White House Down

Starring: Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx, Joey King, James Woods, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Richard Jenkins, Jason Clarke, Nicolas Wright, Lance Reddick, Matt Craven
Directed: Roland Emmerich
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
2013

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: While on a tour of the White House with his daughter (Joey King), a bodyguard (Channing Tatum) is forced into action when he helps the President (Jamie Foxx) escape from terrorists.

Review: In 2013, there were two competing "White House under attack" movies. Based on critical acclaim and box office, most people would agree that Olympus Has Fallen won. Here's the problem- while that movie was good, I actually think White House Down was better. I had an incredibly fun time at this movie- it's one of the most fun movies I've seen in 2013. Yes, the movie has its flaws, but it was pure popcorn enjoyment. I can't say the same thing for Olympus Has Fallen. I know most people will disagree with me, but I really, really enjoyed this movie.

For any film like this, you are going to have to suspend your disbelief. Most of what happens in this film could never, ever happen in real life. I get that, but it's still fun to watch. If you're going to key in on all the ridiculous moments and all the things that are implausible, you won't like this movie much. For me, those things were obvious but forgivable.

One of my favorite things about this movie is how the script makes you like and identify with Channing Tatum's character. Very early on, we see he's an imperfect character- a father trying to do his best, but he keeps coming up short. He wants to be a Secret Service agent, but he's turned down for the opportunity- he's not Secret Service material. He's a guy who is counted out and overlooked, and immediately we connect with this underdog. That makes everything else that happens in the film more important, because we're invested in the character. That was one of my favorite aspects of the film- as much as it's a White House shoot'em'up, it's really the story of man trying to overcome the expectations placed upon him. I loved that underneath the craziness, there was more to this story than meets the eye.

I've been pretty vocal about the fact that I dislike Channing Tatum and don't really get the appeal. That being said, it's hard to criticize him here. He's so charismatic, so funny, and just so damn likeable. It's really a pretty remarkable performance, and it's a shame that almost everyone overlooked it. I had great fun watching him on screen. Jamie Foxx actually makes a good President. Many times I think he's a pretentious actor, but he was likeable and fun in this role. It was great fun seeing Foxx and Tatum interacting on screen. They made a really good pairing. I loved seeing James Woods here- he needs to be in more movies. Maggie Gyllenhaal was fine, but a little underused. Richard Jenkins is always a welcome face, as is Lance Reddick. I thought Joey King was quite good in the film as Tatum's daughter. All in all, the cast in this movie is quite remarkable.

I love the tone of this movie. It's no secret that I am huge fan of Roland Emmerich. You can criticize him all you want, but I normally like the guy's movies quite a bit. While this doesn't reach the heights of an Independence Day or The Day After Tomorrow, this is still a really good movie. I love that this film was all about fun. The script was lighthearted and entertaining. It never took itself too seriously. There were some really, really funny moments. I laughed continually throughout this movie (I think I cried a little at "Tour's over!"). The script was just so full of funny moments. Now, while the film benefits from the humorous attitude of the script, it's also hurt by it, too. There are some moments that are just so stupid, it's hard to take them seriously. The ending of the film is so cheesy, and while patriotic, it's so outlandish and ridiculous that it nearly ruined the movie for me. The script needed to be tightened up in certain places. It's fine to take a "who cares!" approach, but there are limits to everything, and this movie needed to show restraint in a few places.

While this movie has some flaws, I really, really loved watching it. It's not a great movie, but it was just so much fun. Roland Emmerich is all about entertainment and I was entertained here. Many people will disagree, but I thoroughly enjoyed this wild ride.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Olympus Has Fallen