I’ve struggled to decide whether to give Collateral five stars or just four and a half. On the one hand, it’s a nearly flawless thriller. On the other hand, would I really describe it as an all-time great? Michael Mann is clearly at the top of his game, directing the action with cool grace when the mood requires it, and with clinical precision in the action sequences. Some of the intense close-up camera work brings new new meaning to the term “in your face”, while other scenes act as a moving poetic tribute to loneliness in the heart of the City. Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx both shine in their roles, and none of the supporting cast put a foot wrong. It’s one of the very best films I’ve seen this year…but I think it stops just short of being seminal–the kind of film that will stand out as a landmark in years to come. So, four and a half it is.