Rugged and Nuanced: An Analysis of the cinematography and film techniques used in Collateral
EDITORS NOTE — ADD IMAGES
There are a few moments in the movie Collateral where upon first viewing one might feel like Director Michael Mann wasn’t trying to create something artistically deep. It’s easy to dismiss action movies as just shallow and dumb popcorn entertainment. While Collateral might be home to shaky cinematography, violent gunfights, and lots of scenes of Tom Cruise running, there are deeper elements at play that give scenes an easy to miss artistic flow. The editing and cinematography of Collateral work together to convey an energy and tone that perfectly complements the story and its themes. The color grading, for example, changes with the major beats of the plot. The film opens with Max, played by Jamie Foxx, getting ready to go to work as a taxi driver.
The danger of the film hasn’t been introduced yet, as we haven’t reached the inciting incident. The warm and vibrant color grading helps convey this tone of innocence and normality. This all changes after the sun sets and the threat is introduced; the computer in Max’s taxi gives its interior a green glow while the streetlights outside turn the world into an orange-yellow blur. Green hues are frequently used in horror films to create an uncomfortable and threatening atmosphere, which fits the danger Max is faced with when a hitman named Vincent, played by Tom Cruise, forces him to tag along on his murderous quest. The interior of Max’s car is a claustrophobic cage he can’t escape from, while the warmth of the outside is the possibility of escape being dangled just out of reach.
Along the journey, Max and Vincent make several stops, all of which are dangerous and violent affairs. During these scenes, the colors shift to blue hues which create a cold and isolating tone. The threats in these scenes tend to be much more immediate. The final battle of the film also features these blue hues, but here they are much more understated, giving off more of a silver glow. This fits in with the clarity Max is finally met with when he has his final confrontation with Vincent. The color grading is just one part of the film’s style. Director Michael Mann also decided to shoot most of the film handheld, giving scenes a feeling of unpredictability and realism.
During the nightclub sequence in particular, the angle of the camera and the shakiness that comes with handheld footage combine to make the audience feel as though they’re in the crowd with Vincent and Max. Despite the use of handheld, the composition of each shot still feels planned and intentional. The rule of thirds is used in a way that not only aids in the storytelling but also fits the plot. Most of the film takes place inside a taxi, and the relationship between the driver’s position in the front and the passenger’s position in the back naturally lends itself to this style of composition.
Most shots feature Max on the right and his passenger on the left, and the focus switches between the two depending on who is talking. This, combined with the editing and use of color, creates scenes with shots that feel unpredictable yet intentionally convey lots of information to the viewer.
The scene in which Max rebels against Vincent during the climax of the film is a perfect illustration of how all these different elements effortlessly work together. The first two shots establish the different places Vincent and Max are both physically and emotionally. Outside of their green hue, the two shots are strikingly different.
Max’s shot is tight and takes place inside of the taxi, leaving just enough room over his shoulder to show Vincent in the background looking out the back window.
Vincent’s shot is much wider, taken from outside of the taxi at an angle where Max isn’t visible. Both men are placed on the right-thirds line of their respective shots, with whatever is occupying their mind taking up the remaining two-thirds of the frame. For Max, he’s very much grounded in the moment focused on the danger that is in the car with him. Vincent, on the other hand, is more occupied with the police helicopters outside of the car to even be thinking about Max, which is why Max isn’t even visible in the shot. Max is dealing with his internal situation, while Vincent is focused on external dangers.
The shots of Vincent change angle very frequently, while the shots of Max are all from the same frontal angle but gradually center themselves and zoom in. During this scene Max confronts Vincent on the type of person he thinks he is, and afterward, they switch roles with Vincent being the one ripping into Max. This tug of war is illustrated by how the shots gradually become more consistent, placing Vincent and Max on opposite sides of the cab in their respective shots using the rule of 3rds. They’re in the same space but on two different sides. Eventually, Max finds himself in the center of the frame as it dawns on him that he needs to take control of the situation.
When this happens, Max’s shots switch to a lower angle that both shows the steering wheel and the driver-side window. This switch to a lower angle makes Max feel like a more powerful subject in the scene, while also putting the means of controlling the car in his hands. The cinematography communicates that Max is no longer taking orders and the increasing speed in which the world outside zips past communicates just how fast he is going. As the tension ramps up, the shots begin to angle themselves closer to Max’s face and at even lower angles. The scene is giving him a more powerful appearance to communicate his growing anger and determination.
