Collateral (2004)

The trick of dancing with a pistol on the dance floor is making sure people know it's an extension of your arm, you know, like a lady, otherwise it's just fruity...

Genre: Crime Drama Thriller

Starring: Tom Cruise (Cocktail; Top Gun), Jamie Foxx (Miami Vice; Ray)

Directed By: Michael Mann (Heat; The Last Of The Mohicans)

Overview: When a cab driver agrees to drive someone around all night to make his '6 stops', he find himself accessory to a night of multiple homicides.

Acting: I would have thought with his grey sharp coiffe, that Tom Cruise would have been bad. I would have thought that they had chosen Jamie Foxx because he's proven to be able to act without much supervision. I would have thought that the direction would be weak. I think deep down that it was, but the actors don't show it. Great job, especially all the criminals, Tom too.
Rating: 8

Cinematography: Personally I found the method of super tight cropping to be distracting, though it also made me realize that this was done on purpose, as a mood enhancing effect. For trying to be art, you get points. For cool stunts and realistic shootout scenes, more points. It's pretty to watch, for sure.
Rating: 8

Script: This will astound you. For an action film to have such perfectly human dialogue, interesting topics and imagination sparking ideas is a nice little treasure. There's a scene or two that goes a bit over the top but honestly, this is brilliant. It's not the kind of movie that teaches or leaves you with quotes to remember. It's just really good.
Rating: 9

Plot: A guy drives a hired killer around while he learns what the murders are all about. The assassin's character development is withdrawn and cold, as it should be, while the taxi driver in a bind starts debating his life plan. A nice approach, good action, and the unceremonious event with the tough LAPD cop guy is a nice touch. Good story.
Rating: 8

Mood: One entire scene or two was ruined by a little montage with terrible musical accompaniment, all too Nickleback for the scene, a little too 'soft-hardcore' for the demographic, almost as though someone weasled the song into this movie as a special favour. Besides this I must say that the stunts were so realistic (people actually falling) that I found it really believable, as action films go. Good suspense.
Rating: 8

Oh look they're gonna do some Han Solo-lookin shit, hoo yeah!

Overall Rating: 82% (Be An Accessory To This One)

Aftertaste: Before I decided to tick off the 12th film on my 1001 Movies you Must See Before You Die list, I was apprehensious, very apprehensious. I mean it's like they were just randomly picking movies from the last 2 years to top it up to 1001. Sure Aviator and Million Dollar Baby (the 2005 picks in the Grand Tome) were good, but I was not expecting anything from this one. Still when 60 people make a short list, I guess I should trust em. Must see? Dunno. Good? For sure.