Seeing events in a film take place from multiple perspectives can be a pretty interesting storytelling device. It also gives the film some rewatchability as you go back and try to catch things you might have missed. One film that employs this technique is the 2008 thriller Vantage Point, which you can stream on Paramount Plus. While it may not be the best film that uses the multiple-perspectives idea, it’s still a solid watch.
The Multiple POVs Of Vantage Point
Vantage Point follows the point of view of multiple characters who try to figure out what happened after an assassination attempt on the President of the United States occurs. The film is directed by Pete Travis from a script by Barry L Levy and stars Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, Forest Whitaker, William Hurt, and Sigourney Weaver. Quaid, in particular, gives a standout performance.
Critics Thought It Was Gimmicky
Vantage Point wasn’t much of a critical success when it was released, and reviews ranged from mixed to negative. The multiple POV storytelling device caused the film to be compared to Akira Kurosawa’s masterful Rashomon, with many reviewers pointing out the film came across as gimmicky in contrast and that it couldn’t hope to live up to Rashomon. Many reviewers also criticize the performances in the film, with Dennis Quaid’s efforts being an exception.
Not A Flop, Not A Smash Hit
While Vantage Point wasn’t a box office flop, with $151 million in worldwide ticket sales, it wasn’t necessarily a smash hit either. Combined with the mixed and negative reviews, the film has become a bit forgotten over time.
There were a ton of action thrillers coming out in the late 2000s and early 2010s, and the multiple perspective angle slightly helped Vantage Point stand out amongst the crowd, but the script was too all over the place to make the film anything other than middling.
A Spin-Off Series Was Announced
Interestingly, NBC saw enough potential in the premise of Vantage Point to greenlight a TV series based on the movie back in 2020. Barry Levy would have returned as writer for the project with Neil H Moriz, Carla Kettner, and Josh Berman on board as producers. The TV series would follow multiple perspectives, including government operatives, civilian informants, and innocent bystanders, that would allow the viewers to decide for themselves the truth of what happened.
Streaming Now On Paramount Plus
While this sounds like a pretty interesting premise, even more so than the premise of the movie, there hasn’t been any news about the Vantage Point TV series since then. With the TV show being announced four years ago at this point with no more news since, it doesn’t seem like the project will be moving forward anytime soon, if at all.
Obviously, NBC could fast-track it at any time, but there probably isn’t a big fan demand for a TV series based on a relatively forgotten action thriller from 2008 at this point.
In any case, you can watch the original Vantage Point on streaming if you want to check it out for yourself. While it’s no Rashomon, it’s fairly entertaining and would make a good weekend watch. You can now stream it on Paramount Plus.
