---
title: "Collateral"
year: 2004
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/collateral"
fi1m_id: "collateral"
imdb_id: "tt0369339"
tmdb_id: 1538
wikidata_id: "Q110203"
fi1m_score: 85
critics_score: 82
critics_reviews: 8
published: "2026-09-14"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:29.710642+00:00"
region: "PA"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Collateral (2004)

Directed by Michael Mann · 2h 00m · Drama, Crime, Thriller

## Identity

Collateral

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/collateral
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** collateral
- **IMDb ID:** tt0369339
- **TMDB ID:** 1538
- **Wikidata ID:** Q110203
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0369339/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1538, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q110203

**Fi1m score: 85** · Critics 82 from 8 reviews

*In a sentence:* Tom Cruise makes being trapped in a taxi with a talkative stranger considerably worse

> Michael Mann’s *Collateral* is a tense, absorbing thriller that gives Jamie Foxx as much room as Tom Cruise. The later action is more conventional, but the performances and night photography deserve the attention.

## Synopsis

Durocher (Jamie Foxx) drives a cab through Los Angeles at night. His passenger, Vincent (Tom Cruise), is a contract killer who takes him hostage, keeping Durocher behind the wheel as he travels between stops. Their journey becomes a prolonged conversation between men whose ideas about work, responsibility and other people have little in common. Durocher has to deal with a passenger who can turn a disagreement into a threat, while the city continues around them. Michael Mann directs this crime thriller, with Jada Pinkett Smith, Mark Ruffalo and Javier Bardem among the supporting cast.

## Review

*Collateral* is a tense, unusually absorbing thriller, and its chief advantage is the time it gives two men to talk. Michael Mann puts cab driver Durocher (Jamie Foxx) at the mercy of contract killer Vincent (Tom Cruise) during a night in Los Angeles. Stuart Beattie’s screenplay makes their conversation about work and responsibility as important as the journey between stops. The danger keeps changing how we hear what they say.

Cruise is persuasive because Vincent behaves as though being good at his job settles any question about doing it. His confidence makes even an apparently reasonable remark uncomfortable. We felt trapped during the cab conversations, because Durocher has to listen and answer a man who has taken away his freedom to leave. Cruise makes that enforced intimacy frightening without needing every sentence to sound like a threat.

Foxx gives the better performance, though it would be easy to miss how much he is doing while Cruise talks. Durocher’s caution makes sense: he is trying to work out what this passenger wants from him and how far he can safely disagree. Beattie gives the men enough to discuss that Durocher remains a participant in the conversation, even as a hostage. Foxx makes hesitation interesting, giving Durocher time to consider what an answer might cost him.

Dion Beebe and Paul Cameron’s digital night photography makes Los Angeles feel inhabited even when our attention is fixed on the cab. The city remains visible around the men, with enough architectural detail to keep it from becoming a vague collection of lights. That matters to the unease: Durocher is a hostage in a place where other lives are continuing. David Wasco’s production design makes the taxi convincing as a working space, cramped enough to make conversation feel compulsory.

Editors Paul Rubell and Jim Miller give the exchanges room, and their handling of the two performances keeps the talk from feeling like a pause between incidents. Attention to Durocher’s responses is crucial when Vincent has so much to say. António Pinto and James Newton Howard’s music helps sustain the threat, though the actors need little assistance inside the taxi. The pacing is controlled enough that we remain engaged through the film’s 120 minutes.

The limitation comes when Mann and Beattie push towards more conventional thriller business. The later plotting is less persuasive than the early exchanges, and the action gives the film fewer opportunities to examine either man. We are still involved, but some of the particular discomfort of sitting in that cab has gone. Among the crime genre’s many dangerous professionals, Vincent is worth spending time with because Mann allows someone else to question his account of himself.

Give it an evening when there is room to pay attention to faces as well as threats. This is a thriller that benefits from watching closely, particularly when there appears to be little happening beyond a conversation. Keep an eye on Foxx while Cruise is speaking.

*Fi1m score 85, published 14 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics regard Collateral as a tightly controlled thriller whose interest extends beyond the mechanics of a hostage plot. Praise centres on Michael Mann’s direction, the digital night photography of Los Angeles, and the exchanges between Tom Cruise’s contract killer and Jamie Foxx’s cab driver. The reviews repeatedly single out Foxx’s dramatic performance and Cruise’s casting against type. For many, the conversations in the cab give the violence weight, bringing questions of work, responsibility and choice into a familiar crime story.

Reservations cluster around the final act, where several critics find the plotting more conventional and the action less distinctive than the earlier encounters. The spread runs from enthusiastic approval to a smaller, distinctly cooler minority. Evening Standard questions both the premise and Cruise’s menace, while Slant Magazine finds insufficient psychological depth and an excessive running time; even these reviews acknowledge the strength of the images.

