Olympus Has Fallen - My Review

Olympus Has Fallen  -  2013  -  Directed by Antoine Fuqua

I have never been a big fan of Gerard Butler movies and in fact seem to be one of the few who didn't care for "300" but admit I enjoyed this film, flaws and all.

Butler stars as Mike Banning, a Secret Service agent in charge of protecting the President, who one fateful night is unable to save the First Lady and then is banished to work at the Treasury as the President can't bare to look at him and be constantly reminded of that night.

Then the unthinkable happens. A group of terrorists attack the White House and take it over within 13 minutes. As the assault takes place, Banning runs into the fray to help his former comrades. What follows is basically Die Hard at the White House and it is certainly better than the last installment of that franchise.

Director Fuqua is quite adept at staging action sequences and we the viewers are given many. The CGI flows fluidly with the action and stunts and Fuqua takes us on a roller coaster ride that is the most fun I have had with a action movie this year. 

This is the film that I have been waiting for from Butler and the one that is sure to cement him as an action star. His Banning is a wisecracking, straight forward, take no prisoners hero who loves knives and is certainly in the mold of John McClane who plays by his own rules.

In a film like this there are sure to be flaws. I kept wanting to scream to all the Secret Service and FBI and Police Officers to STOP running into the line of fire but I'm sure they wouldn't of heard me over the constant hail of bullets. When the powers that be find out that the terrorists have a super-secret anti-aircraft weapon they still allow the helicopters to fly right into them and don't yell abort til 4 out of the 5 are destroyed.

In movies that we enjoy we can forgive it its trespasses and such is the case with this film for me. I enjoyed Butlers character, the action scenes were strong and Fuqua keeps the film moving at a steady rate. This was a pleasant surprise.

Rating: 7 out of 10