Viggo Mortensen stars as Jimmy Kowalski, a Desert Storm veteran with racing in his blood, dark secrets in his past, a pregnant wife at home, and a vintage 1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger to deliver. But when his wife is suddenl... more »y hospitalized, a desperate Kowalski speeds cross-country with police from four states, a vengeful trooper [Steve Railsback of HELTER SKELTER and ED GEIN], and the FBI in hot pursuit. Now with the help of an outspoken radio DJ [Jason Priestley], the man a nation hails as ?the last American hero? and the Feds label a ?possible terrorist? rockets toward a final roadblock where the speed limit is the floorboard, and life, death and freedom all come together at the VANISHING POINT. Christine Elise [ER], Keith David [ARMAGEDDON] and Peta Wilson [LA FEMME NIKITA] co-star in this explosive Fox-TV remake of the legendary cult classic that fans call ?the ultimate car chase movie?!« less
"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."
I have never seen source movies like the original"vanishing
John D. Page | usa | 05/04/2006
(1 out of 5 stars)
"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"
Another One
Axel Slingerland | Humboldt County | 06/16/2005
(1 out of 5 stars)
"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..."
How could they
D. V. Martin | Perth. West Australia. | 07/26/2005
(1 out of 5 stars)
"stick with first one and not this movie which has one of worst cases of sunshine and lollipop endings ever"
Drive Past It
David Smith | Northern California | 11/27/2008
(2 out of 5 stars)
"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."