Suddenly, the camera pulls away as Vincent aims his gun at Max in order to stop him. While the shot is much wider than it was a moment ago, Max is still being shot from a lower angle. Despite Vincent’s efforts, Max is still in control, and as the tension ramps up more and more, the gun gradually gets cut out of future shots and the camera gets closer and closer to Max’s face once more. The sequence ends with the car crash. There’s a lot to unpack here; from the way close- ups are used to indicate who’s in control, to the way the rule of thirds contrasts the character’s respective points of focus and sets them apart. The purpose of this scene is to empower Max and initiate the final act, and the editing and cinematography work to bring that transition to life. Max rejects his role as a public servant, and the scene seamlessly flows through that internal struggle. Another scene that illustrates just how creatively Michael Mann used color, editing, and cinematography to enhance the storytelling in Collateral is the meeting between Max and Felix in the night club.
The first shot of Felix, played by Javier Bardem, is striking. The shot uses the rule of thirds, but in an unusual way. For most of the film, the main subject in a shot like this would be facing the direction of the other two-thirds of the screen, but here, Felix is facing towards the right on the right side of the frame. Two-thirds of this shot are of the decorative plants behind him, which don’t really convey that Felix is in a crowded nightclub. A guard can be seen in the reflection of the mirror next to Felix, but his reflection still falls on the right side of the shot. It’s striking because the shot doesn’t make Felix feel like a powerful force. He isn’t shot from a low angle and doesn’t take up much of the screen. While the color is still blue, which conveys the cold danger present here, nothing else seems to give off the impression that Felix is a force to be reckoned with. This all changes with the next sequence of shots, where the greater meaning behind the shot composition becomes clear.
The next two shots perfectly create a contrast between the two subjects. Felix is confident, surrounded by tropical imagery. Max, on the other hand, is surrounded by intimidating bodyguards. Both shots cut off the direction their subject is facing, conveying the different environments and position Max and Felix are in. Max is in danger while Felix is in control. The way these two shots cut off the table by placing their subjects at the edge of the frame means that there’s no directional flow between them. Without context, these two shots don’t feel like they’re illustrating two people having a conversation; rather, they feel like two people at separate tables. They exist in two different worlds.
Next, the angle of the camera lowers down, giving Felix a bit more power while still cutting off Max. The lighting of the scene creates harsh shadows on Felix’s face, making him appear more intimidating.
Suddenly, the pattern is broken. Both subjects are in the same shot, only the background of the shots still keep them in two different worlds. Max’s silhouette in the shot focusing on Felix is small in comparison to Felix’s powerful silhouette in the shot focusing on Max. Behind Max the bodyguards become more visible, looking at him with heads tilted confidently up. Felix tells Max the Santa story, and as the tension in the scene rises, the shots grow closer and closer. Suddenly, the previous shot of Max’s silhouette is subverted. Max turns his head towards the camera and Felix melts out of focus. Suddenly Max is the one with the powerful silhouette, which fits as this is the moment where he asserts control over the situation.
The next two shots function as a setup and a payoff. In the first, Max glares at the bodyguards. It’s uncertain if Max has just earned a bullet to the head for threatening the men behind him, or if his intimidation tactic actually worked. The next shot answers that question, showing the two guards gripping their weapons but not drawing them. Rather than shoot this in one shot, with the camera tilting to show their hands lingering, director Michael Mann instead quickly cuts from one to the other in order to keep up the quick and tense pace of the scene. From this point on, Max is shot from a lower angle, giving him power equal to Felix. The shot of the flash drive on the table is tight and close. It’s the only time the table is actually shown.
Finally, Max stands up to leave. The composition of these shots is the opposite of what the audience is used to. Max is looking at Felix, and the path of his glare flows across the other two- thirds of the shot to Felix. The two shots put these two subjects in the same world, and the fact that Max is looking down at Felix gives him even more power. Now that the flash drive has been given to Max, their worlds have crossed paths, and the sudden switch to a different rule of thirds composition further highlights this.
The final shot in the scene casts harsh shadows on Felix’s face. During this sequence, Felix’s face has been fairly well-lit up until this point. The depth of field and the closeness of the shot give Felix focus and power, while the shadows make him much scarier than in previous shots. The subtitle “…kill him” is not centered; rather, it sits over the spot where Max once was. This final shot ends the scene of twists and turns on an ominous note for the protagonist, setting up the climactic battle of the film. Overall, this scene communicates the two different worlds Max and Felix inhabit, breaks that barrier between them, and ends setting up the future danger Vincent and Max will face at their next stop.
The film Collateral is both rugged and nuanced. During one scene the tripod might be adjusted mid-take, but during another, the frames become perfect illustrations of the characters and their dilemmas. The cinematography is intentional and deep, yet the film avoids drawing attention to it in a way that might pull some out of the experience. The editing both uses color in interesting ways and leads into each new shot composition in a way that enhances the storytelling. What you end up with is a tense blockbuster that also manages to feel human; a fantastical silver hitman downing dozens of men, but also a taxi driver who’s flawed and real.