Search
Search results
Gareth von Kallenbach (974 KP) rated Angel Has Fallen (2019) in Movies
Aug 21, 2019
It is hard to believe that it has been six years since Gerard Butler introduced audiences to Special Agent Mike Banning. Over the course of the film and its sequel; Banning kept the President safe against a never-ending barrage of threats both home and abroad.
For the new film “Angel Has Fallen”; Banning must protect a new President (Morgan Freeman) and clear his name when he is framed after a devastating attack on the President.
When he is suddenly the most wanted man in the country; Banning must use all his skills when he is abducted and subsequently escapes while be transported to a detention facility.
The movie takes a bit of time getting up to speed but wisely has some good action along the way to setup the film and increase the tension levels. Once the action revs up, it is full on pedal to the floor action with Butler throwing himself into the fray against heavy odds no matter the cost.
What makes this film stand out from the others is that narrative is more plausible than other action films and you do see Butler dealing with the results of his profession. This is not a Teflon Super Hero who has bullets bounce off his chest. This is a man who bears his physical and psychological scars from his years in service and has a hard time letting go of the work even though it is what he believes he is best suited for.
Morgan Freeman gives a very strong performance as does Nick Nolte who stole many of the scenes in which he was in and provided some real Wild Card comic relief and action to the film.
In the end it is Gerard’s picture and he throws himself into the part without becoming repetitive of his past films and giving Banning a relatable and sympathetic quality that is often lacking in films of this type.
In a summer of many films Over Promising and Under-Delivering: “Angel Has Fallen” is a refreshing exception as it was an enjoyable thrill ride from start to finish and I sure hope we have not seen the last of Agent Banning.
4 stars out of 5
http://sknr.net/2019/08/21/angel-has-fallen/
For the new film “Angel Has Fallen”; Banning must protect a new President (Morgan Freeman) and clear his name when he is framed after a devastating attack on the President.
When he is suddenly the most wanted man in the country; Banning must use all his skills when he is abducted and subsequently escapes while be transported to a detention facility.
The movie takes a bit of time getting up to speed but wisely has some good action along the way to setup the film and increase the tension levels. Once the action revs up, it is full on pedal to the floor action with Butler throwing himself into the fray against heavy odds no matter the cost.
What makes this film stand out from the others is that narrative is more plausible than other action films and you do see Butler dealing with the results of his profession. This is not a Teflon Super Hero who has bullets bounce off his chest. This is a man who bears his physical and psychological scars from his years in service and has a hard time letting go of the work even though it is what he believes he is best suited for.
Morgan Freeman gives a very strong performance as does Nick Nolte who stole many of the scenes in which he was in and provided some real Wild Card comic relief and action to the film.
In the end it is Gerard’s picture and he throws himself into the part without becoming repetitive of his past films and giving Banning a relatable and sympathetic quality that is often lacking in films of this type.
In a summer of many films Over Promising and Under-Delivering: “Angel Has Fallen” is a refreshing exception as it was an enjoyable thrill ride from start to finish and I sure hope we have not seen the last of Agent Banning.
4 stars out of 5
http://sknr.net/2019/08/21/angel-has-fallen/
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Finale (Hush, Hush, #4) in Books
Jan 6, 2021
I didn't enjoy this as much as the other three. Nora's whiney-ness just got to me in this and her being in charge of a Nephilim army when she's dating a fallen angel just seemed a little strange.
A lot of questions were answered in this in regards to just about everything and if I'm honest I skipped over description looking for the conversational parts because it seemed to go on for a long time, being dragged out.
I liked Dante. I never realised how wrong I could be about a character until this book. I wont spoil it but Jeez.
It was a good ending but I kind of think I'd lost interest in the series by the end.
A lot of questions were answered in this in regards to just about everything and if I'm honest I skipped over description looking for the conversational parts because it seemed to go on for a long time, being dragged out.
I liked Dante. I never realised how wrong I could be about a character until this book. I wont spoil it but Jeez.
It was a good ending but I kind of think I'd lost interest in the series by the end.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Angel Has Fallen (2019) in Movies
Jul 4, 2020
Honestly, if you put a gun to my head and asked me to recite what actually happens either Olympus Has Fallen or London Has Fallen, then I'd be shit out of luck. The recent third entry Angel Has Fallen will be no different in a week or two...
