Major Theatrical Releases May 2019

Olympus Has Fallen

Starring Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett

Directed by Antoine Fuqua

Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) was a former Secret Service agent who was the President's (Aaron Eckhart) right hand man, until a tragic night changed everything forever.  Now Banning is resigned to a desk job in the Treasury Department, and is stuck pushing papers, but he longs to once again help protect the President.

He gets that chance when the White House is overtaken by terrorists, and the President is kept hostage.  He's the only person in the White House, and communicates with the acting President, House Speaker Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) through a secure line.  As the terrorist demands rise, tensions escalate, and one man has to go up against an army of terrorists to save not only the President, but his old friend.

I'm surprised the film was released this early, it's clearly one of those summer blockbuster action films that everyone goes to see.  I hope people go see this film, because it delivers an action-packed, edge-of-your-seat adventure that hits very close to home.  Seeing an icon of American independence fall (in a stunningly epic fifteen minute action sequence) is completely unnerving, and, unlike other blockbuster films by directors like Michael Bay, there's actually a story instead of just random things blowing up. 

Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart and Morgan Freeman were amazing, and the supporting cast was just as strong, especially Angela Bassett, Melissa Leo, Dylan McDermott and Rick Yune, who deliciously portrays the head terrorist with an almost insatiably evil glee. 

Sure, there's nothing really new added to the action motif (there's even the general who thinks he knows what's best and ends up screwing everything up, just like in most action films), but this one is a must see for any action fan.

Rating: A