Or Fallen 2: Fall Harder if you want to use its Die Hard Name.
Gerard Butler returns as Secret Service Agent Mike Banning, protecting President Asher (Aaron Eckhart) during a visit to London for a State Funeral. When terrorists attack all of the attending world leaders Banning and Asher have no choice but to go on the run in order to stay alive. Also returning are Morgan Freeman as now Vice President Alan Trumbull, Angela Bassett as Secret Service Director Lynne Jacobs, Melissa Leo as Secretary of Defense (American spelling) Ruth McMillan, Robert Forster as General Clegg, Sean O'Bryan as NSA Deputy Director Ray Monroe and Radha Mitchell as Leah Banning.
It's a cliche ridden, one liner fest but it's still an entertaining action movie. I've said it before, but if you watch it expecting an Oscar winner you'll be disappointed, but if you accept it's an action movie that'll make your inner child go bananas you'll enjoy it. It's two hours where you don't have to think, just absorb. Especially the cliches, Leah Banning is pregnant and Mike is considering resigning from the Secret Service. Before leaving for London he writes a letter of resignation, but will he send it? I never said it was original. In reality, if something like this happened, well firstly a lot has gone wrong and secondly the whole world would come to a stand still waiting to see the outcome. But in the context of a movie it's great. Now there is a lot of cheese, the one liners are a lot worse in this movie: "they're gonna need more men" for example. Asher telling Mike to kill him if he's captured is also amusing, especially when you ask yourself; would Trump say that? Butler and Eckhart work well together, they almost have a buddy cop type of relationship with Banning telling increasingly bad jokes in order to keep the President's spirits up. Not only is this believable but it's very enjoyable to watch. Keep an eye out for the Scottish SAS trooper in the third act, Butler struggles to maintain his American accent during their conversations.
I know I've made a lot of Die Hard references but it's because Olympus has Fallen is basically Die Hard in the White House. London has Fallen is very similar to Die Hard 2: Die Harder; same basic story as the original on a larger scale but nowhere near as good as the original. Die Hard 2 swapped a building for an airport, terrorists/criminals for special forces operatives and involved a lot more hostages stuck on planes that couldn't land. In the same fashion, London has Fallen swapped the White House for London, North Korean terrorists for Pakistani arms dealers and President Asher is one of several targets.
In fact there are elements of this movie that reference or copy other movies as well. The whole Mike considering resigning bit is reminiscent of Martin Lawrence's character in Bad Boys 2, among others. During the chase involving the Land Rover, Mike leans out the car and shoots at the bad guys exactly like Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible 3 (pictured above). When Mike enters the terrorist safe house during the finale he does so in a fashion very similar to Matt Damon jumping through windows during the Tangier chase in The Bourne Ultimatum (pictured below). You could argue originality is hard to find in Hollywood but come on!
Having said that I still enjoyed London has Fallen and would watch it again. If they make part 3, I would probably go and see it. How many times can this happen to the President before he's remanded to an underground bunker for his entire term? If there is another movie it's unlikely President Asher will be in office, what that means for Aaron Eckhart and Morgan Freeman I don't know. But I think it's safe to say Mike Banning is well on his way to becoming the John McClane of the 21st Century...if he isn't already!
Gerard Butler returns as Secret Service Agent Mike Banning, protecting President Asher (Aaron Eckhart) during a visit to London for a State Funeral. When terrorists attack all of the attending world leaders Banning and Asher have no choice but to go on the run in order to stay alive. Also returning are Morgan Freeman as now Vice President Alan Trumbull, Angela Bassett as Secret Service Director Lynne Jacobs, Melissa Leo as Secretary of Defense (American spelling) Ruth McMillan, Robert Forster as General Clegg, Sean O'Bryan as NSA Deputy Director Ray Monroe and Radha Mitchell as Leah Banning.
The band is back together
It's a cliche ridden, one liner fest but it's still an entertaining action movie. I've said it before, but if you watch it expecting an Oscar winner you'll be disappointed, but if you accept it's an action movie that'll make your inner child go bananas you'll enjoy it. It's two hours where you don't have to think, just absorb. Especially the cliches, Leah Banning is pregnant and Mike is considering resigning from the Secret Service. Before leaving for London he writes a letter of resignation, but will he send it? I never said it was original. In reality, if something like this happened, well firstly a lot has gone wrong and secondly the whole world would come to a stand still waiting to see the outcome. But in the context of a movie it's great. Now there is a lot of cheese, the one liners are a lot worse in this movie: "they're gonna need more men" for example. Asher telling Mike to kill him if he's captured is also amusing, especially when you ask yourself; would Trump say that? Butler and Eckhart work well together, they almost have a buddy cop type of relationship with Banning telling increasingly bad jokes in order to keep the President's spirits up. Not only is this believable but it's very enjoyable to watch. Keep an eye out for the Scottish SAS trooper in the third act, Butler struggles to maintain his American accent during their conversations.
I know I've made a lot of Die Hard references but it's because Olympus has Fallen is basically Die Hard in the White House. London has Fallen is very similar to Die Hard 2: Die Harder; same basic story as the original on a larger scale but nowhere near as good as the original. Die Hard 2 swapped a building for an airport, terrorists/criminals for special forces operatives and involved a lot more hostages stuck on planes that couldn't land. In the same fashion, London has Fallen swapped the White House for London, North Korean terrorists for Pakistani arms dealers and President Asher is one of several targets.
Mike shoots like Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible 3
In fact there are elements of this movie that reference or copy other movies as well. The whole Mike considering resigning bit is reminiscent of Martin Lawrence's character in Bad Boys 2, among others. During the chase involving the Land Rover, Mike leans out the car and shoots at the bad guys exactly like Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible 3 (pictured above). When Mike enters the terrorist safe house during the finale he does so in a fashion very similar to Matt Damon jumping through windows during the Tangier chase in The Bourne Ultimatum (pictured below). You could argue originality is hard to find in Hollywood but come on!
Matt Damon in The Bourne Ultimatum
Having said that I still enjoyed London has Fallen and would watch it again. If they make part 3, I would probably go and see it. How many times can this happen to the President before he's remanded to an underground bunker for his entire term? If there is another movie it's unlikely President Asher will be in office, what that means for Aaron Eckhart and Morgan Freeman I don't know. But I think it's safe to say Mike Banning is well on his way to becoming the John McClane of the 21st Century...if he isn't already!
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