Vantage Point tells the story of the president's assassination in Madrid Spain when he is trying to bring peace to the middle east. Sound like something thats happening now? You're not too far off. The assassination is told however, from 5 different view points, each person containing a clue to who the ssccchhoooter is.
SPOILERS
The first perspective is the media, who obviously are all over the coverage, as it was likely a slow news day elsewhere, and nothing is more important than covering a retarded president's attempts to bring peace. Again, this is quite a huge jab at Bush, and it doesn't stop here, the whole movie has subtle critiques of the current dumbass in office.
The media sees things like we all at home would see them, a bunch of confusion and nothing really to advance the plot.
Next, we're flatulently transported back 23 minutes earlier to a naked Denis Quaid in his hotel room. He is a secret service agent who took a bullet for the prez previously, and he can't stop having flashbacks of that event, especially when somebody farts.
From his perspective a little more is learned, and we run into a guy that looks like Adam Goldberg.
Then we flatch back again to the Adam Goldberg character. His perspective isn't very interesting, other than the fact that he gets the shit kicked out of him again and again but still manages to escape and corpse.
Forest Whitaker's perspective is next, and it's fairly weak and gay. Forest is a hea guy who loves little kids and likes to go EEHEEE. He has a camera and despite running like crazy, manages to film with steady cam accuracy. Yet during the actual assasination, the stuboyvision kicks in.
The next perspective is from the Prez, who like Regan, is using a body double president that looks dorkier than he does. The prez watches in horror as the fake guy gets shot but then gets kidnapped himself. This is the problematic point in the film.
By not showing his full perspective, the filmmakers have created a plot hole, since we see more of what happened to him later. Kind of messed up but I probably would have made the same mistake.
Anywho, the last perspective is from the terrorists themselves, and the whole shindig goes down one last time and ends. All loose ends are kind of tied up, but we don't care, the terrorists have corpsed, and nobody cares.
END SPOILERS
This film presents an interesting way of telling a story, but something tells me I've seen this done before, and better. I can't pinpoint the film (De ja Vu?) but I'm thinking it was done better.
Thats no saying this movie was bad by any means, just that it wasn't as good as I had hoped. The stuboyvision takes me out of the story completely as does some of the bad acting on behalf of all cast, especially the media people. I wanted to punch that reporter lady at the beginning, she was a horrible actress.
Sigorney Weaver has a short part, as does Forest Whitaker. Denis Quaid likely has the longest part in the film as he is seen in every vantage point, and is the primary character in the story. He has his usual smelled a fart face throughout the entire film.
Again, its an interesting way of telling a story, and this film offers other filmmakers the opportunity to build upon it, but I know its nothing new. The acting really brought the movie down more than anything. The story was there, and was interesting, and there were a few cool sequences but overall I felt towards the middle ground on this one. Maybe when it comes out on DVD I'll rent it again, and update my judgements, but until then...
3.3 stars out of 4. Not a bad way to spend 90 minutes, but not exactly worth 9 dollars a pop.
This is my message to all you terrorist countries harboring tourrists. Bring em' on, thats my message to them, Bring em' on.
Where's Jim Cavizel when I need him. He'd likely turn my turtle face from a frown to a turtle type smile. Oh shit, here comes a road block..AHHHHHH!!! hodsuahf9405y934y54963324
I don't care if I am the last Kaing of Scotland, thisshhh is more importantshhhh. I must hold my uber stuboycam steady sosh I can see the schooter sit nextsh to me.
