Olympus Has Fallen: Terror Has Risen

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Olympus Has Fallen crushed my hopes for a patriotic, spirit lifting film of the Good Ole USA fighting terrorism on the one place we Americans fear the most as a terrorist group target, which is Washington D.C., more specifically the White House. The backstory before the bloodshed on Washington is Mike Banning of the Secret Service (played by Gerard Butler) is President Benjamin Asher’s (Aaron Echkart) right hand man, who not only helps out the President’s wife time to time but also is best friends with their son, Connor (Finley Jacobsen). In a tragic moment where Mike is clearly abiding by the code, “To protect the President” the President is forever haunted by the memory and anything associated with Mike Banning.

Eighteen months later after the tragedy, it’s July 5^th and jumping to the basis of the movie, a string of chaotic and horrific events take over the Washington D.C. area and we find the strongest hold of our government and people under attack. Within the first thirty five minutes there is nothing but blood and mass murder, enough to make me have my jaw dropped and in near tears as I did when I was in sixth grade on September 11^th 2001. The havoc that was created for this movie was all too realistic and quite horrifying that any act of terror is a possibility and stirs the fears in my mind that this could happen at our nation’s capital. As if to make the audience more attached to the Washington D.C. area, not only as us being American citizens but the beautiful wide shots of the famous monuments and White House lawn and bustling streets full of politicians and lobbyists and the occasional tourist. Those sweeping and large shots allow the audience to make the connection on how important these places are in our history and our character as a nation. It made me patriotic and even more devastated at the destruction left in its wake after the terrorists’ plan went into effect.

The only ‘hope’ and person keeping the story together (and fast enough to escape every bullet and suicide bomber in his way) is none other than Mike Banning, who’s job is to not only save the kidnapped president but his son Connor as well before he is grabbed as well. The interior shots of Mike Banning doing the bidding of the acting president, Speaker Trumbull played by Morgan Freeman is always full of darkness and danger. We get many close up shots of Gerard Butler making his way through the tight dark White House once it’s taken over and with some witty banter and jokes to chuckle at so you are relieved there is a man who is physically and mentally competent to do this task and be able to joke even in the situation he is in. With the backstory you can see the relationship between the President and Mike and how Mike would literally do anything for him and his family, even if it means dying for them.

Overall, this story made me so sad and startled and I didn’t think there was any sort of good ending to come from it, and director Antoine Fuqua and writers Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt barely managed to do it. I give this movie a six out of ten, and I hope people can find the patriotic qualities like I did to make this movie easier to process but overall the storyline and gore made it hard for me to really enjoy and appreciate the film, even with the epic hero and hottie, Gerard Butler saving America.