History YMMV / Collateral

* TheWoobie: Poor, poor Max. He goes through a lot of shit in the movie, and who knows how he is at the end even if he did [[TookALevelInBadass take a huge level in badass]]. Thank God he befriended a prosecutor because all the shit he did in the movie is probably gonna land him in some legal trouble.

* EvilIsCool: Vincent dresses himself in some [[BadassInANiceSuit badass threads]], is dangerously efficient as his [[ProfessionalKiller job]] ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiqwF_Y9S5Q case in point]]), has a fairly extensive knowledge of jazz, and is pretty friggin' [[EvilIsSexy handsome]]. [[DeconstructedTrope But as the film goes on, it's shown how empty and messed up he is.]]
* EvilIsSexy: As mentioned above, Vincent earns plenty of love from viewers just [[BadassInANiceSuit from his looks alone]]. He's played by Creator/TomCruise, after all.

* BadassDecay: [[spoiler:Vincent goes from being a cold-calculating hitman to a simple thug with a gun when he goes after Max, a common cabbie, since the movie didn't want to have a TheBadGuyWins ending. In the final shootout on the MTA train, Vincent's trained, straight shooting ends up hitting the part of the metal door between the two windows, whereas Max's untrained, relatively chaotic shooting ends up penetrating the windows and (eventually) hitting Vincent. Possibly justified since Vincent has been ''shot in the ear'' right before the climactic chase, causing him to undergo something of a VillanousBreakdown.]]

* BadassDecay: [[spoiler:Vincent goes from being a cold-calculating hitman to a simple thug with a gun when he goes after Max, a common cabbie, since the movie didn't want to have a TheBadGuyWins ending. In the final shootout on the MTA train, [[spoiler: Vincent's trained, straight shooting ends up hitting the part of the metal door between the two windows, whereas Max's untrained, relatively chaotic shooting ends up penetrating the windows and (eventually) hitting Vincent. Possibly justified since Vincent has been ''shot in the ear'' right before the climactic chase, causing him to undergo something of a VillanousBreakdown.]]

* BadassDecay: [[spoiler:Vincent goes from being a cold-calculating hitman to a simple thug with a gun when he goes after Max, a common cabbie. Since the movie didn't want to have a TheBadGuyWins ending, they suddenly gave Vincent a course in the ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy.]] In the final shootout on the MTA train, [[spoiler: Vincent's trained, straight shooting ends up hitting the part of the metal door between the two windows, whereas Max's untrained, relatively chaotic shooting ends up penetrating the windows and (eventually) hitting Vincent. Possibly justified since Vincent has been ''shot in the ear'' right before the climactic chase, causing him to undergo something of a VillanousBreakdown.]]

* BadassDecay: [[spoiler:Vincent goes from being a cold-calculating hitman to a simple thug with a gun when he goes after Max, a common cabbie. Since the movie didn't want to have a TheBadGuyWins ending, they suddenly gave Vincent a course in the ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy. Possibly justified since Vincent has been ''shot in the ear'' right before the climactic chase, causing him to undergo something of a villanous breakdown.]] In the final shootout on the MTA train, [[spoiler: Vincent's trained, straight shooting ends up hitting the part of the metal door between the two windows, whereas Max's untrained, relatively chaotic shooting ends up penetrating the windows and (eventually) hitting Vincent.]]

* FanonWelding: A common bit of viewer speculation is that the unnamed man played by Creator/JasonStatham who pops up in a cameo at the beginning to give Vincent his current assignment is Frank Martin, the character that Statham plays in ''Film/TheTransporter'' and its sequels.
** Since in Film/{{Heat}} Neil mentions that he has "a brother somewhere," a fairly common theory is that Vincent is said brother.

* {{Fanon}}: A common bit of viewer speculation is that the unnamed man played by Creator/JasonStatham who pops up in a cameo at the beginning to give Vincent his current assignment is Frank Martin, the character that Statham plays in ''Film/TheTransporter'' and its sequels.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Does Vincent really believe, deep down, that absolutely everything is meaningless, people are irrelevant and that morality has no value whatsoever? Or has he deluded himself into this belief so he can live with his job, in the same way Max deludes himself that he's happy with his job? The fact that Vincent shows [[NotSoStoic signs of being upset]] when [[ShutUpHannibal called out]], and his decision to [[spoiler: stop fighting Max after being wounded]] suggest he perhaps isn't as certain about his lifestyle as he appears at first.

* BadassDecay: [[spoiler:Vincent goes from being a cold-calculating hitman who can perform the improbable aiming feat mentioned below to a simple thug with a gun when he goes after Max, a common cabbie. Since the movie didn't want to have a TheBadGuyWins ending, they suddenly gave Vincent a course in the ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy. Possibly justified since Vincent has been ''shot in the ear'' right before the climactic chase, causing him to undergo something of a villanous breakdown.]] In the final shootout on the MTA train, [[spoiler: Vincent's trained, straight shooting ends up hitting the part of the metal door between the two windows, whereas Max's untrained, relatively chaotic shooting ends up penetrating the windows and (eventually) hitting Vincent.]]

** Vincent suggests that Max should call the girl who gave him her card if they survive the night. This is an odd sentiment if one subscribes to Fanning's appraisal of Vincent's M.O., as Max would invariably have ended the night dead. Was this comment a ploy to keep Max on side, or might Vincent have honestly been willing to let Max walk away?

* AwardSnub: It received two UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nominations - Best Supporting Actor and Best Editing. It wasn't nominated for Best Picture, Director, Actor, or Original Screenplay, and Tom Cruise didn't recieve any nominations in spite of his chilling, [[PlayingAgainstType type-defying]] performance.

* FoeYayShipping: Vincent/Max is a popular pairing in fanfics. Someone might have been banking on that when it came to the trailers.

* RelationshipWritingFumble: More like an acting-fumble. Related to the HoYayShipping[=/=]FoeYayShipping above, some of the scenes between Max and Vincent come off as less Max is being held hostage and more this a new relationship where Max is being cautious and trying to take things slow while Vincent is already heavily invested. The hospital scene where Vincent insists on buying flowers for Max's mother, says he likes to think of himself as Max's ''friend'', and is all for hearing about Max from Ida until a clearly embarrassed, irritated Max steals his important briefcase is probably the best example. Up until the ensuing chase scene, the scene could easily fit into a romantic genre film. Even the scene directly before it where Max refuses, "I'm not taking you to see my mother," and Vincent responds, "Since when was any of this negotiable?" comes off as less "Nope, not taking a hitman to see my mother." "Dude, I can easily turn you into one of my targets." and more, "I'm not taking this white guy I just started dating to see my sick, old mother." "I'm going to meet your mother, and she's going to love me. We're boyfriends, and that means you don't get to keep me out of the truly important parts of your life."

%%* EvilIsSexy: Wait for it... Vincent. He's played by Creator/TomCruise, after all.

%%* LoveToHate: Sensing a pattern here? If not, it's Vincent.

* AwardSnub: It received two UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nominations - Best Supporting Actor and Best Editing. It wasn't nominated for Best Picture, Director, Actor, or Original Screenplay.