LONDON HAS FALLEN

The Golden rule in Hollywood is that if you have a hit action movie with a bankable star, then you do not let go the opportunity to make a sequel. When Olympus Had Fallen entertained us quite well, very few of us would have imagined that there would be a sequel to it. But, it turns out that the makers smelt the opportunity and went in for the kill.

So, we have Gerard Butler returning as Mike Banning, the man who will not let the President of the USA come to any harm. From Washington DC the setting of the action is moved to London and all the world’s leaders are assembled there for ‘the most protected even on earth’. The makers have gone ahead and created characters who are very similar to the Heads of states of different European and Asian nations. The ones with most obvious similarities are the German and Italian premieres. But, the President of the USA has no similarities to the real man because they wanted to have the same cast as in Olympus Has Fallen. And so, Aaron Eckhart returns as the President. And then we have usual suspect Morgan Freeman as the Vice President who gets to do the same role as before, sit in a chair and watch all the action on the big monitor while also talking/negotiating with the terrorists.

The terror outfit this time is from somewhere in Asia and out to wreak vengeance because Americans

used unmanned bombers to take out an entire family. And, this time the attack is far bigger, far better planned (though we are never told how it was all planned), and the visual effects are far far more extreme. If the budget for the first movie allowed for wholesale destruction of the White House, this time the budget has been stretched to cover the blow up of almost an entire city. The Westminister Abbey is blown up, London bridge is in pieces, at least 5 heads of state are dead within minutes and the only the President of the USA survives with his trusted bodyguard.

Saying all these plot elements don’t serve as spoilers because almost everybody knows what is coming. The only fun is in knowing how and when it comes. The ‘how’ of the entire operation, the sneaky plan of having the President as a prisoner in his own high-security bunker was the thrill factor in Olympus Has Fallen. In London though, the plan from the terrorists seems to be bomb, shoot, bomb, shoot and bomb until no one is alive. It gets a bit deafening after a point. The real excitement comes in the form of a close fought gun battle inside an MI6 safe house in London. The darkness and the deserted look of the streets of London (something similar to the lockdown of Gotham in The Dark Knight Rises) could have been used more effectively for a game of cat and mouse, but the director seems to be in a hurry to resume all the shooting and

bombing again. That said, the gun fights are quite well shot, with the protagonist being shown as an experienced strategist who knows how and when to take cover. And the final stretch inside a building with Banning going in solo unnoticed (quite like what happened in Olympus Has Fallen) is quite interesting even though short lived; you get a good finish. And then Morgan Freeman reenters to polish it off in a matter of fact style that only he can manage, as if he is ordering a sandwich for lunch.

The reliable Gerard Butler, on screen for the second time in two weeks after Gods of Egypt, makes it worth a watch. Of course, Morgan Freeman is always a good actor to have on the big screen. And, there is a relentless barrage of action. No way you will be bored. Just go in and have a nice time without expecting anything too special.

No surprises; but watchable action flick!

2.5/5