Hollywood loves to send its viewers messages of their liberal tendencies, especially regarding politics and the government. War is, of course, bad. The rest of the world hates us (Americans, that is). And the government is constantly lying and censoring what the media tells us.
Vantage Point addresses all of these issues while dealing with the ramifications of a terrorist attack, leading to high intensity chases, changing alliances and an uncertain future for the U.S. government.
In Salamanca, Spain, 150 leaders from around the world are meeting to discuss global terrorism in an effort to formalize a coalition between Western and Islamic leaders. Outside the plaza where the summit is being held, protestors are putting on a “side show.” The Global News Network, which is covering the event for the United States, does not want any of the focus to be on the protestors, but asks its staff to focus solely on the official news at the summit.
The summit begins and in the following 20 minutes, two shots are fired that hit the president of the United States, while two bombs explode in the plaza. The result is injuries, death and complete mayhem throughout the city of Salamanca. After initially seeing the attacks, they are replayed, showing the shots and explosions from the viewpoints of eight different characters.
The intense and action-packed beginning is a great way to start a movie, dousing the audience with turmoil. Seeing the chaos from multiple angles, the viewer is instantly trying to piece it together and understand what just happened.
One of the first characters we meet is Agent Thomas Barnes (Dennis Quaid). Barnes, who serves a secret service to the president, is battling his own demons. Only a year ago he took a bullet that was intended for the president. This horrible experience has left him doubting his instincts, which, unfortunately for him, is the essence of how he effectively does his job. Despite his initial cautiousness, his loyalty and dedication to his job shine through as he pursues the truth and fights for the safety of the president.
Barnes kicks into high gear after watching footage from a tourist’s camera and from GNN where he sees clues that help him understand who is involved and what has been planned. The audience isn’t shown this footage but must wait and watch as it all unfolds, adding to the drama and suspicion.
Enrique (Eduardo Noriega), who works as a part of the protection for the mayor of Salamanca, is one of the most captivating characters. Based on his relationships, or lack thereof, with other characters, Enrique is forced to weave his way through Salamanca, trying to find certain people, evade others and get to the truth about what has been planned — all on his own — while being deceived and abandoned by people he trusted.
Suarez (Saïd Taghmaoui), who turns out to be the mastermind behind the terrorist attacks, is infuriating as “the bad guy.” He feels no remorse for crushing those in his way to achieve his malicious goals. He ruthlessly uses people for his own benefit, and his desire to punish America doesn’t stop at targeting innocent people or going back on what he has previously promised.
Much of the film is intense chasing through the streets, some of which is realistically improbable. But after the explosions in the morning, the mayhem that erupted in the city continues for hours, as people flee the plaza and make their way through the streets, trying to find safety for themselves and trying to find people they lost during the madness.
The characters have to work within this pandemonium, as some try to escape the grip of authority while others try to track down the perpetrators of the attacks. As characters show their true colors, it is surprising to see who turns out to be working with whom, and for what goal.
The film is literally nail-biting. Even though the film tracks the events with Vantage Point, it is still impossible to know who’s responsible for everything and how it will work out until the very end, unlike other movies in which the conclusion is predictable.
Despite Hollywood’s general distaste for the current government’s position in international politics, the characters in the movie held a genuine feeling of patriotism. Vantage Point shows people who are proud to be Americans and eager to protect the president and fellow Americans from terrorist acts. Along with the cynical critique of the state of the world today, Vantage Point offers a vision of remarkable men and women in today’s ongoing quest to bring nations and people together.