Brilliant, challenging thriller for a mature crowd

Collateral was released in the summer of 2004, emerging amidst an onslaught of big-budget, special effects-laden blockbusters. Yet, Collateral does not adhere to the standard summer season template - rather than a brain-dead action fiesta for the mainstream crowd, it's a challenging thriller for mature audiences, puppeteered by the boundlessly talented Michael Mann (Heat, Ali). As was the case with Heat, Collateral exhibits a sense of stark realism rarely witnessed in ordinary Hollywood productions. The film is escapist entertainment at its core, but Mann perpetually insists upon plausible scenarios and a gritty tone to ensure the film never drifts too far into the realm of fantasy. Most commendably, Collateral is a summer picture that eschews big explosions and gunfights for suspense, intrigue, plot twists, and an understated cinematic style.

Working the streets of downtown Los Angeles at night with his taxi, Max (Jamie Foxx) is a soft-spoken man with big ambitions tragically stuck in his dead-end job. After meeting beautiful U.S. Justice Department prosecutor Annie (Jada Pinkett-Smith) during his shift one night, a mysterious fare enters Max's cab in the form of Vincent (Tom Cruise). Vincent explains he has five appointments to attend and a plane to catch in the morning, and offers Max $600 cash if he agrees to be Vincent's personal chauffeur for the night. Seeing this as an opportunity to jump-start his dreams, Max hesitantly agrees. Shortly afterwards, it is revealed that Vincent is, in fact, a contract killer travelling around the city to put several targets on ice. Max is unwittingly pulled into Vincent's world of systematic murdering for this single night, leaving the frightened cabbie with no means of escape.

The narrative is not particularly groundbreaking, and it's predictable to a certain degree, but Stuart Beattie's clever script and Mann's sharp-eyed direction compensate for this. Collateral is not a surface-level flick - there are intelligent layers and nuances to both the story and the characters, which take multiple viewings to pick up. For example, it's initially unclear why Vincent wants Max as his chauffer, but character interaction reveals he is just looking for someone to frame - in one scene, Detective Fanning (Mark Ruffalo) tells his colleagues a story about a cabbie who supposedly killed three people before committing suicide, implying that this is Vincent's plan for Max. On top of this, exploring real ideas and themes is also on Mann and Beattie's agenda. For instance, Vincent ruminates on his personal philosophies about the world and on the insignificance of a single human being. Similarly, Max aspires to start his own limousine company and insists his taxi job is temporary despite being a driver for twelve years, and this relates to the way people realise that their lifelong dreams are slipping out of their grasp through cruel passages of time and inertia. Indeed, Collateral is far more than an excuse for exploitative violence in the name of entertainment.

Of all his directorial characteristics, Mann is perhaps best known for his attention to detail - he makes environments into characters and stages down-to-earth gunfights that are not glamorised but instead based on realistic scenarios, tactics and training. This remains unchanged for Collateral. Predominantly lensing the picture with digital cameras, Mann and his two cinematographers (one cinematographer quit after three weeks, and a second one took over) permeate the film with an immersive authenticity and neglect the typical Hollywood sheen. Indeed, Mann centres his attention on developing atmosphere, building suspense and manipulating tension. Through using digital photography and as much natural lighting as possible, Mann achieves the verisimilitude he clearly strives for, transforming what could've been a cartoonish blockbuster into a masterfully realistic and gripping action movie. Additionally, the soundtrack mixes pop, rock, jazz, and classical tunes to match the mood of each scene. Michael Mann is the furthest thing from an ordinary action director - he is an expert craftsman, and the result is spellbinding.

Another of Mann's strengths here is pace; he clearly understands the need for humanity and character building without boring viewers to death. It is possible to care about Max's predicament after watching some innately human moments between him and Annie, with these scenes efficiently developing Max as a nuanced three-dimensional human being. The extended scene inside Max's cab that depicts Max and Annie's initial meeting is so expertly conceived, natural and charming that it could easily stand as a short film on its own. Beattie's script is another asset in this sense since it gives the characters some sharp, honest dialogue. Likewise, the interactions between Vincent and Max are never anything less than enthralling, and there are appreciable moments of levity throughout to lighten the mood. Also commendable is the fact that this is a Hollywood production where no characters seem safe, no matter how renowned the actors are. The ending may seem pat and clichéd, but it is pitch-perfect; it's ultimately ironic, it underscores themes introduced throughout (such as Vincent mentioning Darwin's theory of evolution and the need to adapt and improvise), and it brings closure to the character arcs.

Though the script is magnificent and the filmmaking is top-notch, Collateral ultimately works due to the pair of performances courtesy of Foxx and Cruise, both of whom disappear into their roles. Embracing the opportunity to flex his antagonistic muscles, Cruise pulls off the complex requirements of the part to fantastic effect - his performance as Vincent is riveting, career-best work for the actor. Likewise, the usually comically-oriented Foxx delivers a superb, warm, understated performance that earned the star a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. Both performances also reflect Mann's insistence towards realism - Cruise underwent extensive firearms training and, in turn, demonstrates outstanding pistol-handling skills throughout, while Foxx comes across as a run-of-the-mill everyman. In the supporting role of Annie, Jada Pinkett-Smith is absolute dynamite - she has never been more charming than she is here. Mark Ruffalo, Peter Berg, and Bruce McGill are also highly engaging in the more minor roles of the investigators hot on Vincent's trail.

Whereas most summer movies are action pictures with slight traces of drama and character development, Collateral is an intense, character-oriented drama-thriller with traces of action. And it is directly because of the drama and character development that the movie works so well. Collateral is intelligent, mature and involving, and it is also the best motion picture of 2004, bar none.

10/10