Olympus Has Fallen (Movie Review)

Olympus Has Fallen is a new action thriller from Millennium Films starring Gerard Butler as secret service agent Mike Banning. The film starts a bit slow, but the action soon picks up after a quick introduction to the characters that will make up a large part of the next two hours. Olympus Has Fallen is clearly heavily influenced by the original Die Hard film with a script and plot that mostly mimics the classic film, only on a much larger scale and a terrorist threat that puts the entire planet on high alert. The strong similarities to other action films doesn't mean Olympus Has Fallen is a bad movie though, and in fact, it's a pretty entertaining film that action fans will greatly enjoy, if one can look past the imitated content.



Olympus Has Fallen begins with an introduction to Mike Banning and the President of the United States played by Aaron Eckhart. Fans are also introduced to the rest of the President's family including his son, Connor, who plays a large part shortly into the film. The slow beginning soon gives way to a full assault on the White House that eventually leads to a terrorist group seizing control of the building and the kidnapping of the President and his staff. An unlikely series of events also leaves Banning as the only friendly character remaining alive within the building, as he must clear out a building full of heavily armed terrorists to save the President and the world. It's a good storyline that most action fans will have already heard before, but it doesn't keep Olympus Has Fallen from being an entertaining film leading all the way up to a rather abrupt ending before the final credits roll.

Gerard Butler delivers a strong performance as the film's main protagonist, though fans looking for quotable lines from the hero like heard in other action movies such as 300 and Die Hard will be a bit disappointed. Humor isn't Olympus Has Fallen's strong suit, but Morgan Freeman and Aaron Eckhart do deliver the film's other two best performances to give the film at least one good actor for nearly every scene throughout the movie.

Viewers will be happy they spent their time and money to watch Olympus Has Fallen, even if the film isn't the best action film around. A very basic plot, a slow beginning and a disappointing ending keep the movie from being as good as it could be, but there is still plenty of great action and enough drama with the one man against a large group of enemies mentality to make the movie well worth watching. Gerard Butler makes a great action star, even if the film's writing isn't the best he has had over his career, while Aaron Eckhart and Morgan Freeman perform well in their roles too. Look for Olympus Has Fallen at a movie retailer near you!

Olympus Has Fallen is now available on DVD, Blu-ray and Video on Demand. Olympus Has Fallen is rated R by the MPAA. For more information on the film, check out the official Olympus Has Fallen website.

Movie Features:
Release Date: March 22, 2013 (DVD Release: August 13, 2013)
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Running Time: 120 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Cast: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Rick Yune & Angela Bassett

Score: 7 out of 10