Collateral 4K Blu-ray Review & Comments

Casimir Harlow

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I’d completely forgotten about this top class film.

It’s on my list to watch now
 
Absolute classic, I even like the score at the end. I described this and Miami Vice as “films for grown-ups”, not everything is laid out in exposition, silences tell you more than anything.

The scene in the jazz club has got to be one the most unnerving in modern cinema, the shift in tone gives you whiplash.
 
Really likes this film and Michael Mann films in general (I even enjoyed Miami Vice and Blackhat). Hopefully we get Heat, Last of the Mohicans and The Insider on 4k disc at some stage.

Thanks for the review - will keep an eye out for a copy. Although not sure what's wrong with the ending soundtrack...I thought the music (assuming that's what you mean?) was fine
 
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I find Mann to be Marmite in that I either love or loathe his films

Love these, some of my favourite movies.

Collateral
Last of The Mohicans
Heat
Manhunter
The Insider

Terrible movies IMO, I can't believe Mann made them.

Blackhat
Miami Vice
Public Enemies



Sidenote - Watching LA Takedown it's hilarious to see how much of a difference a decent budget and real actors make. It's terrible, yet it's almost shot for shot the same as Heat.
 
Thanks Cas!
Had to get this on release after checking initial feedback that it was at least a modest improvement; not more to be be expected given the source. Haven’t watched it yet, but you’ve confirmed I made the right choice.:smashin:
 
Great review. I got the UHD on release as I absolutely love this film and thought the upgrade was well justified. I love the grittiness and the way it was shot. For fans of the film and those who will appreciate its not going to look like Tenet it’s an easy upgrade choice.
 
Thanks Cas, excellent review and certainly one film I remember vividly watching at the cinema. We got a phone call that My ex-father in-law had taken a turn for the worse halfway through the screening 😔

Not sure I’ll upgrade, although sounds like it has an uptick in both audio and visuals.

I must confess, I’ve never seen Rob Roy, it’s been sitting in my collection for ages......you’ve motivated me to finally watch it!!
 
Really likes this film and Michael Mann films in general (I even enjoyed Miami Vice and Blackhat). Hopefully we get Heat, Last of the Mohicans and The Insider on 4k disc at some stage.

Thanks for the review - will keep an eye out for a copy. Although not sure what's wrong with the ending soundtrack...I thought the music (assuming that's what you mean?) was fine

The only noticeable scoring is for
the Terminator bit, and it gets a bit generic, complete with jump scares and 'back-from-the-dead' moments aplenty, including Cruise's bloodied face suddenly popping up at windows and the like.

Once the final shots are fired, the score is back to its usual reserved self and all is good.

Mann had the whole film scored, but scrapped the scoring. Which I find particularly telling.

The only bit he kept was for the chase, and I felt it a) was at odds with the rest of the film and b) got a bit OTT to reflect the OTT events.
 
I find Mann to be Marmite in that I either love or loathe his films

Love these, some of my favourite movies.

Collateral
Last of The Mohicans
Heat
Manhunter
The Insider

Terrible movies IMO, I can't believe Mann made them.

Blackhat
Miami Vice
Public Enemies

I almost agree but love Miami Vice. I watched Blackhat recently and it wasn't as bad as I remember it being. Still can't bring myself to watch Public Enemies despite buying it on Blu-ray about 10 years ago.
 
Thanks for the review, will visit this old friend again. I've always loved Manns on the shoulder camera style. While I loved Heat, its Crowes performance in The Insider that gets my vote for fav Mann film.

I'm hoping Collaterals taxi paint shines in DV, one thing that bizarrely stuck in my head from the extras 15 years ago was the taxi had a ridiculous number of coats of paint to get that shine...:)
 
I do love a Michael Mann movie (with one or 2 exceptions).

Top of my list...
Heat
The Keep
Manhunter
 
Collateral is quite possibly my favourite Cruise performance and shows his capabilities beneath the previous, shit eating grin, veneer.

“Cruise nails the clinical shooting required of him (reportedly his quick-draw tactics were so fast that they ended up being used as demos for law enforcement divisions), as well as the unwavering sense of purpose - almost devoid of emotion, coupled with some intense wild abandon, going properly psychotic.”

I love the cold, matter of fact-ness of Vincent. Cruise would have actually made a decent alternative to Arnie as the terminator (on the strength of this showing). Vincent has the weapons expertise, terrifyingly passive demeanour and he never gives up.
 
I find Mann to be Marmite in that I either love or loathe his films

Love these, some of my favourite movies.

Collateral
Last of The Mohicans
Heat
Manhunter
The Insider

Terrible movies IMO, I can't believe Mann made them.

Blackhat
Miami Vice
Public Enemies



Sidenote - Watching LA Takedown it's hilarious to see how much of a difference a decent budget and real actors make. It's terrible, yet it's almost shot for shot the same as Heat.

I too love Miami Vice. I think the first time I saw it, the fact it started (and arguably ended) in media res annoyed the hell out of me, but I grew to appreciate Mann's attempt to basically bring an episode to Big Screen life. Plus the soundtrack is killer, and the performances / chemistry perfect (Foxx/Farrell, Farrell/Li, Foxx/Harris).
 
Collateral is quite possibly my favourite Cruise performance and shows his capabilities beneath the previous, sh*t eating grin, veneer.

I also loved his performance in "Interview with the Vampire".

I thought the film was very average but Cruise is just the right mix of charming and cruel.
 
Another film that was a hit with me. Tom as a baddy no less.

Shame no atmos upgrade as it might have pushed me to add to the collection. Not sure if it's worth it just for extra pixels, never say never but more likely when it's on offer some time.
 
I also loved his performance in "Interview with the Vampire".

I thought the film was very average but Cruise is just the right mix of charming and cruel.

Oooh yeah, I think he nailed 'Vampire too. Throughout I wanted him to get the upper hand on Pitt (I think he calls him out at several points for his 'whining').

It certainly would have been cool if he'd taken a few more anti-hero roles.
 
Oooh yeah, I think he nailed 'Vampire too. Throughout I wanted him to get the upper hand on Pitt (I think he calls him out at several points for his 'whining').

It certainly would have been cool if he'd taken a few more anti-hero roles.

He‘s actually done a fair share of straying from the all American hero persona, especially since 2000. There was of course Frank Mackey in Magnolia. He’s a playboy asshole in Vanilla Sky, a terrible father in WOTW and a cowardly douchebag in Edge of Tomorrow (granted, usually he’s changed by the end).
 
He‘s actually done a fair share of straying from the all American hero persona, especially since 2000. There was of course Frank Mackey in Magnolia. He’s a playboy asshole in Vanilla Sky, a terrible father in WOTW and a cowardly douchebag in Edge of Tomorrow (granted, usually he’s changed by the end).

Yup yup, agree on Vanilla Sky and Edge of Tomorrow - the former has grown on me over the years, and the latter really helped distinguish it from the usual fare. Even American Made is a dark twist on the all-American persona. And yes Magnolia's a striking cameo.

I guess I'm thinking less 'flawed' and more full on anti-hero though, possibly bordering on an outright villain.
 
American made was great fun too (Cruise)
Edit: posted same time Cas :)
 
Thinking about it some more, maybe it's more to do with him being threatening as well, rather than just an asshole.

Collateral he absolutely nailed that. You really believed he'd shoot them all just to get the job done and get away clean. The driver. The cops. The people in the club. Anybody.

"You don't have enough trunk space."
 
Cruise is great. He takes every role seriously and always gives it all he’s got. Doesn’t always get it right of course and he’s had some stinkers but he’s clearly not there for just the pay check like certain others.
 

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