Olympus Has Fallen

Today, on a whim, I actually went to a movie theater and saw Olympus Has Fallen.  The stars aligned perfectly and I had some free time.

Besides, I've been fascinated by Gerard Butler ever since I saw him in Dracula 2000.  I remembered that face, even though he didn't speak much.  Then, of course, he starred in the movie version of Phantom, as the title character.  From then on he's been impossible for me to forget.

Aaron Eckhart is the actor after whom I modeled the hero in my Regency novel.  Yep, Sheridan St. John is a dead ringer for Aaron Eckhart.  I decided that when I saw Battle: Los Angeles in 2011.

I've been following the promos for Olympus Has Fallen from the beginning.  So, breaking tradition, I saw a film on its opening day.

This is a great action picture.  The formula for this one is the original Die Hard.  Big bad terrorists successfully attack the White House and get the President (Eckhart), the Vice-President, and a few other members of the Cabinet and national security team as hostages.

They killed a bunch of the secret service, military, and DC Police in the battle to take and keep the building.  But there's one guy, former Secret Service agent, Mike Banning (Butler), whose knowledge of the building lets him sneak in and wage a one-man war.

I won't spoil it for you by telling you more than that. 

This is a rip-snortin' adventure, as we'd say down home in Texas.  I was literally on the edge of my seat in some scenes.  There are lots of special effects, explosions, decimating of national monuments, gunning down innocent civilians, etc.  And the final plan is so dastardly, it firmly plants the leader of the terrorists as one of the biggest and baddest in movie history.

There's some dark humor, but Banning doesn't have a signature saying - no Yippee Ki Yay.  However, he does exactly what he says he will.  So, that's something.

Look for Angela Bassett, Morgan Freeman, and Academy Award winner Melissa Leo in key supporting roles.  I remember when Freeman played the President in Deep Impact years ago.  He's the Speaker of the House in this one and the acting president for a while.  I don't know about you, but hearing him speak as the President seems appropriate.  He has such an authoritative voice.

If you're looking for a great escape and like high action movies, go see Olympus Has Fallen.  You'll have a great time.

Okay, when I got home, the UPS guy had already delivered my Les Miz dvd.  Guess today is a double feature day.  Woooooo Hoooooo!