Collateralmay be 20 years old, but it’s racing back into the cultural conversation with the kind of energy that would make Vincent proud. TheMichael Mann-directed crime thriller starringTom CruiseandJamie Foxxis surging on Netflix’s global charts, according to FlixPatrol, climbing in popularity in the wake of Cruise’s performance inMission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning.
If you’ve somehow missedCollateral, now is the time. The film, which earned a stellar86% critics scoreand84% audience scoreonRotten Tomatoes, remains one of the sharpest and sleekest neo-noirs of the 21st century. Cruise plays against type as Vincent, a cold, calculating hitman who forces a reluctant cab driver named Max (played by an Oscar-nominated Foxx) to drive him around Los Angeles for a night of contract killings. Not our idea of a good time, but each to their own.
Mann’s decision to shoot the film digitally gaveCollateralits signature neon-noir look, capturing L.A. in a way that few movies have before or since.The 20th anniversary 4K UHD release(which was released back in December 2024) did a magnificent job of showing the film in all its terrifying nighttime beauty, with special features including deleted scenes, documentaries, and an in-depth audio commentary. And we could listen to Mann talk for hours about making movies, let’s be real here.
The film also featuresMark Ruffalo,Javier Bardem,Jada Pinkett Smith, and a brief but brilliant turn fromPeter Berg. But wait, we mentioned someone else in the headline, didn’t we? What about the Stath?
What Is Jason Statham’s Role in ‘Collateral’?
For years,Collateraldie-hards have insisted that the man who handsVincent his briefcasein the film’s opening scene looks suspiciously likeThe Transporter’s Frank Martin. That’s because… well, it is —Jason Stathamappears uncredited as “Airport Man.” And in 2022,CollateralscreenwriterStuart Beattieconfirmed it’s no accident.
“Absolutely Frank Martin ofTransporter.I asked Jason about that… Yeah, absolutely. Yes, it’s canon. Same world… the studio will never admit to that, but in my head, absolutely it’s him.”
That turnsCollateralinto an unofficial crossover movie, which is fitting, considering the film’s slick aesthetic and the high-concept premise already feels pulled from a comic book universe, so why wouldn’t it be crossing over?
Collateralis streaming on Netflix in select territories and on Paramount+ in the United States. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on Tom Cruise and Jason Statham.
Collateral
Source:Flix Patrol
