Summary
One of Tom Cruise’s most iconic roles is the hitman antagonist Vincent inCollateral. While Cruise is widely celebrated for his franchise-leading efforts inMission: ImpossibleandTop Gun, hislatest deal with Warner Bros. could see him branch out once again to more traditional dramatic roles.Cruise himself has said he wishes to return to more dramatic roles with experienced filmmakers, which he did throughout his early career in films such asMagnolia,The Color of Money, andEyes Wide Shut.
Collateral’s Vincent Is One Of Tom Cruise’s Best Performances To Date
Cruise hasn’t played a true villain since the 2004 neo-noir thriller
Because of how charismatic he is in most of his leading man roles, Cruise is able to deliver an extremely convincing and deceptive villain.
Cruise’s role as Vincent inCollateralisn’t just one of his greatest villain roles but also one of the best overall performances of his career. Vincent is naturally intriguing, mysterious, and enigmatic, andCruise delivers his natural charm in a brilliant way that emphasizes the character’s mastery of manipulation. Because of how charismatic Cruise is in most of his leading man roles, ranging from 1996’sJerry Maguireto his larger-than-life persona as the selfless hero Ethan Hunt, Cruise is able to deliver an extremely convincing and deceptive villain.
I’m surprised Cruise hasn’t done more villain roles afterCollateral’ssuccess, which grossed $220 million at the worldwide box office and earned a Rotten Tomatoes score of 86%. While neither of these metrics even comes close to Cruise’s all-time best box-office ($1.496 billion forTop Gun: Maverick) or Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Mission: Impossible - Fallout’s97%), it’s enough to expect at least one other villain role sinceCollateral’s2004 release. His hilarious performance as the antagonist Les Grossman in 2008’sTropic Thunderdoesn’t really count as a true villain like Vincent.
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Collateral Is A Reminder That Tom Cruise Should Really Play More Villains
Cruise’s natural charisma & commitment to his roles makes him an ideal villain
Consider Robert Downey Jr.’s journey, going from playing the biggest superhero on the planet to snagging his first Oscar for playing the villain in Oppenheimer.
Especially at this point in his career, I’ll show up to the theater on opening night to any new Cruise installment, regardless of genre. Yes, we all wantTop Gun 3andMission: Impossible 8, but Cruise in another dramatic villain role similar toCollateral’sVincent may finally win the celebrated actor his very first Oscar. Consider Robert Downey Jr.’s journey, going from playing the biggest superhero on the planet to snagging his first Oscar for playing the villain inOppenheimer. The same can be true for Cruise if his willpower and schedule allow for it.
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Collateral
Cast
Directed by Michael Mann, the crime thriller Collateral features Tom Cruise as a hitman hired to take out witnesses before a big trial and Jamie Foxx as the cab driver who unwittingly becomes his accomplice. With Jada Pinkett Smith, Mark Ruffalo, and Javier Bardem in its cast, the 2004 film received critical acclaim for its direction, performances, and suspenseful plot.
