Movie Review: “Vantage Point” (2008)

The Essentials

Title: Vantage Point (official site)
Directed by Pete Travis
Written by Barry Levy
Running Time: 1:30
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense violence and action, some disturbing images and brief strong language.

The Plot of Vantage Point

With a Rashomon narrative style, eight strangers with eight different points of view try to unlock the one truth behind an assassination attempt on the president of the United States.

The Story of Vantage Point

Thomas Barnes (Dennis Quaid) and Kent Taylor (Matthew Fox), are two Secret Service agents assigned to protect President Ashton (William Hurt) at a landmark summit on the global war on terror. When President Ashton is shot moments after his arrival in Spain, chaos ensues and disparate lives collide. In the crowd is Howard Lewis (Forest Whitaker) an American tourist video taping the historic event to show his kids when he returns home. Also there is Rex (Sigourney Weaver) an American TV news producer who is reporting on the conference, as well as some of the terrorists themselves. It’s only as we follow each person’s perspective of the same 15 minutes prior to and immediately after the shooting that the terrifying truth behind the assassination attempt is revealed.

The Review of Vantage Point

I had been really excited to see this film until the early reviews started coming out. I usually know better than to read reviews but a lot of the reviews on this one weren’t that great so my excitement diminished noticeably. I had a chance to see the film this weekend and almost passed it up before coming to my senses and taking a chance. I’m incredibly glad I did.

Vantage Point is really everything it claims it will be in the previews. It’s a fun, high paced, action packed, who-dunnit political thriller; the kind of film you don’t really find that often these days.

The first half of the movie we see the same part of the story from all the different “vantage points.” That is, we spend about ten minutes seeing what happened from each character’s point of view. Once their segment was done, the film would “rewind” (quickly) and show us another segment. I enjoyed the different segments immensely but after the fourth or fifth one I was just kind of wishing they’d just tell the story. The gimmick wasn’t necessary.

I did think the filmmakers did a good job of tying the story lines together. It had to be tough to keep up with where each character was and what they were doing in the timeline at any given moment but I never found any serious flaws. It’s not done in real time, of course, which I was actually thankful for as it allowed each segment to move at the pace that was necessary to maintain the story and the momentum. I thought each segment was done in the order that it needed to be done in as well which helped to move the story and the mystery along.

Once again the previews for the film actually give too much information away. It doesn’t ruin the movie, but knowing what I knew from the preview definitely impacted the way I viewed the film. Take away that piece of information (which I won’t say here in case you don’t know) and you actually would change the viewer’s perception of what is happening in the movie. I think I would have liked to have experienced the movie without that knowledge. Shame on the studios, yet again, for allowing the trailer for the film dictate the audience’s enjoyment of the film.

After the first half of the movie or so the pace picks up perceptibly as the plot is in full swing. As the audience and the characters on screen gain more knowledge about what is happening, the film begins to build towards the climax. A full 20 minute car chase was filmed beautifully with many shots done from inside or alongside the car making if feel as if we were actually in the tiny streets of Spain and in the middle of the chase. I can’t imagine how long it took to choreograph those scenes.

I’ve read some criticisms about how one of the characters becomes a “super-hero” at the end of the film, but I didn’t really think that was the case. I mean, sure the character went above and beyond what a normal person would probably do, but it is a movie. Watching someone cower in a corner and wait for the CIA to figure everything out in a couple of years would hardly be worth watching.

No, I think the character acted within the constraints of the character that was created and his actions, though improbably, were not necessarily impossible. I think the same could be said of the entire plot. Which is a good thing. I think a lot of the things that were arranged by the bad guys also depended on a fair amount of luck, but I didn’t really see that as being a problem either because I think it’s probably like that in real life as well.

I may be naive or stupid, but I didn’t figure out the twist until just before it was revealed. I guess I wasn’t really looking for it as I was busy enjoying the “vantage point” gimmick. Once revealed, it was only slightly confusing. I’m not sure all questions were ever answered, but I’m okay with that. I tend to dislike movies that force feed us every single piece of information. There’s a lot to be said for leaving some things to the imagination; something not many filmmakers care to do anymore.

Watch Vantage Point If…

You enjoy fast paced thrillers and mysteries with medium star power but solid acting from a smart and unique script. This one doesn’t have to be enjoyed on the big screen, but it’s probably one of the most enjoyable films out right now so there’s worse ways you could spend your money.

Rating: 7.5/10

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Movies
Dennis Quaid, Forest Whitaker, matthew fox, Sigourney Weaver, Vantage Point, William Hurt