Olympus Has Fallen

I don't know about anyone else, but I love when movies like this come along. Can't beat a cheesy brain-dead, watch shit blow up movie!

Otacon wrote: »

Despite the trailer, this review makes me hopeful. I generally agree with The Kidd.

Link [Mild Spoilers]

Most of the reviews are less than favorable with the film being called one of the dumbest blockbusters in years. Melissa Leo is supposed to be excellent and Butler is good fun but most of the cast are left with little to do but look terrified. Really think that it's time that Butler got a new agent. He turned in a superb performance in Machine Gun Preacher and was bloody good in Coriolanus, The Jury, Beowulf & Grendel, Nim's Island and RocknRolla and I've enjoyed many of his action films but he really needs to concentrate on some more serious fare.

The first of two films this year to use the White House as a back drop for it's action, Olympus Has Fallen is the old one man vs. an army nonsense that when handled correctly can be one hell of a lot of fun. From Antonie Fuqua, OHF follows former Head of presidential security Mike Banning who gets a chance to redeem himself when terrorists openly attack the white house and take the President and his senior staff hostage. It's the kind of trashy, no nonsense action film that 80s cinema specialised in and could very easily be retitled Die Hard in the West Wing.

Opening with a scene that establishes our hero's wounded psyche the film quickly jumps forward 18 months to just another day behind the desk for Banning. Banning is interrupted from the mundanities of desk work by the sound of heavy gun fire and peering out his window sees a large military plane laying waste to down town Washington. Being the hero he runs off to save the day. the initial attack on the city and the storming of the White House is one of the most exhilarating and well handled action scenes in years. It's a perfectly executed set piece where the camera stays focused on the action and tension is created, not through jump cuts and shakey cam but rather a keen eye and an emphasis on keeping it all in focus. There's a sense of symmetry to the action and every single bullet counts.

From here the action is quite low key with it striking a perfect balance between fast and furious fisty cuffs and scenes of Banning sneaking around the in ruins White House. In order to create a little extra tension we witness the efforts of acting President Trumbull and his cabinet to save the day. These scenes may be one note but the performances manage to lift the film far beyond it's meager origins. With a cast that includes Morgan Freeman, Meliss Leo, Robert Foster and Aaron Eckhart there's no shortage of star quality on display.

The real star here is Butler who brings a macho intensity he's been lacking since 300. He's a no nonsense, hard assm as quick with a threat as he his with the knife that he repeatably buries in the head of unwilling terrorists. The violence here is shocking explicit for a 15PG film, many of the hand to hand scenes are on par with last years The Raid and Banning takes great pleasure in repeatedly shooting men and women in the head in graphic detail.

The script, while adequate in establishing an interesting premise with a damaged hero isn't quite as smart as it thinks or needs to be. The attempts at political subtext are poorly implemented and add nothing of note. Great attempts are made to portray Banning as a damaged man, unable to put the past behind him but once the action kicks into gear this is quickly forgotten about. It's quite frustrating as so much time and effort is spent establishing what could have been a rather interesting dynamic to his character. It's clear that Fuqua had ambitions to make a film that was a little more dynamic than we get here and don't be surprised to see a longer director's cut released.

Olympus Has Fallen is not a film that will be celebrated in years to come an could easily have been far more than that sum of it's parts. But taken for what it is, Olympus Has Fallen is a far better than average action film that's expertly shot and not afraid to paint the screen red.