Hardly any other director creates such irresistible digital images as Michael Mann. One of the best proofs of the director’s distinctive style is his 2004 genre masterpiece Collateral, which you can currently stream via Netflix subscription.
The action thriller combined with Jamie Foxx as a taxi driver who is tied up by a hitman for the duration of one night beguiling shots and thrilling suspense. A small sensation is above all Tom Cruise, who shows as a charismatic villain that he should play such roles more often.
Unfortunately, Tom Cruise is almost never seen as impressively as in Collateral
In Mann’s film, Cruise plays hitman Vincent, who offers cab driver Max (Foxx) $600 to drive him to various stations around Los Angeles for a night. What Max doesn’t know at first: every stopover is a person who wants to take out Vincent.
From this intense situation, the director has created an unusual thriller that beguiling nocturnal impressions puts. The razor-sharp digital images with their almost endless darkness envelop you along with the characters in this masterful genre film.
Above all, however, is the performance of Cruise, who impressively breaks through his clean man image. As a professional contract killer, his charismatic smile shines through again and again, with which he deceives Max, especially at the beginning.
Nevertheless, it is above all the ice-cold outbursts of violence and menacing aggressiveness that are remembered from the star here in one of his very rare villain roles. Cruise hasn’t played a single character like this since Collateral. Michael Mann’s masterpiece shows why this is a loss for the film world.
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