London has Fallen (2016)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2016
	Director: Babak Najafi
	Actors: Gerard Butler (300, Gamer), Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight), Morgan Freeman (Deep Impact, Oblivion), Radha Mitchell (Pitch Black)
	Country: USA
	Genre: Action, Thriller
	Conditions of visioning: 27.07.2016, VOD, 32" TV
Synopsis: When the British Prime Minister dies, many World leaders gather in London for the funeral, including the American President Benjamin Asher (Eckhart) and his friend Mike Banning (Butler) also head of his Security.
Review: About two and a half years ago I made the mistake of watching back to back the two almost identical movies White House Down by Roland Emmerich and Olympus has Fallen by Antoine Fuqua, and I preferred the latter. Again looking for something easy to watch I selected London has Fallen, and made the assumed choice of watching again Olympus has Fallen just before. It was not such a mistake because it confirmed the opinion I had of that first movie (I even raised its rating from 5/10 to 6/10), and it allowed me remembering who the main characters were (and which past they have in common) which would have confused me a little otherwise. So this sequel uses the same elements that worked in the first: POTUS and his buddy bodyguard, massive and actually successfully destructive terrorist attacks, decision-making process in the hands of the Chairman of the House (Freeman) this time rather useless, and my favorite part: bloody violence unlike in White House Down. Could it be the reason why that other movie did not deserve a sequel? Talking about violence, I even found that it was sometimes too much this time (of course some things have to be bigger in a sequel): the character played by Butler doesn't just kill the bad guys with two bullets that create a nice splatter, he does it more and more creatively (also with knives) and apparently with pleasure, or at least a satisfied feeling of revenge (reminding me of Jack Bauer in the 24 TV-series). At some point I thought this would lead to an interesting reflexion later in the movie but it does not. Instead the man just keeps on going, against all odds, until the Action and the way to show it reminds of a video game. But I mean that in good, the single-handed attack he does towards the end of the movie is visually very original and exciting. Other new idea: this time around the bodyguard sticks much more with the president while in the first movie not. In the end apart from the blood and the very pessimistic starting point, there is not much interest in London has Fallen. Better watch again The Sum of All Fears.
Rating: 4 /10