On "Vantage Point"

Everything, in the end, does not make sense. In fact, much of the movie doesn't make much sense. Its timeline does not add up, and it pushes the boundaries of believability beyond the breaking point and into the realm of utter ridiculousness. The film's climax has to rank as one of the silliest car chases ever captured on film. I know it's just a movie, but one can only suspend disbelief so far.

But perhaps the most surprising weakness of "Vantage Point" is the performances. Sigourney Weaver (in a thankless role as a story-driven TV director with the wrong priorities), recent Oscar winner Forest Whitaker, Dennis Quaid and William Hurt all seem to be phoning it in. When that many good actors aren't up to par, the problem is with the director, not with the actors. Their weakness betrays Travis' weakness as a director. He seems to be trying to make a statement against the American media, all the while falling into the same trap that he condemns them for falling into. He refuses to give any consideration to the goals and ideas of the terrorists. Why are they trying to kidnap the president, who is clearly trying to make peace? What is really going on here?

Travis doesn't know or care, as the lone intrepid reporter trying to answer those very questions is swept under the rug early on so the nonstop action can begin. I shouldn't have been surprised. There's nothing more uniquely American than that.

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