Collateral

Director Michael Mann, a master of intelligently gripping and polished mood pieces like The Insider and Heat, works his magic on this pumped-up B-movie noir that would likely have been fraught with catchphrases and explosions in the hands of most big-budget directors. It's a battle of wits engaged when a Los Angeles cabbie (Jamie Foxx, who knows he's losing) is forced to chauffer a silver-maned, high-priced assassin (Tom Cruise, who knows he's winning) around town on a ruthless, one-night streak of murders designed to derail a big federal trial. Head games and body language define the film, which takes place largely inside Foxx's cab where the two men are constantly sizing each other up. Neither actor gives a standout performance, but both manage to bring unexpected depth to their characters, and while the plot is sometimes undermined by logical gaffes and stretches of credibility (as when the two stars walk away from a spectacular flip-over car accident), Mann still pulls the story together with such grace and panache that it rises above its shortcomings. Not a great film by any means, Collateral is still a sharp, artistic, and deeply satisfying popcorn flick. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras on this double-disc set include audio commentary by director Michael Mann, a “City of Night” behind-the-scenes “making-of” documentary (41 min.), a two-minute deleted scene with commentary by Mann, the four-minute featurette “Tom Cruise & Jamie Foxx Rehearse,” the three-minute segment “Shooting on Location: Annie's Office,” the two-minute segment “Visual FX: MTA Train” (2 min.), a brief “Special Delivery” segment of Cruise getting in character, cast/filmmaker bios, text production notes, Easter eggs and trailers. Bottom line: a handsome extras package for 2004's best character-based thriller.] (R. Blackwelder)[Blu-ray Review—Mar. 30, 2010—Paramount, 120 min., R, $29.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 2004's Collateral sports a nice transfer with DTS-HD 5.1 sound. Blu-ray extras are nearly identical to those on the standard DVD release, including audio commentary by director Michael Mann, a “City of Night” behind-the-scenes featurette (41 min.), the featurette “Tom Cruise & Jamie Foxx Rehearse” (4 min.), a “Shooting on Location: Annie's Office” segment (3 min.), a deleted scene with commentary by Mann (2 min.), a “Visual FX: MTA Train” segment (2 min.), a brief “Special Delivery” segment of Cruise getting in character, and trailers. Bottom line: a fine Blu-ray debut for a solid thriller.]