LONDON HAS FALLEN

Gramercy Pictures

Rated R

Running time: 1:39 Minutes

Click below to watch a movie trailer of London Has Fallen from YouTube.



In Gramercy Pictures London Has Fallen, United States President Aaron Eckhart attends the British Prime Minister's funeral in London - and suddenly has to go on the run with Secret Service Agent Gerard Butler to escape terrorists.

In the sequel to Olympus Has Fallen, three years have passed and the western world's leaders are gathering to attend the state funeral for the British Prime Minister - when terrorists attack and President Eckhart and Secret Service Agent Butler go on the run throughout London.

The movie has several actors from Olympus Has Fallen reprising their roles in this movie, especially Vice President Morgan Freeman, Director of the Secret Service Angela Bassett, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Robert Forster, Butler's wife Radha Mitchell, and Secretary of Defense Melissa Leo. Freeman always has a presence as a leader in his leadership roles and this was no exception. Alon Aboutboul was good as the terrorist arms dealer on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list. So was Charlotte Riley as the MI6 agent. I wish Riley had more to do, she could have been a kick ass character.

With recent real world events, some of the terrorist scenes can be difficult to watch, as well as the news videos accompanying them. I had a relatives that were in the cities of those real world events, so these scenes hit a little home to me. I also felt a little upset that the movie opened with news reports of terrorism attacks in the Philippines, including the failed real world police operation which lead to the deaths of several members of the Special Action Force in the Philippines. The trailer's initial release also had controversy as to it's timing to the anniversary of the 2005 London bombings attack.

There were typical car chases and explosions but I liked the action sequences with Butler taking charge of President Eckhart's protection throughout the movie, as well as the political scenes both with the heads of state and with Vice President Freeman and the National Security Council at the White House. The movie set up all the political players with graphics of their titles as they are introduced. I had a problem with how the terrorists got pass all of the world security Dignitary Protection services of not only the United States, but all of the other western Dignitary Protection services for the various heads of states in what is supposedly the most protected event in the world, and I also did not like how filmmakers did the tag of the movie.

It is curious that underneath the political terrorism, the theme of the movie was about family, which I liked.

I think this is the first time that I have seen Marine One in action which I liked.

While I think Olympus Has Fallen is a better film, London Has Fallen is a typical action popcorn film.

Click below to watch another movie trailer of London Has Fallen on YouTube.



Rated R for violence and language. Running time: 1:39 Minutes.

Pancho
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OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN

Film District

Rated R

Running time: 120 Minutes



Click below to watch the Olympus Has Fallen trailer.



In Film District's Olympus Has Fallen, disgraced former head of Presidential Detail Secret Service agent and former U.S. Army Ranger Gerard Butler is on his own - when terrorists attack the White House and kidnap Aaron Eckhart, the President of the United States.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, this is an action-packed political thriller that was a lot of fun for me to watch. It was basically Die Hard at the White House, although there were worldwide implications that were shown for the events that were happening in the White House. You got to see the security of the White House at work as well as Camp David as the Presidential family, including Ashley Judd and Finley Jacobsen, relaxes there. This is the most that I have seen Camp David in a movie, although I still would like to see more of Camp David in a movie some day.

While President Eckhart is having a meeting with the South Korean Prime Minister, a cable of North Korean terrorists, led by ex-North Korean terrorist Rick Yune invade the White House by air and ground. Working at the Treasury Department within eyesight of the White House, Butler rushes in to help to defend the White House - and winds up being forced back inside the White House. Butler then uses his Ranger skills as he goes up close and personal amongst the terrorists, while President Eckhart is trapped inside the White House bunker.

Angela Basset once again is the head of a government organization, this time she has a more meaty role to apply to an organization such as the Secret Service. Speaker of the House Morgan Freeman, as an actor also once again - due to the Presidential Line of Succession - acts as President. It has come to the point that I like these two worthy actors in these roles and I look forward for Basset to be an action hero in a similar role some day. Melissa Leo was great as the Secretary of Defense and reminded me that she is a lady I would not like to piss off.

Before North Korea became a topical enemy, the producers choose them because of their political mysteriousness years ago - as well as because the Middle East has been done to death as an enemy. As a result, I accepted North Korea as the enemy as well as being less obvious a security threat to the Secret Service.

What I did not like was that there were no U. S. Marines on Presidential Guard Duty at the White House, everyone was all Secret Service. It also appeared that there was only one anti-aircraft weapons system in place. You would think that there would be at least two anti-aircraft systems. I liked the fact that the civilian District of Columbia Metropolitan Police tried to back up the White House personnel and that the local military forces were sent in to back up the White House. Although you do not see what happened to the heavy terrorist forces that were outside. I also liked the fact that Butler's wife Radha Mitchell is a nurse and was dealing with the civilian victims of the attack at her hospital as the aircraft that attacked did strafe the surrounding territory around the White House - showing that there were consequences to the events, rather than just shooting up everything.

Rated R for violence and language. Running time: 120 Minutes.

Pancho 
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Battle: Los Angeles

Columbia Pictures

Rated PG-13

Running time: 116 minutes



In Columbia Pictures Battle: Los Angeles - Los Angeles is being invaded by aliens from space and a U.S. Marine unit defends the city against them.

Staff Sargent Aaron Eckhart decides to retire, after losing his men in a previous tour - when the aliens arrive under the guise of meteorites. He now has to lead his men, who distrust him to keep them alive - especially the brother of a Marine killed under his command. Also leading the men is 2nd Lieutenant Ramon Rodriguez, fresh out of Officer Candidate School as the Marines are sent in to evacuate some stranded civilians from a West Los Angeles police station. Amongst the civilians is veterinarian Bridget Moynahan who helps dissect an alien. Along the way the Marines pick up a squad of friendlies, including Technical Sargent Michelle Rodriguez from the U.S. Air Force who was sent on a recon mission to search for the aliens Command and Control center.

Inspired on the real events of the 1942 Battle of Los Angeles, this is an intense film of a homeland invasion. Done in the style of Cloverfield and told from the point of view of the Marines, the shaky-cam might be a distraction in the beginning - but is soon ignored as the action starts. The initial breaking news stories adds to the realism of the film. The film deals with intense urban street fighting, ground combat. There is very little air combat action, despite the use of helicopter troop carriers and the drone foo fighters. As a Los Angeles local, it was nice hearing them mention Los Angeles streets, so you can track the Marines progress through the city. The intense action amongst our neighborhoods makes you wonder what it would really be like if our homes really were invaded - and not necessarily by aliens. You do not really get a good look at the aliens and for a while I was not sure if the aliens were drones or aliens in battle armour.

The film really is about the story of the Marines and not the aliens, and there were times that I teared up as I related to what happened to the Marines. The actors trained with the Marines, so their depiction was very believable, as I am sure their characters were as well. It was nice that the movie opened on 03/11/11 as 0311 is the Marine Corps Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) for Infantry Riflemen. The film was such a positive movie that at the end of the film the audience cheered. As the Marines say: Retreat? HELL!

Rated PG-13 for violence. Running time: 116 minutes.

Pancho
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