Collateral (Michael Mann, 2004): USA

Reviewed by Paul Montoya. Viewed on DVD.

Collateral: Max’s Forced Adaptation

Collateral was directed by the veteran director Michael Mann who, as in many of his films, relied heavily on the depth of the characters to propel the dramatic action throughout the film. Detailed and precise development of the characters was crucial to the success of the story. This film has much to do with the theme of adaptation and a praise of a survival of the fittest mentality. A good use of cinematography, composition, and a focus on acting allow for a deeper emotional and psychological impact on the audience. This film is a fictional narrative that would classify under the class of dramatic thriller. Mann chose to base this drama in the nighttime streets of Los Angeles and was shot on location. The film qualifies itself to be an action film despite the fact that much of this film is not about action but rather is about dramatic action and dialogue. This film relies heavily on the characterizations of the protagonists and how they affect each other for the duration of the narrative. The scene appropriately titled, Max Rebels, reinforces the theme of adaptation through an appropriate use of composition, lighting, acting, editing, mise-en-scene, and sound. The scenes leading up to this one converge into one moment where Max finally realizes that his life is getting nowhere, he is out of touch with reality, and that he must make a change and assert himself by standing up for himself. This scene shows Max’s progression from realizing his meek existence is pathetic, to him defying Vincent and crashing the car as a means of escaping.

Collateral (Michael Mann, 2004) was a film that dealt with the theme of adaptation and a Darwinist mentality where the weak are prey to the strong. One scene in particular was extremely important as it was the turning point in the story as the character Max transformed and adapted to his situation and fled his weak-minded style of living for the seize the day mentality. This scene is appropriately titled Max Rebels to indicate a shift in the plot’s direction. Max’s sudden change in mentality is fueled by his situation and his conversations with Vincent about his life and the method he leads it.

After a violent shoot out with the Los Angeles city cops, Max is almost rescued but is stopped and forced to go with Vincent and help him proceed with his job. Max and Vincent argue during the car ride. Vincent is constantly watching for cops and is always thinking about the job. Max questions why he is still alive and sparks Vincent to angrily point out why Max is in the situation he is in now. Vincent helps Max to realize that he is timid and is in this situation because he lets himself fall into these situations and does not act on his thoughts. Max has many aspirations and dreams; starting his own business, starting a family, and most likely many more. While being a hostage and being exposed to the lifestyle that Max wants through Vincent, although extremely exaggerated, Max is prompted to change. However over the top Vincent’s attitude may be, this gross exaggeration is what is needed to truly expose itself to Max and catalyze the adaptation and transformation.

Max and Vincent are confined within the private chamber of a taxi for extensive isolated instances of dramatic conversation and interaction between the two (Sarris). Within the confines of the taxi, exchanges of inner thoughts, philosophy, and ideologies fill the cabin.

While Max drives to the next location for Vincent’s next hit, Vincent’s words prompt Max’s transformation. Max now then increases the speed of the vehicle, and begins to worry Vincent. Vincent demands that Max slow down the taxi and listen to him. Max refuses to slow down and listen even when held up at gun point; Max even gains the courage to taunt him by questioning Vincent’s logic of killing him. As this chaos is taking place, Max thanks Vincent for helping him realize that his life was meaningless existence and that he was never going to achieve his dreams and aspirations if he continued to live life the way he has been his whole life; in fear.

The method in which Max takes action to renew him in life is attempting to escape from Vincent’s control. Max then speeds the vehicle into a concrete construction area barrier. This action then sends the car flying through the air. Vincent runs off into the streets when he hears sirens; in fear. Max is left to face the cop but then finds out that Vincent’s next hit is the female lawyer that he met earlier. He restrains the cop and runs off to save her with the cop’s pistol.

Editing:
The overall editing in this particular scene incorporates a certain rhythm to both keep up with the growing tension between the two characters but yet also makes timely edits to allow for the audience to understand Max’s realization and witness the transformation taking place before their eyes in real time.

Cinematography:
Mann chose a unique choice of camera format for a film of this magnitude. Mann did not do so as an economic choice rather he did so as an aesthetic choice in order to capture a unique look of the nighttime streets of Los Angeles; the dark streets [are] both inviting and dangerous at the same time (Film & Felt). Mann sought to capture the varying nighttime environments, moods, and cultures in downtown Los Angeles by using available light. This type of Camera format helps to contrast the differences between light and dark areas; this as an idea also translates into a theme of the film that within all the dangerous environments in Los Angeles there exist pools and patches of light and optimism. In order to capture this effect Mann had to use digital video to capture in low light settings. During the scene of Max’s Rebellion the light from the street lights, as they drive down the streets of Los Angeles, seems to pool in certain spots and works to symbolize the contrast in the differing areas in a metropolitan city such as Los Angeles; the streets are “inviting [yet] dangerous (Film & Felt). Gleams of light flood the camera and actors to emphasize dramatic dialogue and the key shifts in the dramatic moods that take place. Aesthetically these choices in lighting reveal the natural,”seamy, surreal nighttime landscape that is Los Angeles” (Wolski).

