VANTAGE POINT

Director: Pete Travis
Stars: Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, Forest Whitaker, Eduardo Noriega, Edgar Ramirez, Said Taghmaoui, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver
Year: 2008
Rating: PG-13

This truly surprising, truly entertaining action film caught me off-guard; I'd seen a couple of bad reviews of the film, and so even though I thought the premise sounded like a good - and knew this film to have a good cast - I still sort of shied away from it for a time.

Sorry I did. This is fast-paced action thriller with enough surprises and chases and twists in plot to really keep your interest ... if not your adrenaline flowing.

U.S. President Ashton (William Hurt) is attending a counter-terrorism peace summit in Spain. As he makes his way to the outdoor festivities at the Plaza Mayor de Salamanca, his two closest secret service agents - Thomas Barnes (Dennis Quaid) and Kent Taylor (Matthew Fox) stick like glue to the President, determined to keep him safe. Barnes in particular, as he's just gotten back to active duty after having survived already saving President Ashton's life once before by taking a bullet for the guy. It seems some feel it's too soon for Barnes to be back in service to his commander-in-chief, however - and indeed, Barnes seems beyond jittery as his eyes scan the large group in the Plaza, not to mention the buildings behind it.

Sure enough, gunfire erupts from a slightly opened window across the way, and President Ashton is shot. Barnes and Taylor jump into action - Taylor going after the sniper and Barnes trying for crowd control on-site (also getting to the local American news truck covering the President's arrival, hoping to find some clues on what they've recorded) - and after checking out the video footage of an American tourist named Howard Lewis (Forest Whitaker), who'd filmed the entire incident, Barnes ends up in the news truck ... and, going back over the footage with the crew, spots something that sends him catapulting back out of the truck and running through the crowded streets, searching for a killer.

The entire thing takes 23 minutes, and includes a couple of shady/mysterious people whom, so far, we have NO idea as to where they fit in (same with a young Spanish mom and her child, whom Howard Lewis befriends). And when Quaid bolts from the news truck, the clock (and film) stops - then backs up ... and suddenly we're watching the exact same footage of the assassination of President Ashton - only this time, as seen through the eyes and actions of another character in the film.

In total, the same incidents are recounted through eight different points of view ... and slowly, the reality of the situation (compared to, in some cases, the "reality" we viewers THOUGHT we'd seen) come to light, and an entirely different picture of what really went on - or is going on - comes to light altogether. It's an intriguing premise, and here it's played out without a lack of tension in the plot. Car chases, explosions, terrorism, friends who we learn are really enemies, blackmail - it's all here, and viewers will quickly learn, as the film plays on, that you can't always believe what you think you see.

Quaid is perfect as the put-upon secret service agent who will do anything to protect President Ashton - even as he himself cracks under the strain - and in supporting roles major players like Forest Whitaker, William Hurt and even Sigourney Weaver really shine. Edgar Ramirez, Eduardo Noriega, and Said Taghmaoui - each of these men a fine actor given little credit in the business for their immense talent - also are aboard, playing both good guys and bad, and in short the casting of this film is just about ideal (with the exception, maybe, of Matthew Fox, who's kind of wooden in his performance).

Vantage Point is a tense little action thriller with plenty of suspense - a fun, mindless, and totally entertaining 90-minute rollercoaster that will keep you happily on the edge of your seat the entire time. I was surprised by just how much I liked - no, loved - it. ***1/2 - Reel Cool-Reel Awesome