Spoiler Free Plot Synopsis
Disgraced former Presidential guard Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) finds himself trapped inside the White House in the wake of a terrorist attack. Using his inside knowledge, Banning works with National Security to rescue the President from his kidnappers. via IMDB
Kick Ass Moments:
Source: Trailer Addict
My Take:
Gerard Butler has had a very interesting career littered with some solid films as well as some duds. When I saw the initial trailer for Olympus Has Fallen I was glad to see his return to the action genre where I think he fares the best. While everyone will always remember his role as Leonidas in 300 he has a few notable other films that I have liked, particularly Law Abiding Citizen which I felt was enjoyable because of his work as Clyde Shelton. Antoine Fuqua is known for his stellar work on action thrillers, the most well-known being Training Day which we all know got Denzel Washington his second Academy Award. Fuqua did a tremendous job showing theater-goers a visceral and at times an all too real depiction of how a terrorist attack on the White House can occur. (Let’s hope the terrorists aren’t taking notes.) While there were a few elements that definitely screamed far-fetched, the fact remains that those moments were few and far between. Gerard Butler delivered an excellent performance as Banning and Aaron Eckhart channeled his pre-Two-Face Harvey Dent to deliver some great lines and bring cohesiveness to a well paced action thriller. I am sure many will ask about Morgan Freeman’s performance which I feel needs no breakdown because Morgan Freeman’s acting is in a class all its own. If I ever had my life story turned into a movie, I’d want Freeman to narrate it. If there is one actor I need to discuss a bit further it is the consistently solid Rick Yune who I saw in action this weekend as well in The Man With The Iron Fists. Rick Yune has great screen presence and seems to add an air of finesse to any villain he plays. I think Yune has the potential to be a solid lead after playing such great villains. Olympus Has Fallen delivered hard-hitting action scenes coupled with great acting and fight choreography . I commend Antoine Fuqua for putting together such a solid cast with standouts such as Melissa Leo, Angela Bassett and Dylan McDermott and allowing them ample screen time to make audiences connect with them throughout the film.
Recommendation:
It is very easy to call this film “Die Hard at The White House” and honestly it wouldn’t be a stretch considering the way Gerard Butler portrayed Banning, but there is more to this film and it’s plot is engaging enough to keep you interested for its two-hour run time. I am glad to see Butler doing action films again. I thought his stock had taken a tumble after those terrible romantic comedies he has done recently. Olympus Has Fallen in a solid film from start to finish with copious servings of violence wrapped and side of good acting. This is film that I am sure will go under the radar much like another one of Fuqua’s movies Shooter, but my hope is that audiences prove me wrong and at minimum get this film in the Top Five this weekend.
Gerard Butler and Director Antoine Fuqua Talk OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN, How the Project Came Together, the Rating, and More
Gerard Butler: ‘Olympus Has Fallen’ Hollywood Premiere!
Over 25 New High-Resolution Images from OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN Starring Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, and Morgan Freeman
