Director: Antoine Fuqua
Cast: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Rick Yune, Angela Bassett
Rating: 8/10
Everyone will have mixed opinions of this film. But you can expect a good deal of bias from me because I thoroughly enjoyed it! >___<
After a LONG time, I decided to watch this based on a recommendation by my brother’s friend. So, with time on my hands, sat down and watched it. BLOWN away! I repeat, BLOWN away! My flatmate later told me that much of the background imagery we see was digitally added later. Meaning that those acting in the film had to do most of their ‘acting’ in front of a green screen with um, no helicopters crashing down around them. Ahem. I’ve seen those behind the scenes shows where actors/actresses have to look at a tennis ball to denote where a certain digitally imposed image will be later. I cannot even begin to imagine just how anyone gets their lines out while remembering to behave as if something really is there. I guess that’s called ‘acting’.
Ok, enough of my blabbering. Why is this film deserving of this score? Well, it’s a great entertainer of an action movie! I was in awe of the precision with which the terrorists take over the White House. For a change, it was refreshing to see non-Islamic, non-Arabic, non-Russians and non-East Europeans playing the ‘bad’ guys. I am NOT saying that it is alright to portray Koreans in such a manner but having been exposed to the Korean Wave: Korean dramas, serials, music videos, manhwas etc. it was refreshing to see a darker, sadistic and grittier side being represented and Rick Yune does it oh so well, oh so well! *sigh* My friend and I both agree that we love this portrayal of a villainous Korean over the one he did for Die Another Day (you remember him, the sparkly diamond-encrusted guy and the one-liner banter between him and Pierce Brosnan’s 007).
The action sequences whether it was the explosions, attacks, fight sequences, shooting etc. were so slick and well-executed. I particularly enjoyed seeing some kick-ass women snipers and fighters. Of course, any time a film tries to take you inside one of the most famous buildings in the world, you forget that reality has been suspended for a while when it comes to all these incredible designs and inventions which have been built into it i.e. the White House. Therefore, at one point, I had to stop and wonder whether there really were mounted automatic weapons on the roof of the White House? And the impenetrable nuclear-proof bunker? Hmmm, I wonder whether they’ll take their cue from this movie and start incorporating them? Double hmmm.
I do appreciate that this movie didn’t try to get too deeply involved behind the back story of the bad guy and his reasons and motivations etc. etc. I did feel that the motivations for Dylan McDermott’s character were a tad weak but I agreed with the way they dealt with it in the end. Hats off to the way they decided to show the Secretary of Defense, played by Melissa Leo. being treated. It just riles you up and yet you can feel yourself thinking ‘man, she has balls!’ I could denote a sense of sadistic ‘admiration’ from Rick Yune’s character, Kang Yeonsak, towards her but only a bit. I’m not a big Gerard Butler fan but after seeing him in 300 and seeing some of the films he did after that, I’m so glad that he’s back in this movie and kicking butt along the same cool lines as he did in 300. Angela Bassett! And she gets to play the Secret Service boss, very nice touch.
The camera work is neat, clean and tidy (sounds weird to say so for an explosion-laden action flick). This is extremely important for any good action film – it has to be neat, clean and tidy in order that we can follow what’s happening. I have sat through some messy action films which just confused me and made my head spin. So, well done to the cinematographer.
This is just a really well-executed action film and makes you go ‘whoa…’ a couple of times while watching it and that’s something I’ve really missed. So do give it a shot and watch it. Back to hunting for something to review again! ^_____^
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