I never once believed that the events of “Vantage Point” were possible, but the clever structure and interweaving narratives made for one hell of a fun movie. This is a story that constructs itself of multiple viewpoints, with characters that witness and/or participate in terrorist activity. To show these viewpoints, the film consistently rewinds itself and then replays, each time focusing on different characters while gradually revealing pieces of the puzzle. I agree that this isn’t very realistic, but that doesn’t matter since it’s more about entertainment. It’s a good thing I caught on to that early on, because at a certain point, the convenient twists and implausible action sequences become too numerous to count. The ad campaign claims that eight strangers bear witness, but it’s actually hard to know for sure since the segments are very intermingled. You shouldn’t be counting, anyway--you’ll miss out on everything.

The film takes place in Spain in the city of Salamanca, where the President of the United States plans to take part in an anti-terror summit. A public statement will be given at the Plaza Mayor, where thousands of people have gathered both in support and in protest. Capturing the action for American television is camera director Rex Brooks (Sigourney Weaver), who demands the best footage from both crew and the reporters. Everything goes smoothly until the arrival of the President, who’s immediately shot. Complete chaos ensues, which only gets worse with the sound of a distant explosion. It all comes to a grinding halt when the Plaza Mayor explodes in a gigantic fireball, killing dozens if not hundreds.

At this point, the story rewinds twenty-three minutes earlier, just as it turns noon. We now focus on Thomas Barnes (Dennis Quaid), a member of the President’s Secret Service. Because he took a bullet for the President a year earlier, he’s completely unsure of himself, so much so that he relies on an anti-anxiety medication to stay under control. The other guards seem to be just as unsure, especially since he overreacts to people who reach for things in their pockets. His partner, Kent Taylor (Matthew Fox), seems to be the only one that still respects him. As they stand on the stage, Barnes notices a fluttering curtain in a building that was supposed to be cleared. Even after it turns out to be nothing, he’s clearly troubled by what he’s seen. He then kicks into high gear when the shot is fired; after tackling and losing a man claiming to be a Spanish police officer, and after the explosion, Barnes runs into Brooks’ news van and demands to see every moment of footage. He ends up seeing something that shocks him to the core.

The story rewinds again, and this time we focus on Enrique (Eduardo Noriega), a Spanish cop assigned to protect the Mayor of Salamanca. He’s also set to meet his lover, Veronica (Ayelet Zurer), although he feels threatened when he sees another man holding her. This is bad because he already feels strange about what Veronica wants him to do. After a quick exchange, Enrique moves into the crowd and witnesses the President being shot. He runs on stage, only to be tackled by Barnes and arrested on the spot. After the explosion, Enrique leads the Secret Service on a chase through the streets - one that ends at an underpass spanning a busy highway. It also ends with him saying “Surprised to see me alive?” to an as yet unrevealed person.

Once again, the story rewinds. We now meet Howard Lewis (Forest Whitaker), an American tourist visiting Europe for the first time. Capturing every moment on a digital camcorder, he walks around Plaza Mayor with awe in his eyes. As the summit gets underway, he notices an odd interaction with a Spanish couple, the kind that says they have something to hide from the rest of the world. He then notices strange activity in the upper floors of a building, which then leads to the President being shot. As panic takes hold, Barnes approaches Lewis and demands to see the footage he shot. Then comes the explosion, which both Lewis and his camera miraculously survive. Even more miraculous is his willingness to chase Enrique and continue recording the events--he seems awfully curious for someone who barely escaped with his life.

I can’t describe the remaining viewpoints simply because too much would be given away. I’m sorry to say that one of the biggest plot points was already given away in the trailers, and it relates directly to the President (William Hurt). To those of you who have seen them: you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. To those of you who haven’t seen them: believe me, you’re better off. Be that as it may, I was greatly entertained by this film, from its enticing start to its frenetic finish. The final ten minutes of “Vantage Point” are fast-paced and satisfying, and they feature a lengthy car chase that’s anything but realistic, a subplot about a man’s missing brother, and more than a few characters running across busy streets. Best of all, it features that climactic moment when all the major viewpoints converge into a single narrative. I can’t say that the story is unpredictable--that would depend on your ability to detect elaborate plot twists. What I can say is that, even if you do figure everything out too soon, you’ll probably still have fun watching it.

- Chris Pandolfi