It's not awful (some of the action is fairly entertaining) but it's so by the numbers and boring. Jesus Christ, even Nick Nolte doing his by-now-expected-crazy-old-guy schtick is tiresome after roughly 5 seconds.
The plot revolves around Gerard Butler's Mike Banning, who is high up in the White Houses security detail, being framed for an assassination attempt on the President (Morgan Freeman). He is then chased down by the FBI, whilst he tries to figure out who is actually behind it, take them down, and clear his name.
I don't even need to spoil who the bad guys are because it's painfully obvious from the precise second we meet them.
I don't mind Gerard Butler by any means, but he seems to be phoning it in at this point, as he goes through the motions and runs through a gauntlet of action movie cliches - including but not limited to:
- a dramatic dimly lit and gun heavy opening scene that is blatantly a training excercise
- the hero throwing down an effective weapon to face of with the villain in hand to hand
- the hero walking away from an important family conversation at a pivotal moment to go and do hero stuff
- Danny Huston playing a smug arsehole
- A political sub plot involving Russia that doesn't actually go anywhere
Etc, etc.
I, like most people, love a good bit of Morgan Freeman, but unfortunately, they did a Leia on him and just had him in a coma for most of the film, yaaaaay. Jada Pinkett-Smith is in here somewhere as well, but I can't even remember what happens to her.
Just to top it all off, some of the effects work in this is terrible by any standard, but considering it's a big budget action film, it's pretty embarrassing.
I mean, I can be a miserable bastard sometimes, and I appreciate that maybe I'm railing too hard on a film that should just be a dumb popcorn film, but honestly, Angel Has Fallen feels like the result of someone forcing a bot to sit through the first two, and then produce a script for a sequel.
It's not awful (some of the action is fairly entertaining) but it's so by the numbers and boring. Jesus Christ, even Nick Nolte doing his by-now-expected-crazy-old-guy schtick is tiresome after roughly 5 seconds.
The plot revolves around Gerard Butler's Mike Banning, who is high up in the White Houses security detail, being framed for an assassination attempt on the President (Morgan Freeman). He is then chased down by the FBI, whilst he tries to figure out who is actually behind it, take them down, and clear his name.
I don't even need to spoil who the bad guys are because it's painfully obvious from the precise second we meet them.
I don't mind Gerard Butler by any means, but he seems to be phoning it in at this point, as he goes through the motions and runs through a gauntlet of action movie cliches - including but not limited to:
- a dramatic dimly lit and gun heavy opening scene that is blatantly a training excercise
- the hero throwing down an effective weapon to face of with the villain in hand to hand
- the hero walking away from an important family conversation at a pivotal moment to go and do hero stuff
- Danny Huston playing a smug arsehole
- A political sub plot involving Russia that doesn't actually go anywhere
Etc, etc.
I, like most people, love a good bit of Morgan Freeman, but unfortunately, they did a Leia on him and just had him in a coma for most of the film, yaaaaay. Jada Pinkett-Smith is in here somewhere as well, but I can't even remember what happens to her.
Just to top it all off, some of the effects work in this is terrible by any standard, but considering it's a big budget action film, it's pretty embarrassing.
I mean, I can be a miserable bastard sometimes, and I appreciate that maybe I'm railing too hard on a film that should just be a dumb popcorn film, but honestly, Angel Has Fallen feels like the result of someone forcing a bot to sit through the first two, and then produce a script for a sequel.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated London Has Fallen (2016) in Movies
Aug 19, 2019 (Updated Aug 19, 2019)
London's: Big Ben Bridge
I forgot that olympus has fallen got a sequel and this was the sequel. Did anyone remeber that this movie came out? Does anyone remeber this movie and what happened in it. No, well thats what happens when a forgetable sequel to a fogetable movie with forgetable chacters comes out. So in words its forgetable.
The plot: After the death of the British prime minister, the world's most powerful leaders gather in London to pay their respects. Without warning, terrorists unleash a devastating attack that leaves the city in chaos and ruins. Secret Service agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) springs into action to bring U.S. President Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart) to safety. When Asher falls into the hands of the sinister organization, it's up to Banning to save his commander in chief from a horrible fate.
