Olympus Has Fallen
(2013)When our flag falls our nation will rise.
National security actioner from the director of Training Day, starring Gerard Butler as Mike Banning - a disgraced Presidential guard who finds himself trapped in the White House when terrorists capture the building and kidnap the President (Aaron Eckhart). Also stars Ashley Judd as Mrs President and Morgan Freeman as second-in-command.... More
When the White House (Secret Service Code: 'Olympus') is seized by the shadowy group, Banning gets trapped within the building. As the authorities scramble to respond, they are forced to rely on Banning's inside knowledge to help retake the White House, save the President, and avert a nationwide disaster.Hide
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Directed by Antoine Fuqua
Starring Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Aaron Eckhart, Ashley Judd, Dylan McDermott, Radha Mitchell, Morgan Jaye Williams, Melissa Leo, Angela Bassett, Cole Hauser, Robert Forster
Written by Creighton Rothenberger, Katrin Benedikt
On Demand, DVD & Blu-Ray
Available from 3 providers
Flicks Review
BY Dominic Corry Flicks Writer
There's an obvious drinking game in Olympus Has Fallen: take a swig every time a hoary action dialogue cliché is uttered by one of the characters - "I'm the best chance you've got!"; He's in the walls!"; "Those tunnels were sealed years ago!" and so on. You'll be soused by act II.... More
An even more dangerous version would be to drink every time someone gets stabbed by a knife through the top of the skull. Because that happens A LOT.
Indeed, this film makes full use of its US R-rated status to bring the blood in a major way. And by having Morgan Freeman say "F*cking shit!". It's like seeing the principal swear.
Olympus Has Fallen has more bloody on-screen deaths than any action film in recent memory. Most of them are by ridiculously high-powered guns, but the knife-skull thing is close behind. It challenges the 2008 Rambo for overall bullet-riddling.
If any of this sounds like I'm complaining, I'm not. I really quite enjoyed Olympus Has Fallen, which was rushed into theatres to beat this year's other Die-Hard-in-the-White-House-with-descension-in-the-title movie, White House Down.
While the latter film is helmed by known White House-smasher Roland Emmerich (Independence Day; 2012), Olympus' director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day; King Arthur) doesn't skimp on the action at all. This could easily have been 90% running down halls, but a large scope is maintained throughout.
It may be derivative as all heck, but there is plenty of old-school action fun to be had here. Just be prepared for the surfeit of eye roll-inducing cheesiness that goes along with it.
And all the skull-stabbing. So much skull-stabbing.Hide
The Peoples' Reviews
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Olympus Has Fallen
BY Sarah-Parsons1 wannabe
It was everything you want from an (slightly cheesy) action film.
BY Rhys-Rushton superstar
Olympus Has fallen and Whitehouse down (WHD). Are both bases on similar premis.
As an action moive it was OK but it was unfortunate that the production of the movie coincided and competed with the production of OHF.
Not a bad action movie but lost points for originality. I'm saying the same thing for WHD.
A disappointing 2/5.
BY amc32 superstar
it only gets a star cos i like seeing bloody gore in action movies
but what tripe
of course the prez is young + physically capable, but oh oh, he's also vulnerable and grieving. and soooo in love with his wife
cliched from the get-go and far too full of flag-waving [literally] to be of any real appeal
BY Marise-Gold nobody
It was your classic Hollywood in every way. Good for a bit of mindlessness, but quite predictable.
BY DnA superstar
Action packed, unbelievably good and very entertaining. The sequence of events and level of planning was incredibly good.
Sure there's holes technically as there is for any action flick. Action flicks are action flicks and we enjoy them for what they bring. Suspense, fighting, action. The fight scenes are superb.
I note the many 3 star ratings but those that love actions flicks won't be disappointed by this.
Showing 5 of 18 reviews. See all reviews
The Press Reviews
48%
of critics recommend.
Rotten Tomatoes Score. More reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
While Olympus Has Fallen breaks no major new ground in the political thriller genre, Fuqua has directed a sharp, very taut adventure that keeps you engrossed from start to finish. Full Review
Generates a fair amount of tension and produces the kind of nationalistic outrage that rock-ribbed Americans will feel in their guts. Full Review
A deep supporting cast brings its A-game to the ridiculous dialogue. Full Review
A North Korean terrorist may be responsible for taking the president hostage, but it’s Bulgarian-made CGI that does the most damage in Antoine Fuqua’s intense, ugly, White-House-under-siege actioner Olympus Has Fallen. Full Review
The one and only consolation for audiences is that the end of the world would never, ever happen this way. Full Review
A grippingly brutal first act and strong cast can't stop this turning into a Steven Seagal film well before the end. Full Review
A typical slab of Hollywood action in which the White House crumbles under attack, the American flag is tattered and tossed aside by baddies, and clichés rise like gods. Full Review
An orgy of bloody explosions that’d be tough to endure if it weren’t so inadvertently self-parodic. Full Review
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