I don't know if one of the most secure buildings in the world like the White House has ever come under attack and been breached but this adrenaline pumping, action-packed, political thriller, Olympus Has Fallen (2013) gives us an idea of what it would look like. Perhaps I was in the mood for an action thriller but I found the Has Fallen film series on my pc and started to watch it.
The artistry that went into making this film makes me applaud the director, Antoine Fuqua. The running time is exactly two hours and there was not a single dull moment or scene in it. This movie begins from Camp David as POTUS (played by Aaron Eckhart) and his family getting ready for an event. It's Christmas. There are decorations all over the house and members of the secret service headed by Mike Banning (played by Gerard Butler) are suited up, ready to escort the first family to the event.
As the motorcade pulls out, it's snowing heavily when an accident happens resulting in the death of the president's wife. Mike Banning was relieved from the presidential detail to work a desk job at Treasury. Then the unexpected happens when a South Korean delegation meets with the president and a full-scale assault is launched against the White House. Every attempt to foil the terrorist operations from the outside is repelled. Who will save the president?
Review
A terrorist attack on the White House? Now that's something worth watching. I immediately went on a search and found that the White House had been breached several times over the years. All the same, the plot of this film is brilliant and compelling, and the storytelling is superbly executed. In my opinion, the recent releases of action thrillers have not been impressive so revisiting old classics like this film reminds me of the authenticity and craftsmanship that defines this movie genre. Antoine Fuqua is simply the best creator and director of action thrillers. This film series and many others is the evidence.
I enjoyed the precision and smartness employed by the Korean terrorists to invade the supposedly impenetrable White House. The plot was well executed but of course, such wouldn't have been possible without an insider. I was on the edge of my seat all through the two hours.
The cast performance is impressive! I can't imagine any other actor better suited for the lead role in this film than Gerald Butler. This guy is good and has proven over time that he's excellent at playing action hero roles. He's charismatic, witty, his fight scenes are always engrossing and he seamlessly embodied the role of a secret service agent.
It's great to see these stars: Angela Bassett, Morgan Freeman, Aaron Eckhart, Robert Forster, Melissa Leo and Dylan McDermott in action, but they can't take the shine away from Butler. I didn't particularly enjoy Eckhart's role as the president. He was too emotional and impulsive in his decision making. I would think a president would be smart not to allow a foreign delegation into the bunker with his team in a crisis situation like that.
The cinematography, action sequences, and transitioning are superb and well shot. The chaos and destruction appear so real but I know it's all CGI. Fuqua did great in packaging many details and subplots into the two hours.
Overall, Olympus Has Fallen is a captivating action thriller worth watching. I don't know if this film causes any tension because of the countries depicted in it as terrorists but the director did a great job. I'll give it 4 stars out of 5.
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