Release Date: February 22, 2008 Studio: Columbia Pictures Genre: Thriller •
Action Director: Pete Travis Writers: Barry L. Levy Cast: Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, Forest Whitaker with Sigourney Weaver and William Hurt Synopsis: Vantage Point, 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. Thomas Barnes (Dennis Quaid) and Kent Taylor (Mathew 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 hunt for the assassin. In the crowd is Howard Lewis (Forest Whitaker), an American tourist who thinks he’s captured the shooter on his camcorder while videotaping the event for his kids back home. Also there, relaying the historic event to millions of TV viewers across the globe, is American TV news producer Rex Brooks (Sigourney Weaver). As they and others reveal their stories, the pieces of the puzzle will fall into place – and it will become apparent that shocking motivations lurk just beneath the surface. The Review: 9:40 AM
As seen by The Critic: Clock comes into focus, realization hits that critic is going to be late for the movie!!!
Vantage Point (Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, Forest Whitacker, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver) looks really good. It’s one of those flashback movies, which are hit and miss, but I have faith – gotta be on time. Dammit – where’ my KEYS?!?!?!?
As seen by:
Parking garage attendant : After a few minutes of standard activity, a dusty green car pulls in way too fast – some girl with frizzy hair and half-eaten breakfast in her hands leaps from it and runs down K Street. “Fool didn’t even get that stupid gas guzzler all the way into her spot. Hope she gets ticketed…… “
As seen by K Street Pedestrian :
“Some girl with a banana hanging out of her mouth just blew by me, didn’t even hear me ask for money. Some people – what is the world coming to? She’s clearly not employed – where in the hell could she have to be so early that makes her forget her manners so? I need a drink….”
As seen by The Door guy, Crest Theater :
Sweeping the same spot for a few minutes as people file in… “What is that banana smell? And who has been doing blowfish on the godamned glass doors?!?!”
As seen by the Studio Rep, Crest Theater:
Checks in various press representatives, checks to make sure film stock is assembled. Then, looking annoyed, the rep signs in the nearly late addition, then sits back to wait as they form their opinions.…..
LESS THAN AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER:
As seen by the Studio Rep, Crest theater:
Waits, looking bored as Door guy mills past, and critics fill out quick opinion notes. Frizzy drops hers off and wanders out.
As seen by K Street Pedestrian:
The world is blurrier than it was an hour ago – and somebody familiar who smells like bananas & coffee just dropped a buck on me. What am I, a charity case?!?! The nerve of people….
As seen by Parking Garage Attendant:
DAMMIT!!!! The parking police would have been by in ten more minutes and ticketed that freak. Oh well – maybe she’ll hit a pedestrian on the way home. She’s already on her cel phone…..
As seen by The Critic:
As I drive with half a hand, I fill Deez in by phone: the movie was great. Flashback movies have been done, both well and badly – Vantage Point will fall easily into the first category. One ending, told in flashbacks from five points of view; some the good guys, some the bad guys, some as seen by the innocent passers-by who got wrapped into the drama by sheer bad luck.
Dennis Quaid is convincing as a Secret Service agent
returning to presidential protection duty after recovering from a bullet taken on the job months earlier. His is the point of view most relevant to the disaster, then the aftermath that comprise the five segments (23 minutes each) of this flick.
Forest Whitacker, the accidental tourist, all too conveniently captures all of the truly important pieces to the puzzle on his camcorder, and provides a second marker that allows the threads to be woven together without being too confusing.
I have often been disappointed by badly put together flashback style movies; Vantage Point managed to run at a breakneck speed from start to finish without ever being confusing. I was always able to follow plot and characters without feeling like I’d need to watch it again on DVD so I could backtrack and figure out what the hell just happened. It didn’t try to throw a big message at us, despite the anti-terrorism goal of William Hurt’s American President; just stayed quick, clear, and heart pounding.
It moves so fast that the scenery (shot in Spain) and the international cast are hard to appreciate.
You will not be able to leave your seat – enjoy one of the best action flicks to come around in a while (but make sure you’re nice to your parking attendant on the way in). Rating:
