Gerard Butler is back as Mike Banning in this sequel to 2013’s Olympus Has Fallen. But is it a worthy sequel?
A surprise hit in 2013, Olympus Has Fallen directed by Antoine Fuqua was on the edge-of-your-seat thrilling kind of a film. Now the sequel is steered by Babak Najafi, who along with the writers don’t seem to quite know what to do with the characters or the plot.
President Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart) is called to attend the funeral of the British Prime Minister, along with other world leaders and taking place in London. But what follows is a horrific attack on the city, forcing Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) and the President to go on the run and stop the terrorists before even more damage is done – or the President is captured.
Watching it, it is no wonder that relatives of those who died in the 7/7 bombings found it extremely insensitive when the trailer was released in the build up to the 10th anniversary of the horrific attack. There is so much violence and very little dialogue to explain the necessity of it all, in comparison to Olympus Has Fallen, which explained everything thoroughly.
Another problem with this so-so sequel, is that the CGI is extremely obvious and doesn’t convince anyone that the buildings are being destroyed, which is disappointing as it doesn’t add to the sense of realism.
The story itself is also difficult to appreciate at its most basic the villain of the piece Aamir Barkawi is just set out for revenge for the deaths in his family, caused when America attacked his compound, which is reasonable enough but still felt as though it needed more depth.
However, it is great to see Aaron Eckhart being more involved with proceedings, although not the strongest president seen on the big screen, the way in which he works with Butler suggests an unbreakable bond. Morgan Freeman is once again a reassuring presence as the Vice-President, but seems a touch underused in comparison to Olympus Has Fallen. Gerard Butler is once again sharp and ready for action, a strong presence.
To sum up, some fans will be disappointed as it seems too many writers involved means that the plot is a little bit sketchy and the dialogue is a bit too vague. However, others will love it for it is: an explosive action-packed adventure.
London Has Fallen is available to buy through Amazon now.