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Sometimes the truth is hidden in plain sight - you just need to know where to look.

Vantage Point is an intricate action-thriller, which replays a devastating terrorist attack from eight perspectives, exposing a web of intrigue, which leaves the American president fighting for his life during a visit to Salamanca in western Spain.

Screenwriter Barry L Levy draws inspiration from Rashomon, replaying events from these radically different viewpoints. He doesn't play fair, though. Coincidence and chance nudge the film towards implausibility, like the American tourist who gets the urge to shadow a police chase with his camera in order to feed us a red herring. There's little chance of figuring out the truth because key evidence, which should by rights be supplied by characters in earlier scenes, is withheld until the climax.

Manchester-born director Pete Travis fills the screen with enough pyrotechnics and noise to keep our eyes and ears engaged even if our brains are not. However, he's far less successful with the quieter, emotional moments - what few there are - hamstrung by a noticeable lack of depth to the characters as they fight for survival.

President Ashton (Hurt) travels to Spain to make a keynote address about his vision for a new world order, determined to eradicate terrorism. As he approaches the lectern, two shots ring out and Secret Service agents Thomas Barnes (Quaid) and Kent Taylor (Fox) rush to the president's aid.

In the ensuing pandemonium, Thomas notices American tourist Howard Lewis (Whitaker) digitally recording the incident and they hastily review the footage, discovering that the terrorists have left another surprise for the Secret Service.

Enjoyed on its own flimsy terms, Vantage Point is a big, muscular popcorn movie with some decent action sequences and teasing cliffhangers. Some of the cast fare better than others, but to say who does would ruin the twists (if you've seen the trailer then, annoyingly, you'll be aware of most of them).

Action/Thriller. Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt, Forest Whitaker, Zoe Saldana, Said Taghmaoui, Edgar Ramirez, Eduardo Noriega. Director: Pete Travis.

RATING: Three stars

5:22pm Thursday 6th March 2008

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