Movie Online - Review: Vantage Point is a Disaster From Any Angle

Review: Vantage Point is a Disaster From Any Angle

Friday, 22 February 2008

Vantage Point

Wow. What can I say? After all the hype and lovely marketing it's clear that what lies beneath here is an empty shell. The "eight points of view" angle is essentially a lie. The depth and complexity hinted at in the trailer is forsaken. This isn't anything close to a time shifting mindbender like Memento or even a solid whodunit in the manner of Usual Suspects. It's something else entirely - a slightly below-average movie. We should have known. After all, it's February.

The method of storytelling here has been seen recently in a film called Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. How it works is a "reset" around ten minutes after the film starts, only in subsequent versions we see the action from another person's point of view (um, vantage point). We start out with a CNN-like news channel control room that's on location in Spain to see the President speak. Something happens.

Then we start all over with Dennis Quaid as the grizzled Secret Service agent. Actually, let's just go into list mode at this point (and keep in mind the movie starts over with each new character presented):

3) Guy who works for the Mayor of the Spanish town

4) Forest Whitaker as a tourist there to see the President speak

5) The President

6, 7, and 8) The rest of the movie

It's a tiring method because there is nothing for us as the audience to figure out. This was a screenplay written for an end result, not to present a mystery. We couldn't possibly know certain factors presented later in the movie so all the tension is destroyed. With every new reveal comes the feeling of "Okay, sure."

The marketing is also an issue for this movie. The trailer gives away a huge spoiler; there's no way around it. This means they've given away half their movie in the hopes that you'll see it on Oscar weekend. You shouldn't though.

There are enjoyable elements here. It's fun to laugh at Dennis Quaid grimacing in full actor mode. The film has some nice effects. It looks relatively cool. The foundation of a good film is here. If you decide to go I'd suggest a few beers beforehand. Sometimes you just have to laugh.

Grade: D+