What was the last Gerard Butler movie that was good and you can watch from beginning to end and think its not stupid. Oh 300, right. That came out in 2007, so ever movie since has been bad and cant watch watch the whole film without thinking its stupid and dumb.
Wait a 3rd movie is coming out this coming week, why? Were the first 2 movies succesful, i guess so because "Angel Has Fallen" is coming out this friday.
The plot: After the death of the British prime minister, the world's most powerful leaders gather in London to pay their respects. Without warning, terrorists unleash a devastating attack that leaves the city in chaos and ruins. Secret Service agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) springs into action to bring U.S. President Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart) to safety. When Asher falls into the hands of the sinister organization, it's up to Banning to save his commander in chief from a horrible fate.
What was the last Gerard Butler movie that was good and you can watch from beginning to end and think its not stupid. Oh 300, right. That came out in 2007, so ever movie since has been bad and cant watch watch the whole film without thinking its stupid and dumb.
Wait a 3rd movie is coming out this coming week, why? Were the first 2 movies succesful, i guess so because "Angel Has Fallen" is coming out this friday.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Flawed Angel (The Fall #1) in Books
Sep 7, 2020
162 of 200
Kindle
Flawed Angel ( The Fall book 1)
By J.J. Dean
When war breaks out between the angels, Luna Grayson finds herself with a one way ticket to exile. Thrown off her pedestal next to her creator and banished to live her eternal life among the humans she so admired, Luna crash lands on Earth as punishment for refusing to choose between God and Lucifer.
Since her banishment, Luna has lived through multitude of eras, trends and countless changes the world has made since Falling. She's also spent most of her existence on Earth alone, her café owning best friend and Brutus the horse sized dog her only exceptions.
Content on blending amongst the flawed humans with her only friend by her side, it comes as a huge surprise when her life is invaded by four angels all with an agenda: to finally make her choose. With another war on the horizon, the angels are sent from both sides to convince her to pick between Heaven or Hell, the four angels tasked with coaxing Luna to their side. Only, they didn't consider that Luna's first choice would be her only.
Luna's life on Earth quickly finds itself threatened by outside sources, both good and evil determined to drag the fallen angel to their side. Despite their efforts, Luna is determined to remain on Earth, for the humans aren't the only beings who are flawed. And Luna is perfectly happy being a Flawed Angel.
I really really enjoyed this book! It had a good strong female lead some super hunky men and sexual tension you could cut with a knife! The writing style flowed so nicely! I enjoyed the whole heaven and hell fighting for her support especially now she’s become more powerful. I think as the series goes on it will get a lot better!
Kindle
Flawed Angel ( The Fall book 1)
By J.J. Dean
When war breaks out between the angels, Luna Grayson finds herself with a one way ticket to exile. Thrown off her pedestal next to her creator and banished to live her eternal life among the humans she so admired, Luna crash lands on Earth as punishment for refusing to choose between God and Lucifer.
Since her banishment, Luna has lived through multitude of eras, trends and countless changes the world has made since Falling. She's also spent most of her existence on Earth alone, her café owning best friend and Brutus the horse sized dog her only exceptions.
Content on blending amongst the flawed humans with her only friend by her side, it comes as a huge surprise when her life is invaded by four angels all with an agenda: to finally make her choose. With another war on the horizon, the angels are sent from both sides to convince her to pick between Heaven or Hell, the four angels tasked with coaxing Luna to their side. Only, they didn't consider that Luna's first choice would be her only.
Luna's life on Earth quickly finds itself threatened by outside sources, both good and evil determined to drag the fallen angel to their side. Despite their efforts, Luna is determined to remain on Earth, for the humans aren't the only beings who are flawed. And Luna is perfectly happy being a Flawed Angel.
I really really enjoyed this book! It had a good strong female lead some super hunky men and sexual tension you could cut with a knife! The writing style flowed so nicely! I enjoyed the whole heaven and hell fighting for her support especially now she’s become more powerful. I think as the series goes on it will get a lot better!
