Rating: 4.5 Pulses
Dennis Quaid, Forest Whitaker, William Hurt, Matthew Fox
Directed by Pete Travis
Rated PG-13
This drama/thriller is a roller coaster ride that is difficult not to like, despite a tad of redundancy in the unfolding of the plot, which deals with a terrorist attempt to assassinate the president.
One of the things I liked right away about this film is that it wastes not one second getting going. As the viewer, you will be immediately drawn in to this rich tapestry of storytelling.
The editing is nothing short of spectacular, especially considering the genre. Most movies similar to this one take half an hour to get the characters and plot established. Not so in Vantage Point. Exactly 10 minutes from the beginning you will be blown away. Then the film rewinds very quickly, and this occurs each time the eight different perspectives are shown. So, some things may be foreseen, but this makes the plot much easier to follow and more fun to watch. Something new is learned with each different account, and the intrigue simply builds and builds.
The top-notch editing packs all 90 minutes with full throttle tension. I love films that can do this in an hour and a half, and I think that is a perfect length for most movies. One of the reasons the film is of ideal length is because it is not cluttered with unnecessary silly love stories and/or sex, nudity?very refreshing.
The list of actors leaves no need for me to mention how great the performances are. Perhaps Matthew Fox, from the popular television series “Lost,” should have stayed on the island, as his talents shine brighter there. But he is not in the film too much, and he is acceptable. However, because his character is one of the more intricate ones, I can think of many other actors who could have made his role much more outstanding.
Dennis Quaid delivers a performance that is as good as any I have ever seen him give. William Hurt is always glowing, and Forest Whitaker glows right along with him.
The premise makes a refreshing change from the routine style of mainstream films. It is a wonderful movie and I highly recommend it to everyone, and most