Olympus Has Fallen

Olympus Has Fallen is, for all practical purposes, a modern remake of Die Hard that replaces Bruce Willis with Gerard Butler and Nakatomi Tower with the White House. Butler puts in a respectable performance as Mike Banning. Director Antoine Fuqua did as well as could be done with the story, and some gripping action makes it almost watchable. But the downfall of the film was its lazy writing.

Almost no part of Olympus Has Fallen is remotely believable. A single airplane penetrates into protected airspace around Washington D.C. and riddles the White House with bullets. It takes 15 minutes for armed reinforcements to arrive. The President of the United States risks the annihilation of a peaceful ally nation to prevent an acquaintance of his...

Out of the wealth of "Die Hard in an (X)" movies that are on offer, "Die Hard in the White House" is an.... okay one. The story is old hat and the CGI is awful, but the sequence of the initial attack on the White House isn't just good, it's great.

Final rating:½ - Had a lot that appealed to me, didnt quite work as a whole.

Olympus Has Fallen ironically insults Americas national security through lunacy and patriotism. Die Hard in the White House claims British lads magazine Zoo, divulging into the testosterone-fuelled minds of its laddish readers. To be fair to them, Fuquas patriotic perspective of a national terrorist attack is exactly that. A Die Hard rip-off that relies on the same narrative rhythms beat-for-beat. One man, and only one man, can save the day by gradually depleting the numbers of the antagonistic gang that harness either monetary or diplomatic motives. But where the aforementioned feature excelled, this action extravaganza flopped.

In apparently thirteen minutes, the entire Secret Service force is massacred at the hands of Korean ultra-nat...

Great movie with action throughout. Lots of drama as well. Just your average insane crew trying to take over the white house.

Olympus Has Fallen delivers a solid action thriller experience that keeps you engaged from start to finish. The first act sets the stage well, with a strong focus on character relationships, especially between Mike Banning and the presidential family. The chemistry here makes you care about whats at stake, and it transitions smoothly into the high-stakes chaos of the second act. By the time you reach the ending, the presidents speech ties everything together in a way that feels satisfying.

The acting is solid all around. Gerard Butler nails his role as the determined and capable hero, while Aaron Eckhart and Morgan Freeman bring the right level of intensity to their characters. That said, there arent any standout moments that elevate the...