LONDON HAS FALLEN – The Review

All right action fans, you won’t have to wait for Spring and Summer for a noisy, big body-count, big-screen bonanza. That’s because “Mr. Movie Mayhem” is back, yup Gerard Butler. Wait a minute, back? He was here just last week, starring in the CGI-heavy, fight-fest GODS OF EGYPT! Well, in that one, he’s not truly the star, but a (gasp!) villain! His Set is almost an inverse of his big break-out role in 300 (ten years old now?) and GODS is a kind of a mash-up of the Spartan epic with the (unnecessary) remake of CLASH OF THE TITANS. But it’s not really a sequel and it’s a near-bloodless PG-13. Not the case here. Just three years ago Butler scored again with the bloody and bombastic (almost a non-puppet companion to TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN. This is not to be confused with that other DC under siege thriller WHITE HOUSE DOWN that arrived in the multiplexes just a few months later (kinda’ like those dueling Snow White flicks the previous year). Though similar in subject and setting, DOWN had a self-aware sense of its own absurdity (thanks perhaps to the casting of Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum as president and protector) that may have turned off many action film fans. And so Butler beats them to the punch once more for a follow-up (maybe the cost of DOWN’s higher profile cast is a big reason), that finds him and the Prez across the pond to discover that now LONDON HAS FALLEN.

The film doesn’t begin in that jolly old burg, but rather in Pakistan two years ago. Infamous arms dealer Aamir Barkawi (Alon Aboutboul) is taking a break from his HQ in Yeman where he sells weapons to terrorists across the globe to attend a wedding. He’s enjoying himself until an unexpected wedding present arrives via US strike drone. KA-BLOOEY! Guess that’s the end of him eh? Riiight. Jump cut to the present day as secret service agent Mike Banning (Butler) shadows his boss (and bud) President Ben Asher (Aaron Eckhart) on his morning jog. Later, at the home he shares with wife Leah (Radha Mitchell), Mike prepares his resignation letter (there’s a baby on the way). But before he sends off the email, Mike decides to tell Ben in person the next day. But before they can have a “man-to-man”, news arrives from Britain that the Prime Minister has passed. Ben’s must attend the state funeral, so he’s got to have Mike at his side along with Service director Jacobs (Angela Bassett). Not long after touching down in England, planned attacks take out nearly all the world leaders (yes, London Bridge is indeed falling down). Just outside the memorial cathedral, Ben’s and his protection team are under attack. After several near-escapes, he and Mike are on their own, navigating through deserted streets and evading deadly assassins. Back in the states, ex-Speaker of the House, now VP Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) meets with his staff in the crisis room where they watch a transmission from Barkawi’s family claiming responsibility for the London attacks and vowing to find the Prez and execute him on live TV. Can Mike and Ben fend off their foes and survive till help finally arrives?

Once again Butler easily slips into action hero mold (as opposed to “rom-com” lead), his perpetually squinting eyes constantly darting about in search of threats. At times he fights a losing battle to keep his Scottish brogue muzzled, which often makes the “killing quips” tough to grasp, although he has no trouble dropping the stream of obligatory “f-bombs” (perhaps to guarantee that “R” rating). His Banning is close to a human “punch ball” , bouncing back onto his feet no matter what befalls him. When he opens his eyes after his car flips, we almost expect to see an animated “birdie” imploring him, “Get up and git’ em’, Mike!”. His brief bits of levity with the Prez and his spouse seem forced and stilted (he appears to have more rapport with Ben than Leah). Eckhart doesn’t have as much to do this time out (he refers to his son, but there’s no real reunion). He endures abuse with barely a flinch, and gets to join in the battle, but for much of the time, he’s the human football that Mike must prevent the other team from intercepting. Freeman spends much of the film staring at monitors in between getting updates from other vets of the first flick Melissa Leo (healed from the brutal beatings three years ago) and Robert Forster (still a dapper general). Jackie Earle Haley joins them at the table, but has little to add when he’s not averting his eyes from the carnage. After some baby banter, Mitchell is regulated to screaming into useless phones and gazing with great worry at the TV news feeds. Bassett is also underused as Mike’s boss. She’s voices big concern over the hasty funeral trip, then never gets much of a chance to test her own survival skills (she could be a great action hero all on her own). Aboutboul threatens and scowls, but he and his crew come off as third-rate Bond baddies.

The carnage isn’t quite as brutal as in the first flick (so many pulpy head shots it almost became “target practice at the tomato farm”), but the producers foot the bill for lots of CGI “disaster porn”, as many London landmarks bite the dust, much as in the recent SAN ANDREAS. Director Babak Najafi takes the reins from Antoine Fuqua this time out, and keeps the film moving, although several of the later scenes are confusing. Much of the third act is either set in dingy tunnels or deserted streets (perhaps to disguise Bulgaria doubling for Britain), and it’s difficult to make things out in the smoke, dust, and dirt. Once again, there are moments of gleeful sadism and jingoistic fervor (Mike must deliver a patriotic lecture while pummeling another darn’ swarthy “furriner”). The final blow to the baddies is a tad unsatisfying, but rabid action flick junkies will have more than their fill of blood, bone crunching, and noise. But for discerning thriller fans, let’s hope that President Asher’s term ends soon and we’re spared a potential travelogue/franchise. Watching Butler’s Banning trash two world capitals is plenty. LONDON HAS FALLEN should be more than enough cause to revoke his passport.

2 Out of 5