Caffeinated Clint
The hardest working man in the White House is back – and he might just go up a couple of points in the popularity vote this year.
Following the events of “Olympus Has Fallen” and “London Has Fallen”, you’d think secret service agent Mike Banning might’ve asked for as transfer by now, but here he is again, ready to haemorrhage, bump-up and be publicly derided for his employer.
More “The Fugitive” than “Die Hard” – whose template the previous two films seemed to borrow heavily from – “Angel Has Fallen” sees Butler’s hero going all Richard Kimble when the president (Morgan Freeman) and a horde of secret service agents are attacked by killer drones, and he – being the only survivor besides the POTUS still with a pulse – finds himself the prime suspect. Unshackling himself, determined to expose the real killer, Banning disappears into the wilderness – Eastern Europe filling in for Washington State – where he reconnects with an unlikely face from his past, who joins the crusade to clear Banning’s name.
Much like the first two films in this series, “Angel Has Fallen” is a Welcome throwback to ‘90s action cinema -the kind of unabashed, unapologetic boom-bang action fare that Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Willis and Van Damme use to headline every summer at the box office. These days, most of these types of films are relegated to the local Redbox or iTunes, so being as they are a rarity now, and somewhat of a treat to see on the big screen, it’s ace to see one slip past the platform designator and into the multiplex.
Sure, Butler is no Bruce Willis (in his prime, anyway), and Ric Roman Waugh is no John McTiernan or Peter Hyams, but they help make up a savvy, skilled cover band that still knows all the hits.
Unlike the last two films in the series, this chapter is a lot more broadly appealing too – largely because it doesn’t outwardly offend every race and culture on the planet. Sure, it’s as equally excessive and violent as its predecessors, but Butler wouldn’t have needed to have winced through any line delivering this time.
Butler, now the go-to guy for most of today’s mindless action flicks, makes for a likeable hero as Mike Banner – his everyman looks and personality overshadowing the stunt choreographer close behind – if only just. Here, his best scenes are with the always-dependable Nick Nolte who, as Banner’s grizzled, explosive-prepping pop, adds some welcome light humour and gravitas to proceedings.
And while Danny Huston, Morgan Freeman and Tim Blake Nelson are also welcome additions to the credit block of any film, they don’t get much to do here- particularly Freeman who, for the most part, snoozes away in a hospital bed for the duration of the film.
Where “Angel Has Fallen” comes alive is in the terrifically choreographed, non-stop array of action sequences. Be it car chases, dodging mines, bullet exchanges or explosive drones there’s some fine, fantastically entertaining stuff on display here.
It’s only in the thinly-written, we’ve-forgotten-how-to-keep-this-thing-interesting third half that the audience’s attention might transfer from the central plot to whatever is written on the side of your soft drink cup. But here’s a game to play if you do find your peepers wavering – see if you can spot the very few moments that Bulgaria doesn’t stand in for the United States or count the amount of green screen work leading up to the finale.
An action lover’s delight, a quick and satisfying happy meal encompassing gunfights with the lot, large explosions, and macho fights extra cheese.
