Untitled Michael Mann Project

Untitled Michael Mann Project_360P

in french please

Collateral is a nearly flawless, action, fast paced thriller with superb acting. It is without a doubt one of the best films ever made. The acting by the film's 2 stars, Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx is absolutely masterful. These 2 already phenomenal actors displayed an even higher notch of excellence in Collateral. Acting-wise, this is definitely one of the most indescribably amazing movies ever. The script is very simple, and could have been easily taken way too far, however, Michael Mann makes sure that the story is not overdone, and delivers a solid beginning, middle, and fabulous ending. I know I've already gone over the acting once, but Tom Cruise definitely deserves even more recognition. He plays a professional hit-man just the way it should be played, and more. A hit-man isn't like Rambo, a hit-man doesn't have 5 machine guns strapped to his back and over 50,000 rounds of ammunition. No, Tom Cruise displays a purely flawless performance about what a hit-man really is. A hit-man is supposed to be gentleman-like, and they are supposed to act as if they are going about their daily lives, even before a hit. Many people believe that Tom Cruise's character in the movie was mentally ill because of the way he seemed calm one minute and killed people the next, however he was doing nothing more than his job. It is almost like in a football game, if you are originally a nice person, and you step on the field, you become a killer. Tom Cruise, when doing his job, is a killer. When he is not, he is nothing more than a normal man. This is how great of a performance he delivered. Collateral opens up with a punch, and never lets up. It is my favorite movie, and one of the most superb action flicks ever made.

Collateral is a masterpiece of American cinema. Jamie Foxx is Max, a Los Angeles cab driver with dreams of his own limo company, "Island Limo". After twelve years on the job he has become quite gifted at discerning the most intimate details of his passengers' lives... just a glance at their clothes, and he knows. His worldly insight manages to tear down the defenses of one of his passengers, a State Attorney played by Jada Pinkett Smith, who graces him with her phone number. Max hasn't even begun to revel in the pleasure of possessing the beautiful attorney's digits when he gets his next passenger, Tom Cruise as Vincent, a slick hit-man in town for a night of killing. When a body drops out of a fourth story window and onto Max's cab, he becomes an unwilling partner on Vincent's murder spree. Director Michael Mann (The Insider, Ali) does a masterful job manipulating texture and tone throughout the movie, taking us to settings as diverse as a junkie's apartment, a penthouse, a hospital room, and a smoky jazz club, all the while making the city of angels a central character in the story. The soundtrack is also excellent, with a mixture of popular music and ambient tracks perfectly-timed and synced to the story... tribal drumbeats during the chase scenes, haunting rock ballads at pivotal moments, and one track that reminded this viewer of the scene at the other end of Tom Cruise's career, when he drives his father's Porsche out of the garage in "Risky Business" to the accompaniment of a thumping synth track. A bizarre side-note, I know. As the movie builds to a climax, the police are hunting for Max, believing he is the one on a killing spree, and Vincent stalks his final victim in a blacked-out high-rise office to a backdrop of the brilliant LA skyline, reflected in multiplicity by the office's dozens of glass cubicles. Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, and Jada Pinkett Smith all rise to the occasion in Collateral, and together they transcend their previous appearances on film. Mark Ruffalo gives a good performance as the cop who knows everything is not what it seems. There are a few minor plot points which didn't sufficiently suspend my disbelief (like when Max agrees to take Vincent the vicious hit-man to see his Mother in the hospital), but overall this is a fantastic movie. Troy Dayton

Trailer—Collateral

Everything you could want from an action/thriller. An intriguing and original story, crackling dialogue, fantastic performances, superb direction, and some great action set pieces. The film is just all-around excellent. Cruise and Foxx have great chemistry and play off each other well, and the supporting characters add to the story without taking away from the two leads. The cinematography is simply stunning, and is showcased to full effect in the film's highlight, the nightclub scene. The end goes off the rails a bit, but it's simply an extension of what had been building the entire film. And the ending, though abrupt, is perfect for the film. Just a fantastic film.