID: 1370
X-RT-RatingText: B+