Vantage Point (DVD, 2008)

Last night my wife and I went to our local Blockbuster and grabbed Vantage Point to watch. We just picked out a movie that we didn't know much about and decided to watch it.

When we went into the movie we were surprised by the use of time. We are introduced into the movie and the main plot and suddenly we zip back in time and watch the entire twenty minutes again from another vantage point. Each time this occurs we get another bit of the story.

My wife and I were totally taken in by this form of story telling. You could have easily made this movie without the vantage point rewinds, but then the movie would be just another action movie about an assassination attempt.

Overall this is a great watch and a gem of a find on a Friday night!

5/5

Latsyrhc
Tamarack Collectibles

What makes Vantage Point so original is its use of time. I can't recall a movie that moved back and forth in time the way this one does, and it was done very well.

The plot of the movie takes place in a 20 minute span (of cinematic time, not actual time). With each "vantage" you get further pieces of the puzzle to help you solve the mystery and to tie up all the loose ends.

I gave this a 4 instead of a 5 only because many of the characters were underdeveloped, but that's pretty much a consequence of the movie's format and shouldn't be seen as a detriment of the director.

Dennis Quaid's acting is terrific as is Forest Whitaker (but what else is new).

Certainly worth watching.

I went into this movie with high expectations and was not disappointed.

From the beginning the movie grabs your interest and holds it throughout the movie. At first I thought the "rewinds" were a bit annoying, but after a while they made a lot of sense and I began to understand the message they were conveying.

The Director did a great job of keeping my interest while telling an exciting story that leads up to the final scene.

Dennis Quaid gives another powerful performance, along with all the other actors.

I highly recommend that you buy this DVD and add it to your collection.

I rate this movie a 5 of 5 for it's gripping action and for a strong performance by all involved.

Now this is one extremely fast paced thriller and all those who think they have it figured out after the first 15 minutes will be in for a huge surprise. Never has there been a film that had you glued to the screen from the beginning to very end. The entire cast meshed so perfectly you felt like you were in the midst with them. Make sure you have all your snacks ready and trips to the restroom done because this is not a movie you'd want to put on hold.

I must admit I went into the theater interested, but skeptical. Slowly, I got drawn into things, and by the time the we were at the fourth vantage point, I was fascinated by how all the stories interrelated with each other, and wondering the story would end up.

The acting is uniformly excellent, especially that of Dennis Quaid, who I had previously considered a mostly comic actor, but is very convincing here as a Secret Service agent.

The direction and script are also excellent, especially when you consider both are first-timers in the world of feature films. The script was not without its clichés, but I didn't see most of the plot twists coming, which I can usually spot coming a mile away in a film like this. There was one real groaner of a plot twist that you'd have to be an idiot not to see, but it goes by so fast that it doesn't really matter.

A lot of the audience in the screening I was at got frustrated by the repeated sections, obviously having no attention span. But once the third act of the film kicks into gear, everybody stopped complaining.

Speaking of which, the third act is the payoff which we've all been waiting for. Seeing all the plot threads converge in such a convincing matter was nice, as was the final action scene, which seems like it was plucked right out of one of the Bourne films. This comes as little surprise, since director Pete Travis and Bourne series director Paul Greengrass have worked together in the past.

As skeptical as I had gone in, I came out impressed. Not since The Bourne Ultimatum have I seen such a convincing, engrossing action thriller.

At least it was a short movie at 1.5 hours long. Big name actors/actresses. A wasted performance by Sigourney Weaver, as she was only in the film for about 8 minutes. The story was good. Some real good twists. Seen through the eyes of all sides in this plot to assasinate the US President, it was a little different than most films in this genre. The horrible ending with the little girl. Are you telling me the chase scene that went on for miles and the little girl on foot caught up to them and randomly met up with her mother. Horrible ending. I can't write any more. Up to the last 5 minutes, I'd say it was an acceptable use of time.

I liked the way the story played out in flashback form and how it kept you guessing. It was so good, my whole family actually stayed awake for the entire movie. I bought the movie because I wanted to see it at the theater but never got around to it and I knew my extended family would want to see it too.

Vantage Point is a thriller with a twist. Well, aren't they all? But in this case, it was a clever conceit. We see an event through multiple vantage points - the Secret Service Agent, the News Director, The Tourist, The Terrorist, etc. Sounds cool, right? It should have been. But I found myself groaning with increasing frustration with each "rewind".

Each "vantage point" did provide new information and clue us in on that character's role in the grand scheme of things, but the problem was I just didn't care enough and there was too much repeated information. I got bored and frustated by about midway, and knowing that I still had several vantage point rewinds to endure, I grew very ansty.

The cast is a more than capable of handling anything put before them - Dennis Quaid, Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt, Forest Whitaker. Sadly, they just don't have that much to work with, except Whitaker who was the sole bright spot for me.

