Review of Vanishing Point (1971) by Edward B — 27 Feb 2009

Although I love this movie, I could not call it a masterpiece by majority standards. But I do have to give the nay-sayers hell for saying there is no plot, or that Kowalski had no reason for his stunts.

If you watch it, you have to try to get into the characters mind a "little" to understand why he is going for broke. It seems to me, he was just trying to go out with a bang to end his miseries of what the world should be.

He was a soldier in an unpopular war. This may have left him feeling empty. Fighting and killing for what seemed a causeless and thankless war. From there he found something he was good at that allowed him a way to escape.

Motorcycle and then auto racing. But he did not want the notoriety that came with it. No hero stuff, he just wanted to race and keep his mouth closed. Then he became a good police officer and detective.

But noticing the corruption involved among his peers, he found no justice for being a cop. Not to mention this leads to becoming corrupt or quitting. Finally he lost his wife tragically. So he takes what he knows to be his freedom and challenges himself to take a road that he knows will lead to his eventual demise.

Because he has no faith in making a difference or having a good life. Sounds like a plot to me. NOTE: In my opinion, the "Vanishing Point" in the movie is the opening scenes where you see Kowalski driving the Challenger.

He passes a vehicle, and then the scene cuts to 2 days earlier. If you notice, the car he passes appears to be the Black Imperial that he drops off before he takes the Challenger in Colorado. That to me is the Vanishing Point.

The crux in time when his final acts began and ended.