Ok, first I should mention that this review is going to contain SPOILERS. If you don't want me to spoil 40 year old movie... then... well too bad! You've had 40 years! OR you can just stop reading right now.
The film follows the character Kowalski played by Barry Newman. Kowalski delivers cars and he delivers them fast. Why does he choose to be so fast? I wish I knew. Is there something on the line if he doesn't get the car from Colorado to San Francisco on time? Nope, not as far as I can tell. This is the main problem with the plot. There is NO REASON for the entire story to even take place. Maybe if the cars were stolen or something and some crime lord needed them fast and Kowalski's family's lives were on the line, then we'd have a movie. That's a simple element that could have been added to the story. Sure, it seems like a cliche plot by today's standards (in fact I think that's the plot to the remake of Gone In 60 Seconds) but in 1971 that would be original. From what I hear they added more to the plot when they remade Vanishing Point for TV in 1997.
We don't know much about Kowalski other than he really wants to get this Chager to San Fran in the fastest time possible for no reason. Throughout the film we see flashbacks that tell us a little more about Kowalski, but this still doesn't add much to the story. We learn that he used to race motorcycles and stock cars professionally, he was once a cop, and a girl he was... dating? married to? just met? died in a surfing accident. At least now we know how and why he's so good at driving, why he's usually good at evading the police, and that I guess the woman in his life is dead so he has nothing to lose.
The one character that at least beefs up the story a little bit is "Super Soul" played by Cleavon Little. Super Soul is a blind radio DJ who hears about Kowalski over the police radio. Soul then begins to broadcast what's going on in Kowalski's trip as well as broadcast warnings to Kowalski over the radio. Now that this is all being broadcast over the radio waves, people are becoming interested and Kowalski gains supporters that he didn't want for something he probably doesn't even need to be doing.
One part of the film that really threw me off for it's inexplicable randomness is when Kowalski is greeted by one of his supporters who rides up along side the Charger on a motorcycle. The hippie biker asks Kowalski if he needs anything and Kowalski tells him that he needs some "uppers" to help him finish his trip. The biker tells Kowalski to follow him back to his place and he can give him some. When they arrive Kowalski is greeted by a nude biker girl who rides around their trash pile house naked. She offers Kowalski sex and weed, but all he wants is a cigarette. Well that was pointless! She didn't even need to be in the movie, they just wanted to add more boobs to get that hard R rating. The hippie biker guy does help Kowalski get past the cops, but the nude chick didn't add anything other than boobies.
In the end Kowalski is trapped. He has a road blocked by bulldozers in front of him, and police cars closing in behind him. What does our "hero" do in this situation? He smiles and plows head on into the bulldozers killing himself. WHAT!? Why? Why was he even doing any of this in the first place? So many unanswered questions. I guess in a movie like this all you need to sell it is cool cars, fast driving, and stunts. The 70s was filled with movies like this. Dark, depressing, R rated, action thrillers, that just left you feeling empty when it was all over. That's why Star Wars was such a breath of fresh air when it was released, It was a fun, action, big budget, fairy tale with a happy ending. I'm glad we've learned more about filmmaking since 1971. This movie had so much potential if only there was more story behind it. In the end I can see why it's a car classic. The fast cars and stunts were cool, but that don't cut it these days. Vanishing Point falls short of the finish line.
