kenjisan

Movie Review: Collateral

Broad sweeping statement: there are good movies, bad movies, and bad movies that could have been good movies. Collateral was of the third vein.

In fact, for the first 3/4 of the movie, I couldn't figure out why it got so much negative criticism. It was edgy, original; Tom Cruise and Jamie Fox (especially Jamie Fox) had exceptional performances; the characters felt real (despite their very unreal situation); and, for the most part, the movie avoided too many cliches that many crime dramas stumble into. Boy did that change.

I remember watching A.I. and noting how clear the divide was between Kubrick and Spielberg. This movie achieved that feeling of schizophrenia without the benefit of two directors.

/clap

It was as though the movie was hijacked by Hollywood and whoever directed the latest Terminator movie. Cyndi, Jess, and I noticed it before we actually realized it. At some point, we went from the quiet, attentive audience that mills about any captivating drama to the questioning, jeering crowd of a cheesy Hollywood blockbuster. We began to question little plot holes, mini-conflicts, and the uncharacteristic behavior designed for a thrill more than story advancement. You know, all the conventions of a bad movie (see above).

So there you have it. Collateral ranks up there with the tragic ones: Unbreakable, The Last Samurai, Episodes I and II. You know, the ones that could have, should have, but didn't.