## Straight answers

**Is Collateral worth watching?**

*Collateral* is worth watching for anyone who wants a thriller built on conversation rather than incident, and we scored it 85. Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx spend most of the night talking in a taxi, and the tension comes from what Foxx can safely say back. The later stretches turn into more conventional thriller business, which is the one reservation.

**How long is Collateral, and what is it rated?**

*Collateral* runs 2h 00m. It is a drama and crime film.

**Where can I watch Collateral in Panama?**

*Collateral* is not on any streaming or rental service in Panama at the moment. It is available in 42 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is Collateral, and is it suitable for children?**

*Collateral* is a 15 in the UK and R in the US, a crime thriller about a contract killer holding a cab driver hostage, and it is not for children. Much of its threat is spoken rather than shown, but the certificate signals violence and adult material throughout. Older teenagers who can sit with sustained menace should be fine.

**How does Collateral compare to Locke?**

*Collateral* is a crime thriller with a hostage and a killer; [*Locke*](https://film.one/film/locke) confines Tom Hardy alone in a car with only telephone calls for company. Mann's film has two performers to watch and a city around them, and its danger is physical, while Locke's crises are domestic and professional. Collateral is the more absorbing of the two; Locke suits viewers who prefer a single performance and no gunfire.

**What should I watch after Collateral?**

After *Collateral*, try [*Le Samouraï*](https://film.one/film/le-samourai) (1967, Fi1m 88): A hired killer’s routine receives the same patient, unnerving attention. Then [*Locke*](https://film.one/film/locke) (2013, Fi1m 82): One car, difficult conversations, and an actor who makes listening count.

### Reviews we read (16)

- **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (4/4): The film is a strong character study built around a long conversation between a contract killer and his cab driver hostage, deepened by specific details and convincing supporting scenes at each stop. Performances, especially Jamie Foxx's dramatic lead turn, elevate it beyond standard thriller conventions. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/collateral-2004)
- **Time Out**, GA (90/100, inferred): The film is a taut, tight, bluesy urban noir with crafted dialogue, excellent acting, and an existential riff on Mann's themes of professionalism and responsibility. It is as intelligent, engrossing and exciting as expected from the maker of Thief and Heat. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/collateral)
- **The New Yorker**, David Denby (85/100, inferred): Collateral is the best of the summer's big thrillers, beautifully made with the largest human significance among them and clockwork precision that still breathes. Mann excels at intricate character moments amid the violence, particularly in the bond between the killer and the taxi driver. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/08/09/thrilled-to-death)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (80/100, inferred): The film peers deeply into the physical and moral darkness of Los Angeles at night through the story of a cab driver held by a hit man. Mann's direction and the lead performances create a sharp, exciting thriller that examines driven outsiders swallowed by their professions. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-aug-06-et-turan6-story.html)
- **Radio Times**, Adam Smith (4/5): Cruise is well cast against type and surprisingly effective as the killer, but it is Mann's astonishing style that really marks the film out, with night-time LA looking moody, surreal and dangerous. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-3x9mfm/collateral/)
- **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (80/100, inferred): Mann uses the thriller genre as a way into meaning, turning the story of a hit man and cab driver into a road movie and valentine to nighttime Los Angeles rather than a standard Hollywood blowout. The film hinges on the intersection of fate and choice between two radically different souls. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/06/movies/film-review-killer-in-a-cab-doing-his-job.html)
- **Screen Daily** (70/100, inferred): An intriguing noir thriller with an arresting digital video look that returns Mann to the crime genre; it never achieves the intensity of Heat and turns too generic in its action-oriented final act, but stands out as one of the summer's tastier Hollywood offerings. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/collateral/4019577.article)
- **The AV Club**, Nathan Rabin (70/100, inferred): The film works best as a low-key, self-contained thriller focused on two men in one cab over a single night in Los Angeles, with strong performances from Foxx and Cruise. It falters with a hacky twist and subplot at the end but remains atmospheric and engaging overall. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/collateral-1798199923)
- **Empire**, Colin Kennedy: The critic hails Collateral as Mann's movie through and through, with strong against-type turns from Cruise and Foxx and innovative digital-video night photography that creates a new kind of noir. It notes some conventional plotting in the final act but calls the cab-bound sections masterful. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/collateral-review/)
- **Evening Standard**, Will Self: The review finds Collateral visually striking thanks to its digital night photography of Los Angeles but faults the premise and Cruise's performance for lacking sufficient malevolence. It notes the film's reliance on cars, chords and coincidences. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/toms-too-good-7382273.html)
- **Slant Magazine**: The film is a constricted chamber piece that fails to deliver the expected epic or psychological heft from a Mann-Cruise pairing. It offers some tense encounters and strong visuals but ultimately feels like routine business that runs too long. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/collateral/)
- **The Guardian**, Philip French: The critic calls Collateral as good a thriller as we're likely to see this year, praising its inventive, well-paced narration and neo-noir qualities in the league of classics like Heat and Le Samouraï. He singles out the expert handling of the tense night-time LA setting and the strong central performances. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2004/sep/19/philipfrench)
- **The Independent**: The critic calls the film terrific and an effective return to Mann's familiar LA milieu after Ali. The standout element is the cinematography, which renders night-time Los Angeles with architectural precision and noirish menace. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/collateral-15-546531.html)
- **The Times**, Edward Porter (3 stars): The critic finds Collateral enjoyable for its cinematic verve and strong performances, particularly Cruise as a convincing sociopath and Foxx as the cabbie, but notes that the plot goes from generic to plain weak in the end. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/north-america-travel/us-travel/california/film-damage-imitation-qsvpfxpqxqp)
- **Total Film**: The review describes the film as streamlined and potentially superficial on the surface but praises Mann for executing it flawlessly and elevating it beyond a standard Hollywood thriller through atmosphere, performances and set-pieces. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/collateral-review/)
- **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray: The critic finds the film gripping and thrilling, crediting Michael Mann's masterful direction and visual style for elevating a familiar premise. Cruise and Foxx deliver standout performances that anchor the tense, character-driven action. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/collateral-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)

