OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN

US, 2013, 120 minutes, Colour.
Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Rick Yune, Angela Bassett, Radha Mitchell, Melissa Leo, Ashley Judd, Finley Jacobson, Robert Forster, Cole Hauser.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua.

Well no, it’s not a documentary! Some of the antagonistic reviews seem to imply that it is, finding fault with the credibility and the picture of American politics. No, it’s an action entertainment, reminding many people in their reviews and blog comments that it is a Die Hard at the White House. And reminding audiences that in this genre, no matter how great the disaster, no matter how devastating the effects, there is always the enterprising individual, courageous, tough, do-or-die, who is going to save the day.

However, in this action show, the devastation is far more than might have been expected. The Secret Service uses code names for the American president and various official personnel. The White House is obviously an Olympus but we don’t expect any Olympus to fall. But here, it does.

Most people who go along to this kind of film are not expecting realism. What they want is an adrenaline-pumping entertainment. And this one is.

The villains are from North Korea. But they are not part of that government (some diplomatic caution here). They are a terrorist group with their own agenda, led by a man who suffered at the hands of south Korean and American military intervention. His intention is to take over the White House, and of the president and other officials, turn back the Seventh Fleet from the Indian Ocean, withdraw all American troops from South Korea, and take possession of the nuclear installations in the United States. It’s not meant to spoil information about the outcome of the film, but he nearly gets there. As portrayed by Rick Yune, he is an intense 30-something mastermind, with an extraordinary master-mind, who has a propensity for violence and torture.

However, he hadn’t counted on Gerard Butler as Mike Banning, with special services training, who has served on the Secret Service attending the president. (On this showing, Gerard Butler should have been cast as Jack Reacher rather than Tom Cruise). A friend of the president, a literal sparring partner with him in the gym, he is a good friend of the president’s son and an admirer of the president’s wife. However, in the prologue to the action, a dreadful accident happens on his watch and he is relegated to a desk job. Fortunately, he looks out the window and sees the Korean invasion, hurries to the White House, gets inside and, despite some setbacks, saves the day.

The tone of this review might seem a little tongue-in-cheek. But that is the style of the treatment of the film, despite its seriousness and intensity.

The film has an excellent cast with Aaron Eckhart as the president, Morgan Freeman as the speaker of the house who has to take over, Melissa Leo as the secretary state, Angela Bassett as head of security, Robert Forster as chief of staff, and a cameo by Ashley Judd as the president’s wife.
Koreans are emerging as a staple, enemy for American films. Red Dawn, GI Joe: Retaliation. With the threats of the North Korean president at the time of the film’s release, American audiences may have been a little more apprehensive than usual. But what takes place in the film, the plane flying in to Washington, DC, the terrorist group having more arms than one could reasonably expect, the attack on the president of South Korea, the siege of the White House and the numerous and deaths of police and Secret Service agents, could have the audience is more than alarmed. But, our later reflection on security, border control, homeland information, the tale seems really far-fetched. Or one hopes so.

In the meantime, it is entertainment for action fans, though some of us may feel a little guilty animosity towards the United States as it seems to be getting a little of what we feel it has imposed on others. Later in the year we’re promised a film entitled White House Down with an even bigger budget than this one.

1. An entertaining action show? Die Hard at the White House? Imagining, what if…? Threats to the United States, at the heart of America, Washington, DC, the White House? But a story of the hero and victory?

2. The respect for the American government and the president? The title, status and fall of the the president and officials? A very American film?

3. The anti-U.S. touch, non-American audiences enjoying it? The attack? American attacks on other countries and cities?

4. The plausibility of the plot? Not? Entry into the U.S.? Arms and equipment? The plane not detected? The meeting at the White House? South Korean president? Infiltration? The Secret Service traitor? The intrusion, the strategy, knowledge and demands, computer expertise? Ruthless?

5. President Asher? The boxing bout with Mike? The domestic scenes? Connor, Margaret, family life? Protocol? The detail? Respect for the office? Mike and friendship with Connor? Advice to Margaret about her earrings? Connell playing games? The drive, happy atmosphere, the windscreen, the accident, the car perched on the bridge, cutting the belt, Margaret’s death? The president’s grief? Mike and his desk job?

6. Mike and his wife, love for each other, home tensions, his not listening, looking at the television? Her job in the hospital, caring for the injured, the phone calls, concern about Mike?

7. Mike and his discussions with the head of security, the Secret Service men and their jokes? Going to work, at his desk, noticing the upheaval, going to the White House, getting involved?

8. The plane, close to the buildings, the shield against attack? The military firing at it? The downing of the planes? The shootings in the streets? The puzzle as to the identity? The crash, the White House lawn, the tourists, the military, the sanitation trucks? Getting into the White House, the gates, the door, the deaths of the police and agents? And taking the president, the other officials, locked in the bunker? The domination by the alien force?

9. Protocols, with the authorities in DC? Other authorities’ in Asia?

10. The situation for the president, hands manacled, the other officials? Contact with the war room? Head of security, the speaker of the house, the secretary of state, the other officials? Trumbull becoming acting president? Morgan Freeman and his dignity?

11. In the bunker, the abduction, Kang, his infiltrating the official party, his Allies? Cold and imperious, in command, the taking over of the monitors and equipment? Connecting with the war room? His demands, motivations, his own personal story? The assassination of the president on the TV? The torture for the codes? Of the deaths? The issue of the codes for Cerberus, Asher acceding, telling Ruth to give the code? The irony of needing only two codes for the warheads to be activated in the silos?

12. The plane, the jets, the fire, the crash, the troops, the deaths, the massacre on the steps of the White House, the explosions, the destruction?

13. Mike, ready, shooting his way in, trying to help the wounded, hiding, making contact with the war room, orders? The general, his character, his anger, a more hawkish approach? The group and their loyalties to the president? Decisions, response? Mike and his watching the attack, the warnings about aides’, the explosions and destruction? Timing and tension?

14. Mike, his training background, finding Connor, getting him to safety up the chute, continually challenging Kang? The encounter with Forbes, believing him, trapping him, the fight, forcing him to tell Kang that Mike was dead? His torturing the two Koreans to get information? The confrontation with Kang on the screen?

15. Trumbull and the orders about the seventh fleet, withdrawing troops from South Korea? The tension about Cerberus? The codes? The reaction of the general? The other advisers? The helicopter, the destruction of Hades?

16. The president, his character, soft in terms of giving the codes, the vice president, with Macmillan, torturing her, giving the code, her being let out? The president clashing with Kang?

17. Mike and the attack, the hooded group going to the helicopter, destruction, Mike giving the accurate information? The rescue?

18. Continual coverage by the media, the tone, patriotism, dismay?

19. The final fight with Kang, his death? The president wounded, Mike getting out?

20. The president’s speech, reunited with his son, Mike and reinstated, the happy ending?

21. A terrorist action film, the role of Korea, the dangers to security, in the U.S., in Asia? The credibility of the plot in terms of the single hero and his saving
the day?