Olympus Has Fallen

[Project862006]

Originally Posted by Liam_H

Wouldn't it make more sense if Gerard Butler was on the poster instead. I mean he is the one being McClane.

[Hunter Rider]

New Featurette on Olympus Has Fallen Online

Those CGI choppers.

[chaseter]

HAHA OMG the trailer for this was in front of Die Hard and the CGI is horrendous.

[Kal-El.9859]

I'm sure this movie is gonna get a lot of hate, but I'm kinda looking forward to it...

[Hunter Rider]

The New Poster and TV Spot for Olympus Has Fallen

[CoolCadaver49]

Okay, so I now for a fact that I'm not the first person to bring this up but... Is this movie even legal? It's Die Hard with a fresh coat of paint. There's pretty much no way this can be any good.

Especially for me, since I don't really like Gerard Butler. But I do like Eckhart and Freeman though...

EDIT: Oh no, the director of Training Day?

[jacobed]

Why wouldn't it be legal? It's far far far from Die Hard. I'm sorry but that opening statement is just ridiculous

[Gianakin_]

I hope this is as bad as DH5, but it probably won't be.

[CoolCadaver49]

Originally Posted by jacobed

Why wouldn't it be legal? It's far far far from Die Hard. I'm sorry but that opening statement is just ridiculous

Poorly worded hyperbole on my part. My bad.

[dude love]

Originally Posted by Gianakin_

I hope this is as bad as DH5, but it probably won't be.

I hope it's WORSE! In all the best possible ways.

[terry78]

http://view.ed4.net/v/7AL7P59/SJOBZ/...ype=Standalone

Free passes to an early screening of the flick via Fandango in most major cities if you can RSVP before seating is filled.

[Destructus86]

Is it bad that I think think looks entertaining?

[scifiwolf]

Went to an early screening last night. Wow. What a ride.

What the movie does well, it does it well to the extreme. The shortcomings don't rate much lower than sort of average, so the movie doesn't suffer as much from them. Gerard Butler's Mike Banning isn't the deepest of characters. The opening sequence doesn't do much to garner sympathy, but does a nice job of setting up his relationships with the First Family (particularly the President's son) and his coworkers in the Secret Service. I do like the fact that he doesn't have the cliched aftermath of losing his wife and abandoning his profession altogether (the story takes place 18 months after the opening). Their relationship is strained, but the foundation is still strong, and he's been transferred. He actually wants back in the Secret Service. Sympathy for his character comes from watching him struggle throughout the movie to keep everything from sinking into total chaos. The other characters aren't the deepest, either, but enjoy enough personality to maintain a third dimension.

The plot is simple, but it doesn't matter. You actually know the motives up front, and see twists coming. The way the movie's crafted, that's sort of the point. The idea is more about the devastation and the struggle on both sides of the fight. And it is glorious. The action is phenomenal. The one liners and takedowns drew constant laughs, cheers, and clapping throughout the movie. Antoine Fuqua really makes you hate the antagonists upfront, right from their initial attack on the White House. And it's not just the White House. They aim (and succeed) to kill as many bystanders and civilians as possible with that C-130 of theirs flying over The Mall and streets of DC.

There are some plot holes with regard to tactics on both sides, levels of security on Pennsylvania Avenue, and decision-making. But those don't diminish the experience. My only real complaint was a slight over-jingoistic tone with waving flags playing over the opening and end credits. Artistically, they distract so much from the image of the tattered flag falling from the White House roof after it's been taken.

Bottom line, if you are in that group that likes Die Hard, Under Siege, Air Force One, and even The Bodyguard, than this movie will make you squeal with joy. Even if those aren't your things, Gerard Butler will make you like them.

BAD-****ING-ASS

8.5/10

EDIT: I don't really buy many movies anymore. The Dark Knight Rises and The Avengers have been the only two in the last 18 months, and that was just this week. If the extra features are there on the Blu-Ray, I'll certainly shell out for this one.

[terry78]

Well, you kind of have to have some amount of jingoism in a movie about someone waging war on D.C. If there was none I'd feel they were trying to be P.C. and skirt it.

[scifiwolf]

Oh I don't mind a little "'MURICA!" in a movie. But, like I said, the method chosen artistically took away from moments during the movie and just felt heavy-handed. Like I said, it was my only real complaint. The movie was really solid.

[Hunter Rider]

Glad you enjoyed scifiwolf, how was the CGI?

[Pink Ranger]

Originally Posted by terry78

Well, you kind of have to have some amount of jingoism in a movie about someone waging war on D.C. If there was none I'd feel they were trying to be P.C. and skirt it.

Originally Posted by scifiwolf

Oh I don't mind a little "'MURICA!" in a movie. But, like I said, the method chosen artistically took away from moments during the movie and just felt heavy-handed. Like I said, it was my only real complaint. The movie was really solid.

I've got the idea for the most patriotic action movie ever.

Title: AMERICA FIRST: MISSION USA

Tagline: The world's top country. The world's top fighting force.

Starring: Liam Neeson, Jason Statham, Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, Gerard Butler

Director: John Woo

Special effects by Weta

Produced by Sony Pictures

Theme song: "America is awesome at everything" written and performed by Nickelback

[TheVileOne]

Beats all the pussy-footing around with the last GI JOE movie and giving Captain America a pointless subtitle that overseas countries didn't even use.

[dude love]

Honestly as an Australian, I know that I and a lot of other movie goers here love the jingoism of Michael Bay's films, Independence Day, etc because it ads a whole new layer of comedy. I don't know anyone who doesn't lose their **** at Bill Pullman's glorious Independence Day speech. I think this movie will make me and some red state redneck in the US cry for two totally different reasons.

Originally Posted by Pink Ranger

Starring: Liam Neeson, Jason Statham, Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, Gerard Butler

Director: John Woo

Bah haha haha. Replace Reynolds with Sam Worthington or Scott Adkins and you have a bunch of men of the Commonwealth who can't do American accents to save their lives.

[scifiwolf]

Originally Posted by Hunter Rider

Glad you enjoyed scifiwolf, how was the CGI?

It wasn't bad at all. Not enough that it takes you out of the story, anyway. Some of the cuts are so quick that you don't get much opportunity to inspect, like with mini guns blowing holes through people. The explosions looked fine. There was enough practical effects that it felt fairly balanced.

As for my jingoism comment, I think it's being interpreted the wrong way. I really just meant that there are moments where, visually and in the dialog, it is just forced and seemingly tacked on as an afterthought. To me, artistically, it felt amateur.

[LostSon88]

I'm really hoping this is good...

The previews thus far have actually got me pretty hyped for it.

[Whiskey Tango]

Saw a tv spot for this earlier, looks pretty cool. Great cast.

[hawkeye27]

I really wanna see this movie. It looks great.

[Whiskey Tango]

Originally Posted by dude love

I don't know anyone who doesn't lose their **** at Bill Pullman's glorious Independence Day speech.

I don't get this. He flat out says this is the day everyone will finally overcome their differences and that from then on July 4th would be recognized as the day the entire world united together in common interest. It's as plain as day. There's nothing pro-American about that speech.

[GreenKToo]

Originally Posted by Whiskey Tango

I don't get this. He flat out says this is the day everyone will finally overcome their differences and that from then on July 4th would be recognized as the day the entire world united together in common interest. It's as plain as day. There's nothing pro-American about that speech.

Yeah me either. I thought it was pretty much a pro world speech..maybe it was the fact that an American prez was giving the speech. maybe it would have been better if the French leader would have given it??? Irans?? or how about China's?
I'm sure it would have been fine then...