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Vantage Point (2008)

Rate: 7
Viewed: 2/26

2/26: I consider Vantage Point to be an anthology film.

There are differing perspectives from various viewpoints of a presidential assassination in Salamanca, Spain (really shot on location in Mexico City for the most part). Each time it's shown, the next one is repeated but with a new development. This keeps the film fresh from start to finish without losing momentum. However, a lot of situations are downright impossible.

I remember making fun of Forest Whitaker in The Enemy Within and thought it should've been retitled Run Forest Run! Yet Vantage Point has him running more than ever and being in the right place at the right time. Worse, he looks physically out of shape. How about the car chase? It'll never happen.

Sure, a body double might be used, but it usually involves going in and out of a place, not giving an important speech on the world stage. That'll be an insult. Therefore, the fake U.S. President Henry Ashton taking one in the chest isn't believable because it's still William Hurt.

At times, there are reminders of The Day of the Jackal, but I've always been disappointed by the ending, especially when I read the book. Here it's done again. I would've appreciated it if the bad guys successfully pulled off the assassination and left without a trace. That's because there are too many people running all over the place, creating an incomprehensible chaos.

All in all, Vantage Point has a great cast and offers an interesting tale, but the editing is rather wonky, requiring suspension of disbelief many times.

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