A progression toward Max being shown from eye level and with Vincent in frame as sort of the entity on his shoulder, provoking conscious thought for a change. Then as Max’s assertive realization takes place the camera leaves out Max and moves toward a Low angle in order to show Max ceasing to be weak minded. Also as the tension within the scene increased the looseness of the camera increased as well to explicitly apply to the car’s movement; implicitly the movement mimed the psychological states of the characters, and symbolized them being shaken into new ideology and a new way of living.

Another cinematographic element of this scene was the employment of various close-up shots. Before Max’s realization the shot is a CU of Max in the foreground and we see a CU out of focus in the background of Vincent framed by the structure of the taxi. As Max contemplates and undergoes his transformation the CU moves in for a tighter more facial expressive depiction of the character’s thoughts and mentality. This type of punch in CU was also used with Vincent as Max shared his thoughts of him to portray Vincent’s contemplation and absorption of Max’s words of observation.

Acting:
Vincent is a cold contract killer that has a spontaneous behavior and acts as a man who is interested in carpe diem. Vincent displays the facade of a business man type individual; however, this facade is used to mask his true occupation of a killer. Max is timid dreamer type that lives in disillusionment. He has many aspirations and dreams but seizes to act on them. In this scene the acting is crucial for the audience to invest in the characters and to understand the changes and realizations they undergo. Facial acting between Max and Vincent are what portray the contemplations and transformations of each character’s. The major theme in Collateral is Adaptation and this scene is a pivotal one where the characters adapt to their environments; thus reinforce the assertion of this theme.

Sound:
The sound design in this particular scene has a diegetic element (ambient sound) as well as a non-diegetic element (music). These two elements work to create a pretentious exhibition of the theme of adaptation. In the early part of the scene the two pass by emergency vehicles with blaring sirens and hear the distant chopping of helicopter blades in the sky above. These ambient sounds contrast the from the quiet calm car ride after they leave the previous scene; this mirrors the portrayal of the different aspects of nighttime Los Angeles. As they come into their new enlightenments and adapt their mentality to their situations the music shifts from a melodic dreamscape tone, one that reinforces the impact their exchange of detailed, brutally honest character analyzations. After Max realizes change must be made and he must adapt to his situation, the music shifts to a smooth rock song with very stylized strong vocals that reinforce Max’s new attitude and more assertive lifestyle.

Mise-en-scene:
All of these elements; sound, cinematography, acting, and editing, comprise the scene’s Mise-en-scene and work to create the environment in which the dramatic action occurs. This highly stylized cinematography (for a film of this magnitude) works with the other elements to create a sense that the streets are surreal and can be both unforgiving and alluring. This idea creates the need to adapt in environments either they be treacherous or welcoming. The sound, editing, and composition from shot to shot represents the need to adapt and each element works to reinforce this theme from realization to action. The thought process is shown through the excellent practice of appropriate facial acting and body language. Each shot depicts the various mental and psychological stages that the characters undergo through careful thought into shot composition, sound design, cinematography, lighting, acting, and editing.

Each shot has its own merit in this scene but when put together create an overall intimate tone that lets the audience in on the stream of consciousness of the characters as they adapt and transform their mentality. The individual shots in this scene depict the stages of the scene and the mental state of the character through composition, lighting, acting, and sound design.

A clear use of close up and altering the amount of space in front of the character and around (nose and head room) depicted the mental and psychological state that the characters are in. Shot in this scene when Vincent began to become uncomfortable with Max Vincent would be shown with a tighter CU and less nose and head room within the frame to depict an uneasy feeling. Improper head and nose room is unnatural in the film world thus creates a sense of apprehension. Reaction shots of the characters let viewer see the facial expression, physical gestures, and posture of the character to infer an interpretation of characterization. Max is revealed in this manner as a changed person with a new outlook on life; he takes the less exaggerated characteristics from Vincent’s ‘seize-the-day’ personality. Meaning is taken from this scene in many ways including acting, editing, sound design, cinematography, lighting, and framing composition. Tension is created through editing, acting propels the character change, Sound design reinforces the transformation of character, and the cinematography and mise-en-scene from shot to shot add gestures toward a shift in tension, mood, and character. All of these elements reveal that the characters do go through a transformation that seem to borrow from each other in a dramatic and suspenseful manner.

