I am a huge fan of the brilliant Michael Mann film Collateral released in 2004. Even though it's been 20 years since it was released, I still regularly find my inner cinephile hankering after this stone cold classic, or at the very least craving a wee read around the subject matter, perhaps open up the Wikipedia page or find a YouTube analysis of the film.
Why is Collateral so good?
As well as an unwavering sense of nostalgia that keeps me returning to this film, there's also a hypnotic je ne sais quoi about Collateral that keeps it fresh no matter how many times I revisit this work of art. Maybe it's that I was an impressionable young whippersnapper in the year 2006 when I first discovered Collateral, or the fact that Michael Mann were absolutely at the top of their game when they released said film. It's hard to pinpoint something so transcendental. Once you love a piece of art you become faithful to it's ethos.
Collateral is a film that is still relevant
One thing's for sure though, Collateral has stood the test of time and then some. It remains as powerful and relevant today as it did in 2004. And why wouldn't it? With phenomenal performances by Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx like that, it's no wonder people return to this film again and again. I can't imagine life without it John.
Michael Mann knocked it out the park
But it's not just the phenomenal performances by Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx that make this film great. It's the overall package. The beautiful nighttime cinematography of Los Angeles is a tour de force. The intense and suspenseful plot is integral, as is the realistic and gripping action scenes. And who can forget haunting and atmospheric soundtrack by James Newton Howard. When Michael Mann created this timeless classic, never mind the ball park, they knocked this one out of the solar system. This bad boy is in danger of bothering Voyager.
Has Collateral stood the test of time?
Of course, there are other films out there to be argued for. Harder, better, faster, stronger. Some might argue that Monsters is better than Collateral, or that Gareth Edwards is better than Michael Mann. They may well have a point. But for me, Collateral will always hold a special place in my heart. And 20 years tickling the meridian response does not lie.
Collateral in conclusion
To sum up, Collateral is a wonderful thing, a film of unrivalled quality. It's a film that has etched itself into the psyche, distributing untold tingles up the spine, hogging synapses and monopolising neurons that could otherwise be put to use appreciating more important, or perhaps more useful information. But no matter what life throws at me, I know I can always rely on Collateral to deliver the goods.