This is the worst time of the year to find a good movie to see, much less write about. All of the films with Oscar potential were released at the end of last year, and its months until the summer “blockbuster” season. Having nothing better to do, Hollywood cleans off its back shelves and unloads one mediocre (or worse) film after another on its adoring fans. Sitting through the trailers prior to the start of the movie confirms my worst fears. There are, of course, exceptions. I thought Risen was a worthy effort and the long-awaited Batman V Superman is due for release in a couple of weeks. London Has Fallen falls into the latter category.
The world of terrorism reaches new heights in this highly predictable, fast paced and violent film. The story revolves around a plot so surreal and far-fetched that you will most likely leave the theatre with your head spinning, wondering who came up with this fairytale. To begin with there were four screenwriters and twenty-one producers, all of whom it would appear had a hand in the final result.
The Prime Minister of England passes away, and the funeral is attended by the heads of state of dozens of countries, including our President. At the forefront of this is the security required to protect all of the dignitaries attending. Needless to say the focus is on POTUS Benjamin Asher, played by Aaron Eckhart, the bravest and best looking President since Harrison Ford in Air Force One. Accompanying him are the cream of his Secret Service team, including number one Mike Banning, played by Gerard Butler. Interestingly, Banning was one keystroke away from submitting his resignation when the phone rings, and he decides to take “one more trip.”
London Has Fallen
Entertainment Rating: ★★
Rating: R, violence throughout, dead bodies everywhere, punctuated with profanity
Possible Oscar Nominations: None
The story opens with violence and death, and it is non-stop from there. There are hundreds and hundreds of well-armed, highly skilled and technically superior terrorists waiting for the arrival of the dignitaries. It doesn’t take long for the carnage to begin, and London hasn’t seen this much action since the Nazi blitzkrieg during World War II. While there are a lot of targets, obviously President Asher is number one.
Agent Banning springs into action and the resulting heroics, car chases and technological wizardry will keep your attention, as they go from the ridiculous to the sublime. I daresay more bullets were fired in this movie, lasting one hour and forty minutes, than all of Afghanistan and Iraq combined. If any of those currently running for the presidency saw this movie, they might decide to drop out; it’s too dangerous!
The cast includes Morgan Freeman as the Vice President, Angela Basset as a member of the Secret Service, and Oscar-winner Melissa Leo, a terrific actress, surprisingly in a non-speaking role. Go figure.
