Vantage Point

[slickstu]

During a transnational anti-terrorism summit in Spain the president of the United States of America is assassinated. In the current political climate one half expects thunderous applause from the audience but no; in any case presidential assassinations just don't seem to have the impact they used to. What follows is the same incident represented from several different viewpoints.

Showing a crime committed from different people's point of view is an intriguing premise but it only works if all the key plot points converge on the end, solving the mystery just prior to the closing credits. The problem here is that you figure out critical plot points long before the conclusion. In this regard, the script just isn't quite clever enough and never delivers on its promise. The narrative is also littered with clunky, contrived plot devices, unbelievable set pieces and some truly naff dialogue but first time feature director, Pete Travis, keeps the tension wound taut resulting in a film which is much more enjoyable than it deserves to be. It's unfortunate then that his gargantuan efforts to overcome the material is ultimately undone by a totally preposterous conclusion which arises out of an equally preposterous series of coincidences; but it is admittedly good fun up until this point.

It's a frustratingly disappointing film which for most of its length shoots straight for the bullseye and then............misses! ::

7 out of 10


Here's a list of some of the sillier things I remember from the film (careful, here be SPOILERS!);

1. The introduction of Barnes (Quaid) is a lesson in clunky, contrived plot devices - the TV Producer (Sigourney Weaver) tracks down footage of Barnes' past only to instantly dismiss it because she doesn't time to use it.

2. Following the terrorist attack, the president's favourite Secret Service Agent (Quaid) proclaims, "This shouldn't have happened!" Um, well, duh!

3. The Spanish cop (Eduardo Noriega) unwittingly sneaks a bomb-laden satchel into a secure area for his terrorist girlfriend?? Revoke that guy's badge immediately, I say!

4. Secret service agents opening fire in crowded streets of a friendly foreign country?? That must break a few treaties!

5. The president has a double that not even the fella who took a bullet for him notices?? He must be a previously unknown identical twin!

[dr_death]

tryed watching it the other day couldn't get intrested in it a load of bog