In this reviewer's humble opinion, Michael Mann is this generation's Francis Ford Coppola. With "Heat" and "The Insider", he proved what a tour-de-force in filmmaking he really was. With "Ali", he faltered slightly, but still managed to deliver a beautifully filmed motion picture. "Collateral" is unlike anything he has attempted before. Sure, the trademark character study is there, along with the trademark Michael Mann pacing, but everything else is as different as "Vanilla Sky" was to Cameron Crowe. How odd that both "Vanilla Sky" and "Collateral" star the hugely underrated Tom Cruise.

      This film does not open like the typical thriller. For the first few minutes we listen to a cab driver named Max (Jamie Foxx) and a prosecuting attorney named Annie (Jada Pinkett-Smith) go on and on about their lives -- what they're doing and what they want to do. We learn that Annie is nervous about an impending case and that Max has dreams of becoming something other than a cab driver. She leaves and in steps Vincent (Tom Cruise), a stylish, very pleasant gentleman who offers Max $600 to be his personal cab driver for the night. Unable to turn down that much money, Max accepts and takes Vincent to his first stop, an apartment building, where Vincent finishes his business by tossing a man off the top of the building on to the top of a vehicle. That's when things start to heat up. Vincent essentially takes Max hostage, forcing the cab driver to various stops during the duration of the night. You see, Vincent is a contract killer and his agenda is rather full.

      A majority of this film involves the dialogue between Cruise and Foxx. Vincent is a very loathsome human being, and he doesn't try and hide that fact -- he embraces it. We get to see what makes this killer tick, and we get to see how a normal person reacts in such a stressful situation. The dialogue seems directly out of something David Mamet might have written -- it is sharp, fresh, and some of the best character development I have seen in a long time at the cinemas. The chemistry between Cruise and Foxx is amazing, and I think this film is a testament to the talents of both of those actors, both of whom have been highly underrated in previous films. Just watch their facial expressions and eye movements throughout the film -- wow.

      Tom Cruise delivers his best role to date as Vincent. Sure, from the trailers, you don't see much of the performance, but believe me when I say that it certainly is there. The depth he gives to this character rivals anything you see from actors like Tom Hanks and Jim Carrey -- he brings life to this hitman. And, Jamie Foxx delivers the best performance of his career as a man caught in a very awkward and unexpected position. Furthermore, Jada Pinkett-Smith comes out of nowhere with a riveting performance -- you can certainly expect Oscar to come knocking at her door for this role. Every single performance is solid.

      Michael Mann has given audiences one of the best films of 2004, a possible Oscar contender for next year, and one of the most intriguing and well-crafted thrillers I have ever seen. It's amazing to see how this plot unfurls and how these characters continue to react with one another. I was skeptical from the trailers, but am proud to say that I more than thoroughly enjoyed "Collateral" and am almost positive that you will also.