Customer Reviews

Vanishing Point

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

They totally took out the whole core of what made the original movie tick. Barry Newman's Kowalski is an anti-hero of the first order- an ex-hero-cop who left the force because of all the dirty doings going on. He pops pills to stay awake to make his car deliveries. And he gets to be an icon of "rebellion against the man", even though he had no intention of doing so. In this movie, Viggo Mortenson's a family man just making car deliveries. His wife is pregnant and almost due, but he wants to make one last big delivery- of a super white Challenger. Course his wife has complications, and he's in a race to get back home to the hospital. He attracts the attention of local law enforcement due to his wild driving and speeding, and for some reason they decide to make an example of him. At one point one of the officers says, 'why don't we just let him go home, see his wife, and pick him up in a week?'. The same thought runs through the viewers mind, oh, right after the law finds out WHY he's off and running! And WORSE, they give this movie a happy ending!

The only redeeming feature is the car shots- especially the supercar shoot-out between the Challenger and a Charger. Which is why I gave it two stars

But this remake has cut all the soul out of the original movie. In the first movie, there's a touch of mysticism (there's a scene where Kowalski drives past himself in a car he just delivered going in the oppostite direction). There's a feeling of hopelessness in Kowalski that explains the ending better. And nobody will ever consider the remake to be a cult classic like the original is.

Ladies will enjoy all the shots of Viggo in this movie, I'm sure. And if Kowalski had been played by Jessica Alba I probably would've been kinder in my review. But as it stands, it's a pale imitation of the original.

how can you take the best drive-in movie ever made and turn out this WEAK AND POINTLESS remake that robs the story of all the best parts.maybe it was because they gave to much of his background or maybe it's because they give him a good reason for the chase(wife about to have a baby). in the original he starts the whole thing over a $10.00 bet and nothing more(that we know), so with some of the mystery gone most of the tension is gone also. really a miss step by all involved

Yeah, you guessed it... Another movie that makes you wonder if the writers in the movie industry have the worst case of writers block known to man. It seems that at least seven out of ten movies that have come out in the last ten years are poor remakes of classic movies that should have been left alone. It's bad enough that they can't write anything original, but then they go and massacre good movies someone else made... The only things this movie has in common with the original Vanishing Point are the desert, the Dodge, and the chase scenes. And that makes it a spinoff of the original, not a remake of it. Viggo Mortonsen is an excellent actor, but this is a C grade movie at best. The even ruined the scene with the lady biker...

I absolutely adore this movie, having caught it on late-late-late night television a while back. Fortunately, I had the foresight to tape it because I have watched it at least ten times since. I am so thrilled that they are finally releasing it on DVD! This Vanishing Point is a "remake" of the 1971 feature film by the same name. It stars Viggo Mortensen in the lead role and Jason Priestly as "the Voice". I have never seen the original Vanishing Point but I understand that quite a few plot points have been changed in this made-for-TV version. Viggo Mortensen plays (excellently, of course!) Kowalski, a former Army Ranger/race car driver living in Idaho with his pregnant wife. He takes a job transporting a (gorgeous) Dodge Challenger across the country to earn enough money to pay for his wife to have her baby in the hospital. Unfortunately, his wife falls ill and Kowalksi must race against time to be by her side. Of course, the police and federal government are hot on his heels. This movie was made shortly after the Oklahoma City bombing and its views on the government may be a little surprising for a post-9/11 viewing audience. Some of the best parts of Vanishing Point come from the interactions Kowalski has with the various people he meets along his way. Guys, who may be bored with all the close-ups of Viggo Mortensen in a white t-shirt and tight blue jeans, will be pleasantly surprised to see Peta Wilson (of La Femme Nikita fame) speeding around on a motorcycle in a bikini midway through the film. See - there is something for everyone. I would highly recommend Vanishing Point as a fun, sweet, poignant, and interesting movie. Bonus: the swearing is almost non-existent and there is only one scene with a couple (a married couple) in bed and even then they are both covered up. My eleven-year-old niece can enjoy this movie with me, which makes it even more special. Buy it!

stick with first one and not this movie which has one of worst cases of sunshine and lollipop endings ever

Not a very well done film. It might be worth a rental but please check out the original version of Vanishing Point. It blows the doors off this one.

I saw this on TV when it came out. I'm sure it was a made-for-TV movie, and it should have stopped there. I remember looking forward to seeing it, then was totally bummed out. I wasn't expecting it to be as good as the original, but geeze, it shouldn't be allowed to have the same name or main character. Totally different plot, totally corny. Was this made to be a chick flick? Someone mentioned what's his names blue eye's, and the woman in peril. If I remember he has to drive through Utah to Idaho and plays chicken with the cops. No cop is going to play chicken! Why doesn't he buy a freakin' plane ticket? Instead he tries to kill himself so his wife has nobody. Arrggh!

VP1 was an astonishingly good representation of the impact of the 1960's on the next decade...it had a great car and a good cast; great soundtrack and good scenery as well as a "feel" for what a lot of the USA and its inhabitants were like (low budget so it used a lot of real people and locales). Kowalski had tried the straight and narrow and then the crooked and lowdown. He had failed (not always his fault and did have some successes...medal of honor ,e.g.)at each...had suffered the loss of his love,so, all that was left was death.
VP2 has the Dodge Challenger R/T and a vapid, inane plot. What a waste of a great repro/rebuilt classic muscle car! Get VP1 and see if,even after 35 years, it does not hold up...

Good remake of classic car flick probably more a little more viewable to a larger general audience than the original but that doesn't mean its a better movie.

Film sticks to the basic original storyline but throws a few other elements into the flick eg. sick pregnant wife and FBI in the chase as well to add a little extra to the movie.

The car is awesome gotta love the 70 R/T Challenger with a 426ci Hemi

Well, it wasn't as good as the original (they never are). First of all, they completely changed the storyline by making ole Kowalski out to be some sort of domestic terrorist trying to get home to his pregnant wife. If that wasn't bad enough, they totally screwed up the ole man in the desert (lots of beans) and put a bikini on the naked chick on the dirt bike. The only good change was the addition of the Charger police car, though they could have made that part of the chase last longer. Overall, it's worth a video rental. If nothing else, you get to see a good ole MOPAR tearing it up!