Independence Day director Roland Emmerich offers his take on the ‘Die Hard in the Oval Office’ concept with White House Down arriving this summer. However, director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Brooklyn’s Finest) will beat him to the punch with Olympus Has Fallen, which makes its way to theaters much sooner.
The Olympus Has Fallen trailer boasts plenty of cinematic fireworks and imagery of the White House being laid to ruin. Not surprisingly, it also takes time to showcase a respectable cast that includes Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Ashley Judd, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett (Green Lantern), Rick Yune (The Man with the Iron Fists) and Radha Mitchell (Silent Hill: Revelation 3D).
Here is the synopsis for Olympus Has Fallen, based on (relative) newcomers Katrin Benedikt and Creighton Rothenberger’s script:
When the White House (Secret Service Code: “Olympus”) is captured by a terrorist mastermind and the President is kidnapped, disgraced former Presidential guard Mike Banning finds himself trapped within the building. As our national security team scrambles to respond, they are forced to rely on Banning’s inside knowledge to help retake the White House, save the President, and avert an even bigger disaster.
Olympus doesn’t beg obvious comparisons to the Obama administration through its casting – unlike WHD, which features Jamie Foxx as the U.S. Commander-in-Chief – but there’s clearly something about the related setup that studio heads feel will resonate with general audiences, given the current political climate here in the States. That accounts for Olympus Has Fallen releasing but a few months before WHD, even with undeniable similarities in terms of material and approach.
Then again, Hollywood has a track record of releasing different spins on the same idea within months of one another (see: A Haunted House and Scary Movie 5 this year), so maybe this is just studios playing chicken with one another. Moving on…
CLICK FOR LARGER VERSION
Truth be told, Olympus has Fallen almost looks and feels like an Emmerich picture, between the large ensemble of name actors, melodramatic content and bombastic action that piles on explosions and CGI spectacle. However, Emmerich has found success calling back to the cornball antics of old-school Hollywood disaster flicks – updated with digital-era effects – whereas Fuqua is less experienced in that area.
That’s to say: the Olympus trailer suggests Fuqua is attempting to beat Emmerich at his own game and, frankly, that doesn’t seem like a great idea (even given the head-start). It might play out differently, though, we’ll have to wait and see…
Olympus Has Fallen opens in theaters on March 22nd, 2013.
-
Source: iTunes Movie Trailers
Ryan Reynolds Drops Out of 'Highlander' Reboot 
No Loki in 'Avengers 2' 
'Man of Steel' Director & Writer on What Has to Happen in 'Man of Steel 2' 
'Man of Steel' Ending Controversy 
We shall see; Gerard Butler sounded a lot like Liam Neeson at the start of the trailer, and the CGI looked kinda bad.
This is a Seagal-type movie. So good.
Its casey ryback
I wonder how the Greeks feel about nicking their mountains moniker?
Passzzzz
This idea was first presented in the TV show 24. Jack Bauer has already done this !
Difference being that Kiefer is a much better actor and more believable badass than Gerard, it was more realistic (if that’s possible) plus it had Sprague Grayden if you wanted something nice to look at during proceedings.
THIS!
IS!
CNN
Seems like a throwback to the 90′s siege movies (Air Force One, Under Siege, ID to some extent), supported by big names too. Well, I’m sold. It has been a while for this kind of movies.
I am with you. I loved the 90s siege movies… not counting Under Siege 2. This looks like an good old action movie. I bet I will ask for a refund after the movie though. Not because it was bad, but because I had to pay for the entire seat but I only used the edge.
How sad…
Another lame Hollywood story about the destruction of the Symbol of the Power of America…(along with yet ANOTHER black President). For a little variety, why don’t they just mix it up a little and show Sa’d Abad Palace being destroyed, with say…a Jewish President?
I’m sure terrorists everywhere will just eat this up…yum.
The President is White, and what does color matter?
Since this is another film used Korean characters, I’m waiting K-POP or Psy Gangman cover dancing in White House. Bring Psy and K-POP artist like Super Junior, SNSD, Big Bang cover dancers. That’s the real show here.
you dont know what youre talking about gary
Die Hard in the White House. Read the Vince Flynn novel, Transfer of Power. His main character, Mitch Rapp, has to rescue the president from a safe room after terrorists take over the White House. Sound familiar? Copyright, 1999.
OMG president Harvey Dent!
this has nothing to do with greek mythology
As for someone who has flown an AC-130. US Coastguard uses them to transport personnel to a disabled ship to render aid quicker and to stabilize a ship in case it is sinking, they would parachute onto the ship.
An AC-130 Gunship, only has weapons on port side.
There is a Prototype with weapons on both port and starboard, but ITS A PROTOTYPE!
Highly unlikely it would be stolen.
AC-130 are Air Force Special Forces highly modified versions of the base C-130 used by the Coast Guard & other service branches. They are highly armed & armoured but I seriously doubt they could do major damage to the large White House before being engaged by defenses.
1.) The US Coast Guard does not use AC-130s.
2.) There is no prototype AC-130 with guns on both sides.
After 9/11. When they moved Bush. AFO One is the air. Air Force Fighters in the air
And US Coastguards Jayhawks and Army Blackhawks flying close to the deck.
Which one of us had to be the one to bite the bullet if someone launched SAW or RPG At Airforce 1?
The now-patented “twisty-leg judo takedown”.. who will use it next, the CGI gekko in the Geico commercials?
Still, it’s nice that the amazing Robert Forster got a week’s pay out of this.
The Idea that the White House is attacked my terrorists and destroyed, and the President is
saved by a Secret Service Agent is not new to readers of my e-book thriller, ‘The Other President’.
Watched this movie last nite!!! it is a MUST SEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GREAT MOVIE, great actors. has u on th edge of ur seat the whole time!
Wow, this movie poster looks really epic. So does the trailer. I should watch it!
This is a very entertaining movie. I expect these to have flaws because the events never happened reviewer. Also if you watched the movie theres a part where Mike is reminded he isnt a disgrace, the president didnt want to see the guy who saved him instead of his wife for the rest of his life. Terrible review.
Also, was the president democrat or republican?