Merissa (11928 KP) rated Her Demonic Angel (Her Angel: Eternal Warriors #2) in Books
Apr 10, 2023 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)
Amelia's sister has been kidnapped by the devil so she asks Veiron, the fallen angel with attitude, to go and rescue her sister. He agrees (after some snarky comments) and heads off to help. Erin meanwhile is trapped inside a three-walled cell with an open drop to a river of lava on the fourth wall. She is beaten, and starved, but still keeps her sense of self. When Veiron comes to her rescue, she can't quite believe her luck. Rescued at last and by a hottie too.
These two certainly have fun along the way as they find out each other's secrets, amongst other things. They are a perfect match in that Erin's feisty attitude doesn't take any of Veiron's snarkiness. This doesn't mean that there aren't misunderstandings and differences of opinion along the way.
Their path is not a straight one, mind you, and they have to deal with Erin's secret and what happens to Veiron (trying really hard not to spoil anything here!).
Amelia also tries her best to keep Erin and Veiron apart although the reasons for this, apart from her thinking that Veiron isn't good enough for Erin, aren't clear. I did like Erin's response though that she should get off her power trip before she gets knocked off it!
A brilliantly written, fast-paced and full of action addition to the Her Angel series, definitely my favourite so far. I'm off to read Her Wicked Angel now though so that may change.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
September 10, 2016
These two certainly have fun along the way as they find out each other's secrets, amongst other things. They are a perfect match in that Erin's feisty attitude doesn't take any of Veiron's snarkiness. This doesn't mean that there aren't misunderstandings and differences of opinion along the way.
Their path is not a straight one, mind you, and they have to deal with Erin's secret and what happens to Veiron (trying really hard not to spoil anything here!).
Amelia also tries her best to keep Erin and Veiron apart although the reasons for this, apart from her thinking that Veiron isn't good enough for Erin, aren't clear. I did like Erin's response though that she should get off her power trip before she gets knocked off it!
A brilliantly written, fast-paced and full of action addition to the Her Angel series, definitely my favourite so far. I'm off to read Her Wicked Angel now though so that may change.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
September 10, 2016
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Envy (Fallen Angels, #3) in Books
Jul 7, 2019
Recommended
Contains spoilers, click to show
A man and a woman tread the lines of danger, desire, and deliverance in the new novel of the Fallen Angels from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
As the son of a serial killer, homicide detective Thomas "Veck" DelVecchio, Jr., grew up in the shadow of evil. Now, on the knife-edge between civic duty and blind retribution, he atones for the sins of his father- while fighting his inner demons. Assigned to monitor Veck is Internal Affairs officer Sophia Reilly, whose interest in him is both professional and arousingly personal. And Veck and Sophia have another link: Jim Heron, a mysterious stranger with too many answers... to questions that are deadly. When Veck and Sophia are drawn into the ultimate battle between good and evil, their fallen angel savior is the only thing that stands between them and eternal damnation.
This has to be my second best series done by J R Ward my first being Bourbon Kings. So again we see Davina and Jim go head to head! This one saw the loss of Eddie which I wasn't quite prepared for! So it's now just don't two the two angels while Davina continues to cheat!
I struggled in parts with this instalment to be completely honest I got a little bored with the side story of Veck and Riley but all in all an ok addition to the series.
As the son of a serial killer, homicide detective Thomas "Veck" DelVecchio, Jr., grew up in the shadow of evil. Now, on the knife-edge between civic duty and blind retribution, he atones for the sins of his father- while fighting his inner demons. Assigned to monitor Veck is Internal Affairs officer Sophia Reilly, whose interest in him is both professional and arousingly personal. And Veck and Sophia have another link: Jim Heron, a mysterious stranger with too many answers... to questions that are deadly. When Veck and Sophia are drawn into the ultimate battle between good and evil, their fallen angel savior is the only thing that stands between them and eternal damnation.
This has to be my second best series done by J R Ward my first being Bourbon Kings. So again we see Davina and Jim go head to head! This one saw the loss of Eddie which I wasn't quite prepared for! So it's now just don't two the two angels while Davina continues to cheat!
