Matthew ShallueVantage Point (2008)
For what ever reason, I’ve been avoiding watching Vantage Point. The Television spots for made the film uninteresting to me, just another assassination film. That is really a shame, because Vantage Point is a very interesting, well filmed movie.
The film follows secret service agent Thomas Barnes, (Quaid) as he attempts to find the terrorist involved in a plot to kill the President of the United States, during a speech in Spain. The story is told and retold through the eyes of each main character. During each retelling, new pieces of the puzzle are filled in which lead Barnes onto the next clue. Quaid is on top of his game in this film. He has the intensity and the determination to get the job done in Vantage Point. On a side note, for me, Quaid gets better and better every time I see him. He’s no spring chicken anymore, but the action roles that he’s portrayed in the last five years or so have all been on target.
As Howard Lewis, Forest Whitaker plays an everyday man, thrust into a situation that most people would run from. Having accidentally video taped key moments before the snipers bullet is fired, he plays an integral part. Lewis moves through the story with the drive of someone needing to help other, if not fully understanding why. Whitaker’s acting is, as always right on. He has the ability to effortlessly bring characters to life. He continues to excel at making you care about the people he plays.
There are a few genuinely original plot twists though-out the movie that keeps it interesting. One aspect that struck me after Vantage Point was over is, as well as all the characters are managed, this is nothing more that a set of cleverly designed coincidences. The main players are together at the beginning of the film, split apart and end up all in the same place at the end. Normally this would create a predicable movie, but Vantage Point may surprise you.
The events that unfold in Vantage Point are short, too brief to make them into a feature length movie on their own, because of the different points of view it works. Surprisingly, even with the story replaying the same event for the majority of the film, the movie is engaging and attention grabbing. There is just enough new information added at each step to keep you interested. When you have had enough of the fast forward, rewind story telling, it stops, and carries on in real-time.
Director: Pete Travis
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, Forest Whitaker, Bruce McGill, Edgar Remirez, Said Taghmaoui, Ayelet Zarer
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 90 minutes
The film follows secret service agent Thomas Barnes, (Quaid) as he attempts to find the terrorist involved in a plot to kill the President of the United States, during a speech in Spain. The story is told and retold through the eyes of each main character. During each retelling, new pieces of the puzzle are filled in which lead Barnes onto the next clue. Quaid is on top of his game in this film. He has the intensity and the determination to get the job done in Vantage Point. On a side note, for me, Quaid gets better and better every time I see him. He’s no spring chicken anymore, but the action roles that he’s portrayed in the last five years or so have all been on target.
As Howard Lewis, Forest Whitaker plays an everyday man, thrust into a situation that most people would run from. Having accidentally video taped key moments before the snipers bullet is fired, he plays an integral part. Lewis moves through the story with the drive of someone needing to help other, if not fully understanding why. Whitaker’s acting is, as always right on. He has the ability to effortlessly bring characters to life. He continues to excel at making you care about the people he plays.
There are a few genuinely original plot twists though-out the movie that keeps it interesting. One aspect that struck me after Vantage Point was over is, as well as all the characters are managed, this is nothing more that a set of cleverly designed coincidences. The main players are together at the beginning of the film, split apart and end up all in the same place at the end. Normally this would create a predicable movie, but Vantage Point may surprise you.
The events that unfold in Vantage Point are short, too brief to make them into a feature length movie on their own, because of the different points of view it works. Surprisingly, even with the story replaying the same event for the majority of the film, the movie is engaging and attention grabbing. There is just enough new information added at each step to keep you interested. When you have had enough of the fast forward, rewind story telling, it stops, and carries on in real-time.
Director: Pete Travis
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, Forest Whitaker, Bruce McGill, Edgar Remirez, Said Taghmaoui, Ayelet Zarer
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 90 minutes
Cinema Nut
Film Nation
Let me know what you think of it.