Michael Mann has always tended to favor realism in his projects, and that extends to the deafening rattle of gunfire that’s defined his many acclaimed action thrillers. Collateral might be the best, though, thanks largely in part to Tom Cruise making a rare detour into villainous territory to give a chilling performance as ice-cold hitman Vincent.
It was Jamie Foxx who landed an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, a decision that led many to cry foul at Cruise being overlooked, especially when Foxx would go on to land the Best Actor trophy anyway for his turn in Ray. Either way, Collateral is a modern classic of the fast-paced and frenetic subgenre revolving around dark knights and gunfights, with streaming subscribers in steadfast agreement.
As per FlixPatrol, Mann’s street-level jaunt through the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles has charted on the global most-watched rankings of both Google Play Movies and iTunes this week, with viewers eager to submerge themselves in a shady world full of cash drops, double-crossed, dead bodies, and government oversight.
Foxx and Cruise make for an unexpectedly agreeable double act as the helpless cabbie and his murderous new passenger, creating an edge of the seat thrill ride that hooks you from the second Vincent hails his new driver, and refuses to let go until the credits come up at the end of a breathless third act.
Mann once said that John Wick doesn’t have sh*t on Tom Cruise, and after watching him mow down reams of hapless enemies, you’ll completely understand the sentiment.