Vantage Point

While on vacation this weekend, we saw the movie "vantage point." Not a good movie but it explodes well. I mean, when you're on vacation, it's loud enough to keep the thinking at the minimum amount. It's really not a good movie, but neither of us really minded while we watching it.

There were a couple rows of people in the back of the movie theater though who appeared to be "shocked! shocked! I tell you" that the movie kept rewinding and telling the same story from a different, well, vantage point, again and again. Even if you give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they didn't know what the gimmick of the movie was -- hadn't seen any advertisments, didn't really think about the title, etc. -- you'd think they would have gotten the hang of it after the second or third scene. . . You know, I mean, I'm not one to make jokes at the expense of others but, come on, even my dog gets trained faster than that. These people just kept getting more and more shocked by the structure of the movie as the movie continued. Now, I find it hard to believe that they hadn't heard something about the movie before they came, but then, while they're there -- learn, you motherfuckers, learn! Adjust! Will you please? Get the point? The movie is going to go backwards a few more times and show you the same action from a different point of view. That's what's going to happen. . . How did I figure that out? By watching the fucking movie! . . . And they wouldn't leave either. they seemed really pissed off. Then they stayed and were shocked anew with each new VANTAGE POINT! . . .

Not to sound like I'm defending what is largely a technically impressive and horrible movie, I couldn't help but also think as I watched -- "Would it have really been that hard to write better dialogue? I just don't think it would be that hard." Yes, I understand you don't want long Quinton Tarantino style banter. You want information conveyed quickly. Etc. etc. I still don't think it would be that hard. . . I was doing it in my head as the movie went along. I'd give examples but I've blocked the horrible dialogue out of my head now.

Or is the reason that the dialogue sucks is because it would be hard for them to do it better?

oy.