Olympus Has Fallen

Olympus Has Fallen (AKA Die Hard 6 or Air Force One 2) Review

 vs. 

(Courtesy of The Editing Room)

^I mean I'm just saying...

I remember when I first watched Air Force One. I thought of an idea for an alternate storyline. I asked myself, "Wouldn't it have been cool if it was one of the secret service agents was playing the 'John McClane' role instead of the President?" Six years later, this movie was released into theaters. Darn idea thieves!

Olympus Has Fallen is quite similar to the much loved Air Force One and Die Hard. In this version of the one-man-against-several-terrorists-who-are-holding-hostages story, a former secret service agent (Gerard Butler) is pitted against some bad dudes from North Korea who are holding the President (Aaron Eckhart) hostage. Butler's character is the only agent left alive after the initial assault on The White House. He stays in communication with the Speaker of the House turned Acting President (Morgan Freeman), while the President and his staff are held in the shelter deep below The White House with guns to their heads.

When I first bought Air Force One, I watched it every day for two weeks straight. And I've seen Die Hard a million times as well. I'm fully aware of how heavily Olympus Has Fallen borrows from these two movies. However, both of these movies are in my Top 25, and I love them for a reason. While this recent release doesn't quite meet the quality of storytelling set by the others, the action was just as riveting. I can honestly say this movie had one of the most intense action scenes I've seen in recent years, and it probably lasted 30 minutes. The assault on The White House that began the conflict switched from an aerial attack across all of D.C., followed by suicide bombers, gas grenades, trucks rigged with bombs and dozens of assassins for hire chipping away at The White House's security and its architectural defenses.

Comparing this scene to the action from A Good Day to Die Hard, I'm glad to see that there's still a way to successfully conduct an extended action sequence on the big screen. I think this can be credited to the film's director, Antoine Fuqua. He directed last decade's Training Day, which I wasn't a big fan of. In this film, I was able to see that Fuqua indeed has an impressive talent behind the camera. I also saw solid performances form Eckhart and (as always) Morgan Freeman. Finally, I was pleasantly astounded by the sound and film editing, which added even further stimulation to the action. If you've seen Air Force One and/or Die Hard and feel like you've had enough of this kind of movie, this probably isn't one to go out of your way to see. However, if you're a fan of either of these movies, or the action genre in general, you'll most likely love it. It's only March, but so far Olympus Has Fallen has my vote for best flick of the year. Keep in mind though that there are 9 more months full of movies to out-stage it.

4/5

Netflix Suggestions: Vol. 2

Tommy Boyz n the Hood. That'd be an interesting movie mashup.

(Wikipedia)

There haven't been many movies worthy of going out of the way to see in theaters in recent weeks. So for now, here's another 5 suggestions of movies you can watch right now on Netflix instant streaming.

Drive

Drive stars Ryan Gosling, and in my opinion, is one of the best movies of the 2000's. It's a crime thriller, intertwined with a forbidden love tale. Since it can be classified as a neo-noir film, it definitely has an older feel to it. But with modern stars like Bryan Cranston, Ron Perlman and Carey Mulligan, it definitely comes across as a tense thriller that can appeal to today's audience. Winner of Best Action Movie at last year's Critics' Choice Awards, Drive is worth going out of your way for.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

One of the most emotional movies I've ever sat through, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas follows the friendship between two eight-year-olds during WWII. One is the young son of one of Auschwitz's overseers, the other is an prisoner in the camp. It stars Asa Butterfield, who I immediately recognized as a brilliant actor when I saw this film. He was able to maintain the innocence of the character while simultaneously conveying his maturity as an actor. He's since landed lead roles in the 5-time Oscar winner Hugo and the highly anticipated Ender's Game. Watch for the star-making performance from Butterfield or for the heartbreaking story. Either way, it's worth your time. 

Tommy Boy

If you haven't seen this buddy comedy yet, stop reading this paragraph immediately and go watch it. Chris Farley plays his usual hapless but good-hearted character. In this film, he's opposite David Spade. Both end up on a road trip selling brake pads to ensure the survival of the company Tommy's (Farley) late father left behind. In my eyes, to say that this movie blows this generation's buddy comedies (like The Hangover and Step Brothers) out of the water would be an understatement.

Reservoir Dogs

Oscar night last month was filled with some great victories, including Academy Award #2 for Quentin Tarantino. In celebration, why not go back to the writer-director's roots? In his first theatrical film, a group of diamond thieves suspect there's a mole in their operation after their heist turns deadly. Reservoir Dogs stars Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth and Steve Buscemi, and is often credited for redefining the gangster genre in the 90's. Considered to be one of the best films of all-time, Reservoir Dogs is where all the glorious gore and language Tarantino is recognized for began. 

Boyz n the Hood

The first time I watched Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, I was massively impressed. However, upon a second viewing, I was disgusted with how blinded I was by the sheer audacity, and that it took me a second viewing to realize how flawed Spike's film was. I've seen Boyz n the Hood, another film centered around a young African-American in a poor area, twice. I can say that unlike Lee's film, there aren't many flaws here. Just a great story, with a good amount of dark comedy. Following the lives of South Central boys from their pre-teen years to the troubled time they spend before adulthood, it takes all the recommendable parts of Do the Right Things, throws in a little Stand By Me, and results in a fantastic motion picture.