Vanishing Point

79%

Tomatometer

19 Reviews

81%

Audience Score

10,000+ Ratings

Vietnam War hero Kowalski (Barry Newman) has become a pill-addicted driver for hire. Transporting a car from Colorado to California, he enlivens the journey by making a wager with his drug dealer: If the trip takes under 15 hours, Kowalski's latest amphetamine purchase is free. But Kowalski's recklessness on the road results in a much-publicized police chase. Radio jock Super Soul (Cleavon Little) covers the pursuit and turns Kowalski, who refuses to pull over, into a martyr for freedom. Read More Read Less

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Critics Reviews

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Margaret Hinxman

Daily Telegraph (UK)

The film does whip up a genuine excitement and suspense. The director, Richard C. Sarafian, masterminds some gripping chase sequences, making good use of unknown actors and amateurs and a musical score that fits en route.

Jun 8, 2020

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Variety Staff

Variety

The action is almost entirely made up of one man driving a car at maximum speed from Denver to, hopefully, San Francisco.

May 6, 2008

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Peter Kenis

Rolling Stone

In a time when vacant retreads such as The Fast and the Furious are the problem, Vanishing Point is the answer.

Rated: 3.5/4

Aug 14, 2007

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Dilys Powell

Sunday Times (UK)

Aesthetically beautiful, emotionally very stirring.

Jun 2, 2020

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Dorothy Woodend

The Tyee (British Columbia)

If you thought the car parts in Tarantino's Death Proof provided the only worthwhile section of Grindhouse, Vanishing Point is the real deal.

Aug 23, 2017

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Peter Canavese

Groucho Reviews

Merged the appeal of Bullitt with that of, say, Zabriskie Point...fast cars and dusty existentialism. [Blu-ray]

Rated: 3/4

Mar 13, 2009

Full Review

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Audience Reviews

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Christian S Excellent movie! Ahead of its time. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/12/24 Full Review DZ GAMER I Weird storyline stupid too , but didn't bore me ,not bad Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 04/26/24 Full Review Pierre L Logic :Logic studies the formal rules of thought and reasoning. It focuses on how it is possible to draw valid conclusions from given premises. Logic examines the structure of arguments, evaluating their coherence, validity, and truth. It also provides tools to analyze the relationships between propositions and concepts, thus enabling the resolution of complex problems in a rigorous and systematic manner. This is what Kowalski is attempting to do given the circ*mstances... Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/17/24 Full Review Nawt W Incredible desert shots and stunts, it is never the same car chase again and again the movie moves on to something new every scene. And more than just squeezing every bit of artistry from what surely is a short script, the movie is exhilarating to watch without those themes. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/13/24 Full Review Roy W Excellent movie and soundtrack. A top ten if you're into car movies. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/20/23 Full Review David F This is an epic road trip of a B-Movie, filled out with some quirky characters and flashbacks. There is an anti-authority vibe as a car delivery specialist, Kowalski, makes a bet he can drive from Denver to San Francisco super fast. This leads to conflict with the authorities and there are dozens of motorcycle and car cops on his tail practically the whole way, taxing their imaginations coming up with ways to stop him. The plot and tension all come from this simple conflict between Kowalski's need for speed and the police's efforts to stop him. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/27/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Vanishing Point

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Cast & Crew

Allen Smithee Director Barry Newman Kowalski Cleavon Little Super Soul Charlotte Rampling Hitchhiker Dean Jagger Prospector Victoria Medlin Vera Thornton

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Vanishing Point (1971)

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Synopsis Vietnam War hero Kowalski (Barry Newman) has become a pill-addicted driver for hire. Transporting a car from Colorado to California, he enlivens the journey by making a wager with his drug dealer: If the trip takes under 15 hours, Kowalski's latest amphetamine purchase is free. But Kowalski's recklessness on the road results in a much-publicized police chase. Radio jock Super Soul (Cleavon Little) covers the pursuit and turns Kowalski, who refuses to pull over, into a martyr for freedom.

Director: Allen Smithee
Producer: Norman Spencer
Screenwriter: Guillermo Cabrera Infante
Production Co: Cupid Productions Inc.
Rating: R
Genre: Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 15, 1971, Original
Release Date (DVD): Feb 6, 2007
Runtime: 1h 39m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)