## Details

- **Director:** Michael Mann
- **Director:** Michael Mann
- **Writer:** Stuart Beattie
- **Cinematography:** Dion Beebe, Paul Cameron
- **Editor:** Paul Rubell, Jim Miller
- **Music:** António Pinto, James Newton Howard
- **Production design:** David Wasco
- **Producer:** Julie Richardson, Michael Mann
- **Cast:** Tom Cruise as Vincent; Jamie Foxx as Max Durocher; Jada Pinkett Smith as Annie Farrell; Mark Ruffalo as Det. Ray Fanning; Peter Berg as Richard Weidner; Javier Bardem as Felix Reyes-Torrena; Bruce McGill as Frank Pedrosa; Klea Scott as Zee
- **Runtime:** 2h 00m
- **Release (Panama):** 20 August 2004
- **Genres:** Drama, Crime, Thriller
- **Budget:** $65 million
- **Box office:** $220 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JDf2zIFgO8

## Where to watch in Panama

Not streaming, renting or buying in Panama at the last check.

Also available in: AE, AT, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, TR, UA, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2005: Best Film Editing (nominated); Best Supporting Actor (nominated)
- BAFTA Film Awards 2005: Best Actor in a Supporting Role (nominated); Best Direction (nominated); Best Editing (nominated); Best Original Screenplay (nominated); Best Sound (nominated)
- BET Award for Best Actor & Actress 2005: BET Award for Best Actor & Actress (won)
- Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actor 2005: Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actor (won)
- MTV Movie Award for Best Villain 2005: MTV Movie Award for Best Villain (nominated)
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture 2005: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture (nominated)
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture 2005: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture (nominated)
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture 2005: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture (nominated)
- Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Cinematography 2005: Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Cinematography (nominated)
- Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor 2005: Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor (nominated)
- SAG Awards 2005: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role (nominated)
- Satellite Award for Best Editing 2005: Satellite Award for Best Editing (won)
- Satellite Award for Best Original Screenplay 2005: Satellite Award for Best Original Screenplay (nominated)
- Satellite Award for Best Sound 2005: Satellite Award for Best Sound (won)
- Satellite Award for Best Visual Effects 2005: Satellite Award for Best Visual Effects (nominated)
- Teen Choice Award for Best Villain 2005: Teen Choice Award for Best Villain (nominated)
- American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases 2004: American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases (nominated)
- Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Film 2004: Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Film (nominated)
- Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor 2004: Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor (nominated)
- Golden Globes 2004: Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (nominated)
- National Board of Review Award for Best Director 2004: National Board of Review Award for Best Director (won)
- National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor 2004: National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor (won)
- National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography 2004: National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography (nominated)
- Saturn Awards 2004: Best Action or Adventure Film (nominated); Best Actor (nominated); Best Director (nominated); Best Writing (nominated)
- Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor 2004: Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor (won)

## If you liked this

- *The Driver* (1978): Another nocturnal crime film where driving is a profession worth watching.
- *Le Samouraï* (1967), Fi1m 88: A hired killer’s routine receives the same patient, unnerving attention. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/le-samourai.md)
- *A Taxi Driver* (2017): A cab driver is pulled into danger, with a warmer central performance.
- *The Taking of Pelham One Two Three* (1974): Professionals negotiate an urban hostage crisis with tension and welcome dry humour.
- *Locke* (2013), Fi1m 82: One car, difficult conversations, and an actor who makes listening count. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/locke.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/collateral