The Collateral

Last night I saw "The Collateral"(Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx). Fascinating movie. It's staged(is that the right word?) in L.A., and focuses on what seems to be another ordinary night shift of a cabbie with great dreams. Most of the movie is shot inside the cab, focussing on conversations and emotions of cabbie Max(Foxx) and his passenger(Cruise).
After dropping off a passenger to her office in west L.A., Max picks up who he's quite sure is a visitor to L.A., who is thouroughly unsatisfied being there. Vincent(Cruise) is running on a tight schedule to "meet some friends", and offers to hire Max after he proves he's more than the average cabbie - getting Vincent to his destination in exactly the time stated by him. Lured by the money - which is about twice what he earns in his night shift - Max takes Vincent to his "friends" house, where, parked in the alley, he recieves a nasty shock. As he munches his wrap, a body crashes on to the top of his taxi, and seconds later an unperturbed Vincent walks back to the cab. Now thoroughly shaken on realising his passenger is a professional hit-man, Max tries to escape, or to get Vincent caught in what is an action packed thriller.
Top-edge graphics render a real feel to the movie, and the shootout between the FBI,LAPD,and two rival gangs in the midst of a crowded night club is about the best scene from any movie since the Matrix. Jamie Foxx takes his charecter to a whole new level, making one believe the entire scnario from beginning to end. Another convincing performance from Tom Cruise, who commands with his physical prescence on the sets and brilliant facial expression, matched with the sharp actions makes Vincent come alive in one's imagination. A must see for any die-hard action fan.- 4 stars.