I struggled in parts with this instalment to be completely honest I got a little bored with the side story of Veck and Riley but all in all an ok addition to the series.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Angel Has Fallen (2019) in Movies
Aug 21, 2019
My attention span has fallen
Angel Has Fallen is a dumb, exhausting, joyless & over long experience that proves old isn't always bold. When this first started I won't lie I felt engaged, it felt like the team behind this series had finally matured/evolved past the blatant racism, painful dialog, woeful storytelling & overall silliness of the last movies. Essssh was I wrong. First thing on this downward spiral was Gerard Buttler not only is his accent always halfway between Scottish & American but theres something distracting about his face & how he constantly seems like he's chewing on something he's not enjoying most of the film (maybe the apauling script). Second they seemed to blow all the budget on these big slow motion action scenes at the start as my god do the production values take a complete nose dive half way in. Green screen & cgi go from quite cool/believable to worse than sharknado quality, its ghastly, distracting & im shocked this film got a cinema release looking how it does. I get the film is going for 90s nostalgia but honestly it fails on almost every level ending on such a cliched boss fight that is so unexciting & half arsed its plain embarrassing (I mean who wants to watch two old men fumble around on a boring roof looking more like they are about kiss than stab each other to death). One big brain dead mess & its stupidity/constant Trump praising became tiresome very quickly. Not even so good its bad its just plain lazy film making at its best & it only caters to people that need their movie plots spelt out in spaghetti shapes for them. Pure childish crap that rips parts from all the great action movies of the 90s & destroys your good memories of them. Avoid at all costs.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Angel Has Fallen (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
Not The Best In The Series But A Good Farewell
Angel Has Fallen is a 2019 action/thriller movie directed by Ric Roman Waugh with screenplay written by Waugh, Robert Mark Kamen and Matt Cook from story by Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt. Producers on the film included Gerard Butler, Alan Siegel, Matt O'Toole, John Thompson, Les Weldon, and Yariv Lerner. It was produced by Millennium Media, G-Base and distributed by Lionsgate. The film stars Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Jada Pinkett Smith, Piper Perabo, and Lance Reddick.
Undergoing training at a private military facility, Secret Service agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) finds himself hiding the fact that he's suffering from migraines, insomnia and self-medicating to deal with severe back pain. He is nominated by the President Alan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman), for the position of Secret Service Director to replace retiring Director David Gentry (Lance Reddick). An assassination attempt occurs during the President's fishing trip and his security detail is killed by armed drones, leaving only himself and Banning the sole survivors. Banning is arrested by FBI Agent Helen Thompson (Jada Pinkett Smith) after finding substantial evidence that Banning is responsible for the attack. After escaping from his captors Banning must evade his own agency and the FBI to find the real threat to the President. To save the country from imminent danger he must turn to unlikely allies and uncover the truth to clear his name.
This movie was all over the place but it was good. I think i liked it better than the last one which was London Has Fallen, but not as much as the original movie Olympus Has Fallen. It was refreshing to see Gerard Butler's character Mike Banning humanized a bit in this film. The plot was a little predictable but I enjoyed the whole man on the run while trying to still do his job angle to it. Like I said the movie was kind of all over the place and didn't have the action scenes as tight as in the other films especially in the middle of the movie but it didn't matter too much overall. Fairly entertaining, it was a good movie to end the summer action movies off with. I give it a 7/10.
Undergoing training at a private military facility, Secret Service agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) finds himself hiding the fact that he's suffering from migraines, insomnia and self-medicating to deal with severe back pain. He is nominated by the President Alan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman), for the position of Secret Service Director to replace retiring Director David Gentry (Lance Reddick). An assassination attempt occurs during the President's fishing trip and his security detail is killed by armed drones, leaving only himself and Banning the sole survivors. Banning is arrested by FBI Agent Helen Thompson (Jada Pinkett Smith) after finding substantial evidence that Banning is responsible for the attack. After escaping from his captors Banning must evade his own agency and the FBI to find the real threat to the President. To save the country from imminent danger he must turn to unlikely allies and uncover the truth to clear his name.
This movie was all over the place but it was good. I think i liked it better than the last one which was London Has Fallen, but not as much as the original movie Olympus Has Fallen. It was refreshing to see Gerard Butler's character Mike Banning humanized a bit in this film. The plot was a little predictable but I enjoyed the whole man on the run while trying to still do his job angle to it. Like I said the movie was kind of all over the place and didn't have the action scenes as tight as in the other films especially in the middle of the movie but it didn't matter too much overall. Fairly entertaining, it was a good movie to end the summer action movies off with. I give it a 7/10.
