How Is Suspense Created In The Film Collateral?

In the film Collateral, many scenes have been made to create suspense. The action and anxiety puts the audience in great suspense into thinking what might happen next to the characters. The movie contains a hero and a villain, which have been identified from the start. The movie directed by Michael Mann a famous American director and was released in 2004.

A scene which contains and creates suspense in Collateral is the scene when Vincent (Tom Cruise) is out to kill Annie (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Max (Jamie Foxx) is trying to help her. Max is shown in the car park beside the office talking on the phone to Annie telling her to get out as Vincent is inside. He warns her telling her that Vincent is inside the building. Vincent then cuts off all the power supplies which caused total darkness in the building. This adds to creating suspense as now the screen is unable to be seen clearly creating a scary and dramatic atmosphere. The music plays a good role in creating suspense as it adds to the effect of creating that atmosphere. As the power goes out the music also deepens to show the sudden change in mood.

Max is shown trying to get inside the building with a lot of effort to help rescue Annie. Various camera shots and effects are used to show Vincent’s whereabouts and movements such as close-ups, medium and long angle shots. Music builds up as Vincent enters the same room as Annie and then the music’s volume is lowered. Various close-up shots are placed on Annie as she slowly moves round the room in the dark.

When a shot of a gun is shown pointing at Annie music is turned up loudly and the camera shots are shaking to create a fast up-paced effect. You are then shown a shot of Vincent holding up a gun and the music stops and Max is then speaking also pointing a gun but at Vincent. He then shoots Vincent and the camera does a jump cut. Music is put up again and is a violin playing a fast beat matching the characters chasing each other out of the building.

Collateral Scene
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6qK43KykCA