I am Convinced Tom Cruise 2004-Hit With 86% RT Score Is His Most Underrated Work

Tom Cruise is often called ‘The Last Movie Star,’ and for a very good reason. Over his five-decade career, he’s become one of the most famed names in Hollywood, drawing crowds with his blockbuster roles.

Think Top Gun, Mission: Impossible, and, of course, his signature heartthrob status. But beyond the splendid, tempestuous roles, there’s a side of Cruise that often gets overlooked. That side comes out in the 2004 thriller Collateral, where the movie star played a hitman.

Tom Cruise in Collateral (Credits: United International Pictures)

It’s because Collateral isn’t the first movie that comes to mind when you think of Cruise, and it’s often overlooked despite being a solid hit at the box office. Fans of his more famous roles might not expect him to play a cold-blooded killer in a dark thriller.

But that’s exactly what he does here, and honestly, it might be one of his best performances. So, let’s take a closer look at why Collateral is one of his most underrated works and why Cruise’s performance as Vincent the hitman stands out in his career.

Tom Cruise played a rare role in Collateral

We all know Tom Cruise for playing heroes—whether it’s Maverick in Top Gun or Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible, he’s usually the guy who saves the day. But in Collateral, the Hollywood star takes on a completely different type of role.

Instead of a charming hero, he plays Vincent, a hitman who’s got a list of people he needs to take out in one night. Vincent is a calm, cool, and collected professional. He’s not your typical bad guy, and there’s no big villainous speech or over-the-top villain traits here.

The film follows Vincent as he forces a cab driver, played by Jamie Foxx, to drive him around Los Angeles while he completes his job. At first, Vincent seems like a normal person, but as the night goes on, his true colors show. Yes, the character is revealed to be a calculating, cold-blooded killer.

Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx in Collateral (Credits: United International Pictures)

This is a most rare one for Cruise. We’re used to seeing him save the world, not take lives, but here? He does just that. The film’s filled with tension thanks to Vincent’s unpredictable side. As the night goes on, you see he’s totally in control.

Cruise takes this role and makes it his own in a way that delights viewers who are used to seeing him in more traditional leading-man roles. What makes this role stand out is how much of it is about restraint. Cruise doesn’t play Vincent as an unhinged killer.

Instead, he’s calculated, always a few steps ahead, and utterly poised. This makes him even more grim. It’s one thing to have a character who’s out of control; it’s another to have one who’s calm, cool, and confident while executing a series of murders.

Tom Cruise took “assassination exercises” to master his role in Collateral

Tom Cruise in Collateral (Credits: United International Pictures)

One of the things that makes Tom Cruise’s performance as Vincent so compelling is the amount of preparation he put into the role. Cruise doesn’t do anything half-heartedly, and this was no exception.

To make Vincent feel as real and believable as possible, Cruise took the role of an assassin very seriously. In fact, he did what could only be called “assassination exercises” to get into character.

According to Men’s Health, to really understand what it would take to be a professional hitman, Cruise spent time learning how to stalk people and understand their routines.

He would pick random people in his life, study their daily habits, and then surprise them with a Post-It note saying, “You’re dead.” While this may sound like something out of a spy movie, it was actually part of Cruise’s process to understand how a hitman operates.

He had to get into the head of a professional killer, and this was his way of doing it. But it wasn’t just about nailing the physical part. Cruise teamed up with director Michael Mann to flesh out Vincent’s backstory. That kind of prep is what turns a good actor into a great one.

Here’s why Collateral stands out as Tom Cruise’s best performance

Tom Cruise in Collateral (Credits: United International Pictures)

So, why is Collateral one of Tom Cruise’s best works? First, it’s a film that allowed him to show a completely distinct side of himself. Cruise has always been known for playing action heroes, but Collateral shows that he’s well-equipped of much more.

As Vincent, Cruise is calculating and cool, definitely nothing like the appealing heroes he’s known for. It’s a performance that proves just how multifaceted he really is. He’s menacing without being over-the-top, and his calm demeanor only makes him more dismaying.

Another reason Collateral is one of Cruise’s best works is because it’s one of his most memorable roles. While many of his films are action-packed blockbusters, Collateral is a tense, atmospheric crime thriller that relies on mood and character rather than explosions and car chases.

The film is more about the mental chess game between Vincent and Max, the cab driver played by Jamie Foxx, than it is about action. And Cruise’s performance is at the center of it all. He brings a level of severity and legitimacy to the role that few actors could pull off.

Finally, Collateral stands out for how it plunges into the crime world without falling into the usual gangster clichés or endless shootouts. Instead, it takes you inside the cold, calculated mind of a pro hitman. Vincent treats murder like a business deal, and Cruise plays him so sharply it feels completely real.

In the end, Collateral isn’t just some action flick. It’s a crime thriller that lets Tom Cruise break out of his usual roles and give a performance that’s both dimensional and indelible. If you haven’t watched it yet, you’re seriously missing one of Cruise’s best movies.

Collateral is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV!