Vantage Point is a Rasomon style thriller which looks at a Presidential assassination attempt from the differing perspectives of those involved. There's aging but reliable Secret Service protector Dennis Quaid, News Producer Sigorney Weaver, tourist Forrest Whitaker, Edgar Ramirez's Spanish Cop, newbie Agent Matthew Fox and the President himself William Hurt. After an hour of seeing the same incident again and again from the differing points of view we begin to build up a picture of what's really going on. It then drops the gimmick for the remainder of the movie to follow a conventional catch-the-bad-guy thriller plot.
It's a solid, well acted piece that just about stays on the right side of engaging. But, even though we learn an extra dimension to the plot and characters every time the film resets itself to midday, there is the temptation to stop watching. And, that just not compelling enough really. A good effort, and it's great to see a good, old fashioned adult thriller trying to break format and do something a bit different. But a more gripping script is needed next time.
Two extra things. It's cool to see Zoe Saldana in an early role, before she became a break out star. And at one point (SPOILER ALERT) William Hurt's President gets replaced by a body double for an important speach. For a thriller which is realistically grounded throughout...this plot device sticks out like a sore, piss-covered thumb.
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