I personally love a film that makes me think and challenges my intellect, so when Vantage Point arrived on the scene and was supposedly "a slick, explosive thriller that builds to an exciting climax" (according to Heat magazine) I was more than intrigued. The all star cast only added to my interest in the film, with Matthew Fox (Lost), Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland) and Sigourney Weaver all making an appearance. Did Vantage Point live up to my expectations and prove to be a captivating thriller?
If I were to tell you Vantage Point is based around a plot to assassinate the President of the United States, you might rightly think "Boring! I've seen that a thousand times before". However, director Pete Travis adds an interesting twist to the film which in my memory had never been attempted before. Vantage Point begins by showing the President getting shot whilst making a speech in Spain, and then replays the event through 8 different people's perspectives; without ever actually showing you what the person really saw. The cliff hanger ending of every characters scene keeps you guessing what happened and will constantly have your theory on the event changing. Each character differs immensely from the next and this allows a vide variety of perspectives to be seen. Matthew Fox convincingly portrays the President's bodyguard, whereas
Forest Whitaker puts in a solid performance as a tourist who films the whole event via his camcorder. The remaining cast also produce outstanding performances which really convince you of their emotional journey through the event that unfolds. You want to believe each character after viewing their portion, but the next sequence puts a twist on what you originally thought and will have you rethinking what really happened.
Without spoiling the story too much, Vantage Point hits on a few politically challenging issues which might put strongly patriotic Americans off the film. A highly debated issue is whether the President of the United States indeed has a double which attends high risk events, putting his life on the line instead of real President's. One of the 8 people whose perspective you view is indeed the President, so was he really assassinated or did the unlucky double pick the wrong day to make an appearance? This, among with all the other characters story lines lead to an exciting ending which will keep you thinking for hours after the film finishes. Vantage Point could be thought off as one of those films that needs to be viewed a number of times to truly be understood and appreciated, and therefore I'm glad I decided to add this to my Blu-ray collection; and will undoubtedly view it numerous times in the future.
The picture: The vast majority of Sony's Blu-rays look astonishing and are reference quality, with Vantage Point being no different. The Widescreen 2:40:1 presentation shows pristine picture quality consistently throughout the film. No grain whatsoever was present on my screen, and picture detail was also noticeably high. Everything from the sparkling sun on a warm summers day in Spain to the dark black of the assassin's sniper rifle looked was displayed brilliantly. I failed to view Vantage Point on a normal DVD, but I am sure that the Blu-ray picture would look far superior to the older format and would be worth upgrading for if you are a fan of the movie.
Audio: The 5.1 TrueHD soundtrack will not disappoint, allowing you to hear every little detail the director intended in Vantage Point. The back two speakers of your surround sound system will regularly be used throughout the film, with gun shots and the screams of a frightened crowd circling behind your ears. The audio might not be impressive as a leading Blu-ray in this department such as Die Hard 4, but Vantage Point includes solid audio which fits in with the film perfectly.
Special Features: Vantage Point has a decent set of special features, with the most impressive being a "GPS Tracker". When chosen, a small display appears at the bottom of the screen whilst the movie plays, with this display showing where each of the 8 focused characters are at that point in the movie. The small coloured dots move around on a map to signify characters moving to different positions, with a key being shown which clearly dictates which colour represents what actor or actress. The GPS Tracker is a brilliant addition to the movie, and will encourage you to watch the film a second time with this feature active due to a whole new dimension being added to the film.
You can also watch the film with commentary from the director Pete Travis running in the background. This is an interesting watch, with Travis explaining how special effects were pulled off, why different camera angles were used and even how casting the movie went. Three featurettes are included which interview the cast and explain the plot of the movie further. None of these featurettes really interested me, but might be worth a watch if you're a fan of the actor/actress talking.
Last but not least, three trailers of upcoming Sony Blu-ray releases can be viewed; these films being the comedy "Made of Honour", the counting cards thriller "21", and the hated superhero "Hancock".
Summary: Vantage Point is a terrific, fast paced thriller which will keep you guessing at every moment. As the story is told through 8 different perspectives, your theory on what really happened will keep changing until the shocking ending is unveiled. Along with an intriguing storyline, Vantage Point looks terrific on Blu-ray and is accompanied by a solid audio track. The special features will keep fans of the film entertained for a few more hours, with the "GPS Tracker" feature being a genius addition. Overall, if you like movies which challenge your mind and keep you guessing the whole way, you'll love Vantage Point; and the Blu-ray features help make the film that much better. Highly recommended!
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Great review and one of very few that really gives a feel for the Blu-Ray format. Super review of the film, the format and the extras. The perfect DVD review, as far as I'm concerned.
redeyes22 23.11.2008 00:25
great review aggy
tigerthecat 22.11.2008 13:15
I actually wondered if Blu ray was any better but it sounds like it is, Very good review.
exceptional by (13%):
very helpful by (88%):
