I just watched Vantage Point and while I have to applaud the filmmakers for their efforts, they just miss the mark on this one. Dennis Quaid leads an all-star cast that each turn in excellent performances – the problem with the film cannot be put on any of the actors.

The acting suffered when the script was either weak or too stereotypical of the characters – vacationer, news manager, secret serviceman, military adviser etc. The biggest shortcoming however was the Forest Whitaker character. His ability to follow Secret Service agents at a full sprint was unbelievable. There is no way he could have kept up physically with their speed, plus he stopped to shoot video and ‘read the scene’ time and again.

In the end, I loved the idea, but feel the project was too ambitious to pull off well. When watching the special features on the DVD, it was clear that the filmmakers’ felt they had created a much more compelling and complex tale than came across on the screen. Good try, but from my angle it looked like a phantom punch to me.

RATING 6 out of 10