5 Minute Movie Guy (379 KP) rated Angel Has Fallen (2019) in Movies
Sep 16, 2019
After putting in plenty of years and two prior movies spent protecting the President, Secret Service member Mike Banning is up for promotion. In Angel Has Fallen, the third installment of the Fallen franchise, Banning has been personally hand-picked by President Allan Trumbull to take over as the new Secret Service Director. Trumbull tells him the good news directly during a getaway fishing trip, but then things quickly turn bad when a drone attack attempts to assassinate the President. Banning is able to successfully save himself and the President, but the attack kills all the rest of the Secret Service members on site and the aftermath leaves Trumbull in a coma. Planted DNA evidence linking Banning to an involvement in the attack leads to his arrest, and with the President unconscious, he has no other witness to clear his name. Banning’s obviously been framed and set-up and will have to escape from authorities to find out who is responsible, and to also protect the President from any further attempts on his life.
Directed by Ric Roman Waugh, Angel Has Fallen is a film that starts off pretty well, yet I feel that the whole narrative of Banning being so easily framed is pretty hard to believe, especially given that he’s been the hero of two films already. It’s the driving force of the film’s story and yet it seems highly questionable to me that the intelligence committee would be so quick to blame it all on Banning considering his reputable history. Naturally any attack on the President is taken very seriously, but the FBI is extremely quick to condemn the man that just saved his life. I think it’s the weakest part of the story, although story is not an area this film ever really excels at. I would even say that most of its attempts at being smart usually fall flat. Regardless, this is the kind of movie that would be best enjoyed if you didn’t take it too seriously. It’s in many ways a throwback to the macho action movies of yesteryear, and that’s where it makes up for its shortcomings.
As the first film I’ve seen in this series, I admittedly had low expectations for it. If not for my dad wanting to see it, I probably would have skipped it entirely, but in truth it turned out to be better than I had anticipated. It’s also been the number one movie at the box office for two weeks running, so what do I know? I must confess that ever since seeing Den of Thieves last year, I’ve instantly become a huge fan of Gerard Butler, whose filmography I’ve largely overlooked. I love his energy, his over-the-top acting and his tough guy persona. He’s a great fit here in Angel Has Fallen as Banning and is enjoyable to watch, even if at times it can be a little hard to believe that he’s somehow always the smartest guy in the room.
The rest of the cast in the movie is respectful as well. Morgan Freeman is a comfortable choice as President Trumbull, and he truly makes me long for a time when we had a sane and competent President. It’s a rather reserved role for Freeman, as he spends most of the runtime in a coma. Still, he’s a graceful and welcome presence who has at least a couple moments to shine. Jada Pinkett Smith has the unfortunate role of playing the FBI agent who orders Banning’s arrest, and I wish she had a bit more to work with. Nick Nolte plays Banning’s estranged father Clay, a paranoid war veteran living off the grid, and he’s one of the highlights of the film. I enjoyed his character’s relationship with Banning, and he and Butler play off each other well. Danny Huston also gives a worthwhile performance as Banning’s former military companion Wade Jennings.
Despite having the appearance of a run-of-the-mill, rescue-the-President type of action movie, the action is actually for the most part quite admirable. Right from the get-go, it makes an impressive statement with its tense and exciting introductory scene which feels reminiscent of tactical military-style video games. The movie is heavy on explosions, shootouts, and hand-to-hand combat, and its action is generally fun. There’s also an impressive final stand-off that’s surprisingly well-planned and executed. It’s in moments like this where the movie demonstrates its intelligence and expertise. If not for these strong action sequences, I feel the movie as a whole would have suffered tremendously, but it rightfully delivers on what we came to see. Of course, not all of the action is stellar, and there’s a clunker of a car chase thrown into the mix, but overall I was entertained.
One area where the movie could have used some more improvement was with the special effects. They’re sufficient in the sense that they still clearly convey what the movie is trying to show, but a lot of it looks noticeably fake. It’s unfortunate, but I also don’t believe it was ever a major distraction. Another issue with the film is that its run-time feels a little long and there are some subplots that I really couldn’t care less about. It’s your standard government scheming and political conspiracy stuff, complete with all of the twists you would expect, but it isn’t particularly interesting, even if it does explain the purpose of the initial attack on the President.
