vantage point

i like "clever" movies-it can be quite fun trying to figure out falshbacks and flash forwards and fanatasy sequences, especially when they all come together

one of my favourite films of the last few years was run lola run. i've lent it out at the moment but i really must watch it again. (also momento, now that i come to think about it)

when done well, they can be a quite staidfying watch, although there is an alternate point of view that they are just gimmicky (what? even rashoman?)

which brings me to vantage point. here's the scenario. the president of the united states is in spain announcing a summit on anti-terrorist action, when he is shot and building explodes.

these events are told from eight different point of view-a television producer ccoverinng the event, a seccret service agent, a tourist with a video camera, a couple of the terrorists and so on. a vantage point of the events is shown, then the film returns to 11.59am, just before the president makes his speech

the last third of the film continues on the events as the characters begin to interact.

so far, so clever, but for all the visual flair, and the strong underlying concept, trying to deal with so many characters in a short space of time (the film only lasts for 90 minutes) means that many of the characters come across as underwritten. b ack stories are hinted, or ignored completely, as are motivations-why is the tv producer so determined not to mention the protestors, what are the terrorists trying to achieve (duh, they're terrorists)

i liked the jigsaw concept, but unbfortunatly like a jigsaw, once you've put it all together, its falt and two dimensional