Olympus Has Fallen

Olympus Has Fallen is, for all practical purposes, a modern remake of Die Hard that replaces Bruce Willis with Gerard Butler and Nakatomi Tower with the White House. Butler puts in a respectable performance as Mike Banning. Director Antoine Fuqua did as well as could be done with the story, and some gripping action makes it almost watchable. But the downfall of the film was its lazy writing. Almost no part of Olympus Has Fallen is remotely believable. A single airplane penetrates into protected airspace around Washington D.C. and riddles the White House with bullets. It takes 15 minutes for…

Gimly

2017-06-21

⭐ 5

Out of the wealth of "_Die Hard in an (X)_" movies that are on offer, "_Die Hard in the White House_" is an.... okay one. The story is old hat and the CGI is awful, but the sequence of the initial attack on the White House isn't just good, it's great. _Final rating:★★½ - Had a lot that appealed to me, didn’t quite work as a whole._

The Movie Diorama

2020-01-16

⭐ 4

Olympus Has Fallen ironically insults America’s national security through lunacy and patriotism. “Die Hard in the White House” claims British lads’ magazine Zoo, divulging into the testosterone-fuelled minds of its laddish readers. To be fair to them, Fuqua’s patriotic perspective of a national terrorist attack is exactly that. A ‘Die Hard’ rip-off that relies on the same narrative rhythms beat-for-beat. One man, and only one man, can save the day by gradually depleting the numbers of the antagonistic gang that harness either monetary or diplomatic motives. But where the aforementioned feature…

Andre Gonzales

2023-08-28

⭐ 8

Great movie with action throughout. Lots of drama as well. Just your average insane crew trying to take over the white house.

Olympus Has Fallen delivers a solid action thriller experience that keeps you engaged from start to finish. The first act sets the stage well, with a strong focus on character relationships, especially between Mike Banning and the presidential family. The chemistry here makes you care about what’s at stake, and it transitions smoothly into the high-stakes chaos of the second act. By the time you reach the ending, the president’s speech ties everything together in a way that feels satisfying. The acting is solid all around. Gerard Butler nails his role as the determined and capable hero, whi…

CinemaSerf

2025-03-12

⭐ 6

After a damned if you do, damned if you don’t decision, Secret Service agent “Banning” (Gerard Butler) has been removed from the presidential protection detail and given a desk job. That’s probably just as well for “President Asher” (Aaron Eikhart) as a visit from his opposite number from South Korea goes quite spectacularly awry and next thing the White House is in bits and the VIPs either dead or hostages in the bunker deep beneath the rubble. “Kang” (Rick Yuen) is leading the terrorists, with a little help from a disgruntled fifth columnist, and is demanding seismic changes to American poli…