"Olympus Has Fallen" is a heroic and patriotic film, full of action and suspense. Starring Hollywood heavyweights Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart and Morgan Freeman, it tells a story of revenge and redemption.
The theme of the movie is political, tying in North Korea, South Korea, the U.S. and nuclear weapon control. In this action thriller, the White House undergoes a terrorist attack from a group of North Koreans, and the scene is realistic and shocking. Revenge is the goal of the villain played by actor Rick Yune from "The Man with the Iron Fists." One can't help but imagine "what if," with the scenario of another country attacking U.S. territory.
Gerard Butler plays Mike Banning, a Secret Service agent who's given a second chance to prove he's capable of protecting the president. His determination to redeem himself and repair his reputation shows what a person can accomplish when given a second chance.
The movie was directed by Antoine Fuqua, who brought us films such as "Training Day," "Tears of the Sun," "Shooter" and "Brooklyn's Finest." The film features an all-star cast that appears to have good chemistry together. Cinematography and special effects are superb and achieve the expected reactions from the viewing audience.
There's a lot of carnage in this movie, so expect massive body counts at the hands of automated weapons and martial arts moves. The cast is nothing short of great: Gerard Butler really kicks ass as a one-man army. A highly developed, well-trained operative, he knocks off adversaries that get in his way. Supporting actress Angela Bassett holds her own in her role as a White House official. Morgan Freeman is commanding in his dual role as Speaker of the House and then acting president when called upon.
Aaron Eckhart is his usual charismatic self as part of the president's Secret Service detail, not much of a stretch from the roles we've become accustomed to seeing him in. "Olympus Has Fallen" is a must-see movie that doesn't fall short of the quality we have come to expect from director Antoine Fuqua.
