Collateral Review

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!

Plot Summary: A taxi driver unknowingly picks up an assassin who is seeking out five targets in one night.

Review: I remember when this first came out, and I was thinking, "Tom Cruise as an old man killing people while riding in a taxi? No thanks." I eventually gave it a chance, and my early assumptions could not have been more wrong. This is an excellent thriller with engaging character banter between the two leads: Tom Cruise as Vincent and Jamie Foxx as Max. The two actors have great chemistry together that carries the entirety of the film. You feel as though Max and Vincent are both learning from one another as an almost, bizarre, friendship forms. There are also little details that make things fun such as when Vincent starts hitting Max after they crash toward the end; those nuances always win me over. The only major detractors to the film are the beyond contrived nature of the last target Vincent has to kill and a few other eye-roll moments.

The story follows Vincent arriving in LA as he's assigned to kill five targets connected to a trial. I still don't dig the old man-look on Mr. Cruise, but he still pulls it off only the way he can. Max, on the other hand, is a simple cab driver, yet, we see that Max has a lot of wasted potential and skills. The two cross paths after Max drops off a prosecutor that turns out to be that fifth target. This is, admittedly, the worst aspect to the film as we are to believe Max would not only pick up Vincent's last target, he would make a big enough impression with her to get her number, but also that this same taxi driver would pick up her assassin?! Come on, son. Anyway, Max is talked into helping Vincent whereby Max will take him to each location of the targets unknowing what Vincent plans to do with each one. Obviously it doesn't take long before the killings begin and Max gets caught up in the scheme.

Max represents a lot of people in that he had big dreams but settled into a routine and a life of mediocrity. His denial of this fact adds to his character development as he interacts with Vincent. Vincent, on the other hand, has a kind of philosophical approach to his killings. He doesn't really care about killing people since, to him, humans don't care about one another. The conversations the two characters have surprisingly get you thinking especially in regard to fake outrage from a random person being killed while ignoring mass murder around the world. Keep in mind, this is all delivered in the best of ways by Tommy-boy. With each kill, the two gain a better understanding of one another as Max is even saved a few times by Vincent. I know the one detective implies that perhaps another instance like this has happened, and Max may be set up to take the fall, but I just don't get that vibe from Vincent; I mean, Vincent might be the most polite killer there ever was. So, by the end, Max realizes the prosecutor is the last target and tries to save her as he's finally able to stand up to Vincent. The climax leads the three characters to a train chase with Max getting a lucky shot on Vincent with a gun he took from a cop. The ending is, again, kind of contrived as Vincent mentioned earlier about a person riding around for hours, dead, on a train with no one caring to notice. As such, Vincent's body is left to ride the train as well at the end.

This movie has you covered on a lot of bases: you have action, interesting characters, amusing banter, solid acting, and a strong story. There isn't much in the way of a big twist or final reveal, unless you count the identity of the fifth target, but you will be pleasantly satisfied with your experience. If you're a big fan of the main actors involved, this is a prime example of the range they're working with; Tommy-boy rarely lets me down. It's also a fantastic example of character chemistry and how to do it effectively. If you let this one slip through the cracks, due to the iffy nature of the trailer or characters, I'd recommend giving it a shot--it's a fun film that keeps you engaged from start to finish.

Notable Moment: When Vincent kills the "jazz man." It's somewhat of a surprise, and the small talk is amusing leading up to the kill.

Final Rating: 7.5/10