The title of “Angel Has Fallen” should be “Dude, You Need to Retire.”
I mean this 100% seriously. Gerard Butler is hardly the only aging action hero we’ve seen across the big screen, but “Angel Has Fallen” is the first movie that suggests its hero is only human.
Unlike Bruce Willis or Sylvester Stallone’s characters, who perform feats of impossible heroism in their 60s as easily as they did in their 30s, Butler’s hero is finally breakable.
He’s tired, he’s got a host of medical problems scaring any number of doctors, and he admits that it’s his own fears that keep him lying about how he’s fine and can still hang with the kids.
“Angel Has Fallen” is the third in a series, and was preceded by 2013’s “Olympus Has Fallen” and 2016’s “London Has Fallen.” © Lionsgate
It’s a surprising take on the genre, especially given the predictability of the rest of the movie. “Angel Has Fallen” is actually the third in the series, following 2013’s “Olympus Has Fallen” and 2016’s “London Has Fallen.” In “Angel,” Butler’s Secret Service hero Mike Banning has both a close friendship with the president (played by Morgan Freeman) and the aforementioned health problems. These become an even bigger problem when he gets framed for an assassination attempt on the president, by a bad guy you will figure out in the first five minutes. There is, of course, another bad guy who is secretly funding the whole operation, and it’s possible it may take you a full 10 minutes to figure who that one is.
The rest of the plot follows every single other “secretly framed for an attack/crime” action movie you’ve ever seen, which is what makes the movie’s psychological elements so surprising. The first two movies in the series didn’t have time for things like PTSD and its effects on a person’s family, or even the natural fears that come with aging or illness. “Angel,” however, leans hard into all of it, taking some solid time to examine Banning’s mindset in between all the explosions. It’s a fascinating addition to the usual formula, and though the discussion is somewhat simplistic it’s definitely worth hearing.
The movie also offers other surprises in the form of Nick Nolte. His position in the movie — as Banning’s long-absent father — isn’t terribly original, but his portrayal as a traumatized Vietnam vet was both honest and welcome. It’s rare that such characters aren’t either demonized or lionized, but “Angel Has Fallen” does neither.
What it does do, however, is finally bring some humor into the series. Butler and Nolte’s interactions are flat-out hilarious at times, enough that a part of me wants to see an entire sitcom of their characters as unlikely roommates. As an action fan I’ve seen a lot of explosions, but I’ve never laughed so hard while they were happening.
If incredibly predictable action movies give you hives, you need to stay away from “Angel Has Fallen.” But if you’re comfortable digging for gems among the piles of familiar tropes, then the movie may have a few treasures for you.
News
Reacher Season 3 Gives Us First Look At The Dutch Giant, Olivier Richters, On Set And He’s Already Messing With Alan Ritchson
Clash of the (literal) titans! (Image credit: Marvel Studios) Paulie is a character that Reacher fans have been curious about ever since it was confirmed that Reacher Season 3 – the hit show available with an Amazon Prime Video subscription – would be adapting the…
Gerard Butler’s Den of Thieves Sequel Finally Sets Theatrical Release Date
Den of Thieves 2: Pantera has finally gotten its theatrical release date. A date has finally been put on the board for Gerard Butler’s upcoming action sequel Den of Thieves 2: Pantera. A sequel to 2018’s Den of Thieves, the new film has been…
Gerard Butler is in Talks To Star in The Action-Thriller Comedy EMPIRE STATE
Gerard Butler is in talks to star in an upcoming comedic action-thriller titled Empire State, which is about the Empire State Building being attacked. Butler will re-team with Den Of Thieves director Christian Gudegast on the project, which will involve two first responders who don’t…
Gerard Butler’s ‘Den of Thieves 2’ Finally Sets a Release Date After 6 Years
Butler will star opposite O’Shea Jackson Jr. for the sequel to the hit heist film. Image via STXfilms THE BIG PICTURE Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is set to release on January 10, 2025 with the original cast returning for another heist…
Kriti Sanon Reveals Her Fangirl Moment With Gerard Butler, Calls Him Humble: ‘I Was Like Oh My God’
The Crew actress mentioned that the incident took place when she was shooting for her Telugu film with Mahesh Babu in London. Kriti Sanon is gearing up for her next release Do Patti with Kajol. Well, recently the teaser was…
The Top 10 Films Featuring Gerard Butler, According to Critical Acclaim
Known for his commanding screen presence, Gerard Butler has secured his place among the luminaries of the film industry. From his early beginnings with a background in law to becoming a standout performer in film and television, the 54-year-old Scottish veteran has…
End of content
No more pages to load