Personally, I did not have much of a problem, aside from the repeated flashing of the start time. It was fine the first time around, but subsequent use was unnecessary and is insulting to the audience. It was as if the makers did not trust the audience to keep up.

If you want a film with character development or a well-develped plot, you will want to skip this. If, however, you are interested in a movie that is like a chess game and whose sole purpose is to move players around a board in search of checkmate, this may actually be for you.

I think you get the picture. Vantage Point is an exercise in plotting over all else. On that level, the movie is quite successful. There is a constant energy throughout as everything continuously surges ahead with few moments to catch your breath.

Considering the focus (the chessboard aesthetic) there is little room for any extensive plot development. There is supreme focus on the matter at hand rather than the bigger picture. There is no big picture in Vantage Point. There are a few scenes that suggest a larger stage, not to mention a more personal one, but there is no time to explore it. This is a shame, as a little more meat could have made this infinitely more entertaining.

One thing I could not help but notice was the politics that crept into the feature. Early on, a news reporter comments on how many countries look down on the United States, in conjunction with the protestors at the President's appearance. For a moment I thought, erroneously as it turns out, this film would be a little bit different than your standard terrorist versus super-American film. That thought lasted for mere minutes. It quickly turned into a film where one man puts the pieces together and becomes superhuman in his efforts to stop the plot, which we learn precious little about.

Vantage Point is definitely entertaining. As a first feature for both director Pete Travis and writer Barry Levy, they show skill in weaving together the puzzle pieces and keeping the momentum high. While there is room for improvement, it is still intriguing work.

Bottomline. This movie just rushes by. When it ends it is as if no time has passed at all. It is very nearly in real time, offering very little backstory, and when it ends you will be left with a plethora of questions about why what happened, happened. It puts all the pieces into place, but you are never allowed to see what it is supposed to look like. Still, it is enjoyable for the adrenaline rush it provides through its frenetic pace.

Mildly Recommended.