Vanishing Point (1997)

That was an excellent one.

Don't listen to the negative reviews

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

But even then, "Vanishing Point" is exceedingly uninvolving and surprisingly ill-advised in its selective updating. If you're updating Kowalski from Vietnam to Desert Storm, then why is he still driving the same (now-26-year-old) Challenger? Referring to the police as "The Man" meant something in the countercultural original. Here, not so much. If you change a few key elements - the main character's name, his ride, different movie title - then you might have something: a guy who's trying to get home to his wife who's in labor. Work that out, and you might have something to hang a movie on. But watching this movie, and knowing that it's somehow connected to the original "Vanishing Point" [1971] just dooms it from the start. It's got no drive, no ambition. The original movie was greater than the sum of its parts, but the remake relies only on the iconic car and some superficial connections. Just an extremely generic and boring affair.4/10

Any movie that shows federal PIGs (Persons In Government) to be the power-mad threats they are in real life has a lot to recommend it to me.Alas, the script supervision and editing and even, at times, the directing are flawed so there will be people who will disparage the whole movie and ignore the good moments.I saw the original way back when it was new and hated it, despised it, loathed it. Thought it was a terrible, irrational piece of junk.Now, though, I don't remember why.I believe the two should not be compared or even connected.Consider them as two different movies.Rate them as two different movies.This "Vanishing Point" provides a rallying place, a banner for people who want to encourage individualism, who believe in human rights, who recognize the threat to freedom government can be and is, especially the federal government."The Voice" wears a cap bearing the state motto of New Hampshire: "Live Free or Die." At one time it would have been the motto of most Americans.Despite its obvious flaws, "Vanishing Point" is a film to cheer.

If you have seen the comments i have left for other films i have only commented on my favourite films, this one is no exception. Great car chases and overall one of my most favourite films. I was very lucky to have seen this film because not many people have, but if you ever see it advertised make sure you watch it. I only wish that this masterpiece is brought to DVDRating: Six stars out of five

Much has said about the wonderful, original "Vanishing Point"; I finally got to see the TV remake of the 1970 classic...and it was a shame. The original had Barry Newman, who somehow had the unique talent to come across as a guy who'd 'been there and done that'...and survived it all with wit, humor, and integrity as well as fantastic driving skills. The bozo in this tepid rehash looks like he'd be out of his weight battling a soggy airmail envelope. Most of the time, while driving, he looks as if he's a 12-year-old punk out joyriding his older brother's car...and about to lose control of it, at that.Even the little technical details were goofy beyond reason. "Jimmy" Kowalski managed to buy a police radio scanner, and somehow it doesn't need an antenna to receive signals. Better yet, since it's a crystal-controlled radio, 'magic crystals' cut for the correct radio frequencies used by cops in FOUR STATES somehow magically install themselves during the asphalt festivities. Better yet, the radio doesn't even stop scanning when a transmission is received!!!Kowalski was supposed to be a former Army Ranger, and at one point he's in uniform, in front of a Captain who's dressing him down for his being an 'individual'. He's wearing a pair of army jump-wings, which means he's an Airborne Ranger (I guess), but no Combat Infantry Badge, despite being a decorated combat veteran. Interesting.In short, the numerous flaws of this movie far outweigh its virtues.On the other hand, the southwestern U.S. looked as lovely as it does in real life. Some nice footage of the area's scenic beauty was most welcome.They made the point...several times...during this flick that Kowalski wasn't a hero...just an 'ordinary guy' involved in 'extraordinary events'. Well, the REAL Kowalski (Newman) in the original was an extraordinary guy performing extraordinary feats. The big mistake here was trying to give us too much backstory on the mysterious and intrepid Mr. K, instead of letting us fill in the details ourselves. If you want to see a true American classic...a unique snapshot of early 1970s America, as it were, stay away from this T.V. travesty and watch the original instead.