These may not be the twenty greatest films ever made, but they are my favourites. I started with 35 of the movies I love the most for various reasons, and had a tough time narrowing the list down to just 20 films. Even harder was putting them into some sort of order. It's an eclectic list - as those of you who know me well know, I like a broad range of films - but, all in all, the twenty films that have made the most impact on me over the years.
#18 - Olympus Has Fallen
Stars: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Rick Yune & Aaron Eckhart
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Writer(s): Creighton Rothenberger & Katrin Benedikt
Year: 2013
The Story: A national security epic, in which a band of North Korean terrorists led by Kang Yeonsak (Yune) masquerade as South Korean diplomats in order to get into the White House and the Oval Office, before they take President Benjamin Asher (Eckhart) hostage. Unbeknownst to the terrorists, is Mike Banning (Butler), a Secret Service agent who has personal history with the President, and just happens to be close by 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue when the North Koreans launch a daring - and not out of the realms of possibility in real life, either - raid.
As Banning sets about killing terrorists, rooting out the traitorous Americans who got Yeonsak's men into the most protected building in the world, and saving Asher, Speaker of the House Alan Trumball (Freeman) is elevated temporarily to commander-in-chief, and must figure out what the North Koreans hope to gain from such an event, as dead hostages pile up.
Watch it if...: You liked the 90's action blockbusters or you need a thought-free Friday night movie!
Watch it if...: You liked the 90's action blockbusters or you need a thought-free Friday night movie!
Why I Love It: Non-stop action, and a lead character who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty, hostages in the White House (including the President), a touch of political entanglement, some killer one liners and a body count bigger than in most films, which strive for a lesser rating than the MA15+ that this film was rated in Australia. Honestly, what's not to like? This film is like the pages of so many books I love - by Vince Flynn and Brad Thor, to name just two - come to life. It was an epic film, reminiscent of the older Die Hard films, or Steven Seagal's Under Siege movies.
The idea of the White House being overrun by hostages isn't a new one. It's happened in a few books that I've read, by way of - and, the trailer for Olympus Has Fallen made me wonder, at first, if I was watching a movie adaption of Vince Flynn's blockbuster novel Transfer of Power - either a full-scale terrorist assault or moles within the administration and close to the President. Olympus Has Fallen combines both, and. when you're not reminded of a younger Bruce Willis when watching Gerard Butler wisecrack and cut a swathe through innumerable bad guys, it gives everyone a chance to consider just how awesome a President Morgan Freeman might make.
It's a visually exciting film, too. Loud and bright, there's always something going on. The set piece, of course, is the White House and by the end, there really isn't much left to salvage. Not after the combined efforts of the terrorists and the good guys, and the famous white-walled building is brought to it's knees in spectacular fashion, imploded, crashed into by helicopters, and generally turned into a bloody and broken battlefield. Not even the interior is safe - and nor is the Washington Monument, which is sheared in half early on in a memorable scene, worth the price of admission alone.
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