Scene Form:
Max’s Rebellion is a scene that reinforces the theme of adaptation by showing Max’s transformation from a timid disillusioned cab driver to a brave assertive individual under the circumstances that Vincent has put him through. Throughout the film there are instances of this theme; such as the scene where Max plays the role of Vincent in order to get the hit list from the client. This is situation that Max would otherwise not be, but Vincent forces Max to adapt to his surroundings and environment. Another scene that focuses the theme of adaptation is when the two stop in the road in the taxi to be mesmerized by the passing coyotes. These wild animals are seen in the metropolitan city of Los Angeles, which is very different form their natural habitat, and have been forced to adapt to life in the city. All of these scenes foreshadow that Max will adapt to his situation and lead up to the dramatic shift in character in the scene of Max’s Rebellion. All of the scenes funnel own to this moment where Max finalizes his adaptation and prompts a change of his outlook on life. In this film Max is continually propelled into many different situations and forced to adapt and survive. From the moment he meets Vincent, Max progresses to a new mentality up until this scene of his rebellion and has completed his transformation.

Relationship between Scene and Film:
This particular scene is important for the reason that it is a summation of adaptation in other scenes. Several scenes where Max is forced to adapt under specific circumstances lead up to Max’s rebellion against Vincent. Aural manipulations of non-diegetic sound reinforce Max’s realization through changes in musical moods and help focus our attention. Max gave away his postcard of his getaway to a female earlier; Max now has nowhere to escape to as he would do when things got heavy before meeting Vincent. Now Max cannot escape therefore he must adapt. The taxi cab is home to several similar intimate conversations between Max and Vincent. These conversations are what propel the scene that Max must change. This film has a unified ending in being that Max has changed to be more assertive and adaptable in his environment. In environments like Max people are either weak or strong. The more assertive and strong will always adapt and lead better more fulfilling lives than those like Max was; weak minded and hesitant. This principle directly follows Darwinist ideals and the idea of the world is about a survival of the fittest; without adaptation one will not survive. Max not only frees himself from Vincent but saves the female lawyer and gets the female he previously hesitated to approach. This scene embodies the form of the film and reinforces the film’s overall theme.

Narrative:
Collateral encounters a man’s need for change and this scene is the moment where Max changes into the person he wants to and needs to be if he ever wants to be truly happy and not just happy with a false escape from reality. This film does follow a three act structure where we are introduced to Max and his world. Max then finds a need to adapt when he finds out who Vincent is and of his plans. The next act goes onto build an intimate look at the characters, and eventually the circumstances put in front of Max force him to adapt by rebelling against Vincent. Finally ending in Max escaping from Vincent and saving Annie Farrell, the female lawyer he was afraid to approach earlier.

Binary oppositions are prevalent in this film in being that Max and Vincent are opposite to each other and the nighttime city in Los Angeles is both treacherous and welcoming. Vincent seems to be the more powerful character in this film and Max as the weaker. Max, in order to survive in the face of Vincent, must adapt and overcome his situation. This story follow the traditional Hollywood narrative structure in being that Max attains his goals, has difficulty in resolving his problems and attaining his goals. Max is confronted with conflicting goals of Vincent. Vincent wishes to take advantage of people like Max. Every scene is vital and progresses the narrative forward. Lastly the conflicts are resolved by Max escaping and killing Vincent. Vincent is left on the train; and from an earlier comment made by Vincent, an attentive viewer will wonder if the city will notice or care if he is there. This scene is the result of Max’s need to change and is the second turning point that begins the resolution after Max has transformed from timid and hesitant, to an assertive and audacious individual.

Conclusion:
Collateral as a whole deals with the theme of adaptation and a having survivalist mentality. This scene contributes to the film and its theme in being that it illustrates Max’s transformation from a timid, apprehensive, and, hopeful cab driver to overcoming his captor and accepting the idea behind carpe diem. There are several scenes in this film that highlight this theme and point to This scene is important for analysis because in order to understand Max’s transformation, he must experience an initial catalyst that will cause him to morph into a braver, assertive individual.

Works Cited:
Film & Felt. “Collateral (Mann, 2004)” 17 Aug. 2004. < http://filmandfelt.com/musings/?p=92>
Sarris, Michael. “Michael Mann’s Collateral Cruises L.A.’s Dark Side.” The New York Observer
15 Aug. 2004. < http://www.observer.com/node/49643>
Wolski, C.A. “It Ended Like Any Other Movie.” 8 June 2004. < com
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/reviews/?id=1414&p=.htm>