The terrorist-driven plot and “Die Hard-esque” atmosphere of “Olympus Has Fallen” will rouse the underlying patriot in you while keeping you at the edge of your seat.
The story, unlike most action flicks, actually holds its weight and convincingly drives each explosion into each subsequent fight scene. We are given a brief introduction to the characters and the reason that Mike Banning, played by Butler, needs to risk his life running through terrorist-filled hallways of the White House.
The action keeps on escalating as the timer of the story counts down to an all-out war. Banning is the lone hero with a huge task ahead of him, a task that he keeps tackling in different ways. One group of terrorists requires stealth, the next a knife fight, then guerilla-style interrogation; Banning has a full bag of tricks.
To see our hero weave in and out of White House hallways while taking out Korean terrorist after terrorist definitely keeps the fire of your underlying patriot burning. You really believe that this is a fight brought to his turf, knowing each inch of the hallways and each detail of the building’s layout. Banning’s brutal Rambo-style methods get your fist pumping into the air, filled with American pride.
The only thing that ever seems to break the believability is the notion that our government would risk war for the sake of just one man. Our government has to make a choice: the president or war in Asia and a nuclear fallout in the states. Seemingly a no-brainer, we choose the president. Now I’m all for patriotism, but a decision like that seems a bit off.
Overall, the action of OHF keeps you interested from beginning to end while providing just enough story to keep connections from being ridiculous. The actors, although typecast, play their roles with flare and come off believably and naturally. “Olympus Has Fallen” is an action flick definitely worth its price of admission.
