By Tora B
The nightmare scenario of a North Korean takeover of the United States would be a little far-fetched under present conditions, however in the Antoine Fuqua(Brooklyn’s Finest/Training Day)-directed Olympus Has Fallen, it becomes an eerie reality. Gerard Butler plays Secret Service Agent Banning, an officer who has fallen from grace for a split second decision under duress that saved President Benjamin Asher’s (Aaron Eckhart) life, but ended with the deaths of the First Lady (played by Ashley Judd) and several Secret Service agents.
A year and change later, Banning is pushing paper at the Treasury Department, trying to cope with the decision he had made while trying to sort out his life with the leader of the Secret Service, Lynn Jacobs (Angela Bassett). Agent Banning vows to return to the White House with his close friend, President Asher and his son Connor but unfortunately meets resistance from the President.
As fate would have it, a blitzkrieg ambush of the White House, coordinated by North Korean terrorists (which includes a C-130 aircraft opening fire on D.C. citizens, suicide bombings, the systematic murder of Secret Service agents, and the White House aka Olympus riddled with bullets) finds President Asher along with the Secretary of the State and other cabinet members fighting for their lives, hoping for a military rescue that won’t come. It’s Agent Banning to the rescue, with the perfect opportunity to mend his reputation, and save the day.
The real world tension between The United States and Korea (despite the best efforts of Dennis Rodman) gives the film definite plausibility, if nor mechanical possibility. Fuqua takes you on a heart-pounding ride that will have you jumping out of your seat, cheering for Agent Banning to win this fight against the well-organized, ruthless terrorists. Here are a few words from some of the players in the film:
He is a man’s man. At one time, he was very close to the president. Like the Secret Service guys I spoke with, he is extremely loyal. For the Secret Service, there is no “almost.” It’s a hundred percent success or a hundred percent failure. In this case, it’s a hundred percent failure, even though he saves the president. [Agent Banning] is a hero who has fallen from grace and he wants back in. He wants to be a part of that team again – Antoine Fuqua speaking about lead character, Agent Banning
This is a very exciting action movie and that is always fun to do.“It’s the vicarious thrill that pulls me to action. In real life, very few people get to be heroes. We never get to punch people out or kill bad guys. But in a movie like this, you can just go along with the good guy, or even the bad guy, if he turns you on” – Morgan Freeman on Olympus Has Fallen
Olympus Has Fallen is enjoyable if not derivative of those 80’s action films with Russia as the evil empire. There is heart, tumult and enough action to keep you on the edge of your seat. Fuqua has built an action film with a slight hint of bromance, featuring a hero layered with nuance and the self doubt that made John McClaine from the Die Hard series so endearing before he became a caricature.
3.25 out of 5
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