There’s a lot of good in this movie. Cinematography, there’s a very nice shaky cam outside view of a vehicle, where a lot of this movie takes place, making the feel pedestrian, human. You don’t believe it’s Cruise or Foxx in the cab, but normal people in an extraordinary situation.

Acting, Foxx is inside of his character, as is Cruise. Usually I hate Cruise, but he put in fine work here. It’s among his best performances, and usually he’s wooden, not very relatable, and mouthing his lines. It’s like “Magnolia”, and like “Eyes Wide Shut”, where he’s a human, normal guy, he works. When his character can express motivation, he’s right on. As an action star, not so much.

The story is novel, you’re put into a position where you have to help someone kill or you’re going to be killed, what do you do?

There’s relation between all the characters, who are distinctive, and a connectedness, and surprising twists, which is not typical of the genre. The cop we get to know being abruptly killed is very cataclysmic in realization (see the cinematography again), and the relation between the girl in the opening scene and the conclusion is very well done. I wondered why they spent so much time developing, in the end I knew.

Very well written.

The soundtrack is by one of my favorite composers, James Newton Howard, and it really accentuates the action, especially the finale drums. Another great soundtrack from a guy I haven’t found off task yet.

There’s that scum of the Earth feel of “Taxi Driver”, along with the vengeance drive, and that random violence that can only end badly of “Falling Down”.

Not much wrong with this flick, save that it only appeals to one demographic, the semi-literate guy who likes a tense show. I raise my hand for that one.

The only real problem I have is the textbook, easy ending. Cruise gets shot by Foxx, and I don’t buy that. As Cruise points out, he’s a professional, he doesn’t miss shots, and Foxx, not three scenes back, couldn’t shoot out a pane of glass. Better the idea that Foxx just escapes, but I can forgive it. Cruise’s end is artfully done.

All in all, one of the best movies of this last year. I enjoyed it, and will be buying it as soon as it hits Hollywood’s cheap rack.

You won’t find Cruise this good again, I don’t think, and Foxx turns in his typical good performance. He’s one of the better actors in the business.

[   Link to Us   |   FAQ   |   Top^   ]
All written reviews material and content are a copyright of Felix Vasquez Jr. and Cinema Crazed.
Content borrowed without written permission will not be permitted.