Now, don't get me wrong. It's not a bad movie, it's just not a good movie and worse yet, for a thriller it wasn't that engaging a film.

I actually liked the way the Director takes you back to the beginning after you see what each person sees...It's like if you were to ask 8 people what they saw before a Major Accident,everyone will have a different story of what THEY saw. Whoever thought to do this is a Geneious. I'd like more movies like this in the ?Future. Great job

As it seemed at the beginning, that's right..I was saying huh during the first 30 mins. but after that I figured out what was happening..basically an attempted assassination of the President by a group of unknowns..the twists and turns in the film are funny and the silliness of the Govn. stating it was an attempt by a single sniper when there was several others involved was par for the course with the Govn. This film is shown from the eyes of several different witnesses and is surprising on several levels a must watch movie..

This is a great flick! You'll be on the edge of your seat the entire time, but pay attention because the plot can be confusing. It's kinda like Mission Impossible if you're not paying attention! Must see!

I loved this movie. I thought it had a very clever premise. Some compared it to Groundhog Day because of seeing the same scene again and again. However I believe that movie was a comedy and this movie was definitely an intense thriller. After about the 5th time you're seeing the scene unfold again you're kinda laughing for a moment because it's like "here we go again", but really it is very good. I highly recommend it! Thanks, Tara

I didn't see this movie at the cinemas because I thought it might not have been worth the outrageous $20 ticket. I was given a pleasant surprise when I hired it though. Fast moving, action packed, twists you don't see comping. It was far better than I ever expected and I recommend watching. A very good movie.

Fast paced and more than was expected....2 thumbs up!! Fine actors are always a plus,and the action was extremely "edge of your seat". My opinion is ...money well spent..and share it with your friends.

Unbelievable movie ...........definately a must see...................Perfect addition to your collection.

There was non-stop action from beginning to end. The rewinding of the clock and the commencement of the assasination count-down for each of the principal characters provided new information and twists in the story. I started to see things and characters doing things I missed the first time through. The movie was very well done.

Great film. The only negative thing about the layout of the movie is the flashbacks. After the fourth one, it got a little old. Other than that, an intense and masterful--well-timed plot--makes this movie a great one.

This is a decent movie. But with all the suspense, twists & turns, and action, I was totally left with that, "So what?" feeling at the end. The anchor story is of an attempted presidential assassination during a world peace conference. The initial story, seen through the eyes of a CNN-type executive producer (Sigourney Weaver) covering the event, is re-told several times including through the eyes of a local police officer, a secret service agent (Dennis Quaid), a video camera-happy tourist (Forrest Whitaker), the President (William Hurt) and even one of the terrorists. Each rewind segment (or vantage point) adds pieces of the puzzle until we understand the whole plot. There are some neat plot twists and a heart-racing car chase, but this is not even an above average action movie. Despite appearing new to many, the technique of telling a story from several vantage points is as old as Rashomon and Citizen Kane. The movie also fails to tie up so many loose ends (what does happen to Matthew Fox?) or to allow any real closure when it comes to the hundreds of people who die in this movie. In the end, So What?

I liked that this movie showed the events based on several different viewpoints. In the end it got a little quick and it was hard to understand the "leap"

I also never quite figured out how or why the secret service agent went bad. It was not very plausible.

For entertainment value it was a good movie.. For realism it was full of holes

I'm not a buyer of DVD's. I usually watch a film on television or in the movie theater. I saw Vantage Point by accident on one of my cable channels. I loved this movie so much I just had to buy it. It's got action, drama, excellent actors, and leaves you on the seat of your pants. Everyone should see this at least one time.

VIEWED ENTIRE THE FOLLOWING DAY,MOVIE LOADED UP QUICLY AND NO PAUSE OR BREAKDOWN DURING THE VIEWING IF THE MOVIE

I just got home from seeing an early showing of this film and I just must say, "OH MY GOD...". Within the first 5 minutes easily, I was so engrossed that I couldn't look away. It was very intense. And although some may find the constant 'rewinding' to be annoying, I just found that it made it that much more awesome. Every 20 minutes or so you're right on the edge of your seat and are left hanging until the very end. It's one giant tease, but it's totally worth it. Definitely one of the smartest, and most well executed movies I can remember seeing. The whole ensemble is absolutely flawless. It had the perfect combination of action, suspense, and humor.

I just can't say enough good things about this movie. Please, go now.. and enjoy.

DOn;t leave your house. KEEP the movie for the same price as renting it with no return day or late fee. Ships in couple days in great condition so watch it over and over..

great price, dramatic movie, shows different viewpoint of same incident. very fast moving piece, would recommend it for all poli-sci students or action fans.