Watchably silly at best, it's the political thriller as an unintentional comedy of errors - 24 meets Noises Off.
Vantage Point (2008)
Runtime: 90 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, Forest Whitaker, Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt
Reviews
Vantage Point might sound intriguing on paper but it's all gimmick and not a lot of substance.
As much as we'd like to see an American president made accountable, we don't have to see it over and over and over again.
The stories are cleverly interwoven, with a couple of unexpected twists, and the patient viewer is rewarded with a doozy of a car chase in the last reel.
Although mounted with no little efficiency by director Pete Travis (who previously made the TV drama-doc ‘Omagh’), the narrative enterprise actually hides a one-dimensional world view, with civilian casualties mere background set dressing.
It charms - despite hitting the odd seam of schmaltz - and teenagers will find much to tempt them away from their X-Boxes and PSPs.
As daft as it all becomes, Vantage Point is never dull. Approach it like a double-bill of 24 and there’s enough excitement to overcome the clichés, particularly during the climactic car chase.
Some okay thrills with good performances and some smarts. But the last reel plunge spoils things.
This pseudo-political action thriller is rather half baked editorially but otherwise overcooked.
Vantage Point prefers to stick with the familiar, so that it ends up, bizarrely enough, affirming rather than challenging the viewer's prejudices.
Vantage Point is a smart film with a complex plot and lots of action. That's not a typical combination
I might almost sit through the crappy storytelling one more time just to see the car chases. These are the kind car chases that Stuntman Mike from Death Proof might be able to appreciate
Decent actors wasted; impossible, idiotic plot twists; an unimaginative shooting style; an okay but unspectacular bit of action. Yep, it's a February movie all right.
The more they replay the story, the more you realize that there really wasn't all that much to see in the first place.
Basically, Vantage Point is a don't-ask-and-we-won't-tell movie. We are just supposed to sit back and ride along without questioning where we are being driven.
Suspenseful, yes - but it's all too far-fetched to matter much.
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by: ihateyourmovie 3/3
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