Overall, I had a better time with Angel Has Fallen than I would have imagined. It’s far from great, but it’s good enough that I’ll probably now check out the two previous Fallen films at some point. The story might leave a lot to be desired, but the action sequences help fill the void. I would recommend it for fans of action movies, or anyone who likes Gerard Butler. It’s not something anyone needs to rush to the theater to see, but if you’re looking for a little action to end your summer with, it should do the trick.
Directed by Ric Roman Waugh, Angel Has Fallen is a film that starts off pretty well, yet I feel that the whole narrative of Banning being so easily framed is pretty hard to believe, especially given that he’s been the hero of two films already. It’s the driving force of the film’s story and yet it seems highly questionable to me that the intelligence committee would be so quick to blame it all on Banning considering his reputable history. Naturally any attack on the President is taken very seriously, but the FBI is extremely quick to condemn the man that just saved his life. I think it’s the weakest part of the story, although story is not an area this film ever really excels at. I would even say that most of its attempts at being smart usually fall flat. Regardless, this is the kind of movie that would be best enjoyed if you didn’t take it too seriously. It’s in many ways a throwback to the macho action movies of yesteryear, and that’s where it makes up for its shortcomings.
As the first film I’ve seen in this series, I admittedly had low expectations for it. If not for my dad wanting to see it, I probably would have skipped it entirely, but in truth it turned out to be better than I had anticipated. It’s also been the number one movie at the box office for two weeks running, so what do I know? I must confess that ever since seeing Den of Thieves last year, I’ve instantly become a huge fan of Gerard Butler, whose filmography I’ve largely overlooked. I love his energy, his over-the-top acting and his tough guy persona. He’s a great fit here in Angel Has Fallen as Banning and is enjoyable to watch, even if at times it can be a little hard to believe that he’s somehow always the smartest guy in the room.
The rest of the cast in the movie is respectful as well. Morgan Freeman is a comfortable choice as President Trumbull, and he truly makes me long for a time when we had a sane and competent President. It’s a rather reserved role for Freeman, as he spends most of the runtime in a coma. Still, he’s a graceful and welcome presence who has at least a couple moments to shine. Jada Pinkett Smith has the unfortunate role of playing the FBI agent who orders Banning’s arrest, and I wish she had a bit more to work with. Nick Nolte plays Banning’s estranged father Clay, a paranoid war veteran living off the grid, and he’s one of the highlights of the film. I enjoyed his character’s relationship with Banning, and he and Butler play off each other well. Danny Huston also gives a worthwhile performance as Banning’s former military companion Wade Jennings.
Despite having the appearance of a run-of-the-mill, rescue-the-President type of action movie, the action is actually for the most part quite admirable. Right from the get-go, it makes an impressive statement with its tense and exciting introductory scene which feels reminiscent of tactical military-style video games. The movie is heavy on explosions, shootouts, and hand-to-hand combat, and its action is generally fun. There’s also an impressive final stand-off that’s surprisingly well-planned and executed. It’s in moments like this where the movie demonstrates its intelligence and expertise. If not for these strong action sequences, I feel the movie as a whole would have suffered tremendously, but it rightfully delivers on what we came to see. Of course, not all of the action is stellar, and there’s a clunker of a car chase thrown into the mix, but overall I was entertained.
One area where the movie could have used some more improvement was with the special effects. They’re sufficient in the sense that they still clearly convey what the movie is trying to show, but a lot of it looks noticeably fake. It’s unfortunate, but I also don’t believe it was ever a major distraction. Another issue with the film is that its run-time feels a little long and there are some subplots that I really couldn’t care less about. It’s your standard government scheming and political conspiracy stuff, complete with all of the twists you would expect, but it isn’t particularly interesting, even if it does explain the purpose of the initial attack on the President.
Overall, I had a better time with Angel Has Fallen than I would have imagined. It’s far from great, but it’s good enough that I’ll probably now check out the two previous Fallen films at some point. The story might leave a lot to be desired, but the action sequences help fill the void. I would recommend it for fans of action movies, or anyone who likes Gerard Butler. It’s not something anyone needs to rush to the theater to see, but if you’re looking for a little action to end your summer with, it should do the trick.