OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN - REVIEW

OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN - REVIEW

Leading up to this film, I must admit that I was neither filled with excitement or dread. I was indifferent about watching this film, and having seen it, my feelings still haven't changed.

The films plot is as follows: Disgraced former Presidential guard Mike Banning finds himself trapped inside the White House in the wake of a terrorist attack; using his inside knowledge, Banning works with national security to rescue the President from his kidnappers.

Olympus has Fallen certainly had a few good plot points, with a suitable star to lead this absurd story, and yet it fell short of being a real good film. And not by a short way neither, this was a long fall down.

With the amount of incredible actors that have all signed for this action romp, one expects that the film will be a lively event. And in many ways it is, with tons of action, gun shooting, explosions and people dying. As this film is made in the post 9-11 world, you would expect that there would be some regard for human life in a story that deals so closely with an act of terrorism, regretfully it doesn’t. Instead of allowing its audience to sympathize with the events that’s unfolding, the film carries on, in an explosion rampage never truly allowing its audience to connect with the hero of the story.

Antoine Fuqua definitely does all he can directing this mess, to give us a film that has so many bells an whistles that we would be so taken back by it, that we would almost forgot about the absurdity of it.

Antoine certainly does know how to play up tension, whether its in simple dialogue between characters or Gerard taking on a ward of guards, you can't help but feel the tension. However, it would seem that Fuqua was to busy orchestrating the next big action scene, and neglected the characters stories.

The film certainly doesn’t give its audience anything new in terms of characters and story, but it still manages to entertain better than most straight up action films. Yet, it certainly doesn’t fail on bringing up peevish dialogue that even most B-Grade action films seem to get right.

Olympus Has Fallen isn't great by any means, but it certainly is one of those action films that would get you through your day. Its entertaining, but its nowhere near as good as it hoped it could have been.

Our Rating

5/10