Let’s just get this out of the way up front. I love the “... Has Fallen” movies that feature Gerard Butler as Secret Service agent Mike Banning.
They are a throwback to action movies of the 1990s — a decade that, in my mind, was the best era in motion pictures.
When I saw “Olympus Has Fallen” in 2013, I thought it was terrific.
Sure, it owes a lot to “Die Hard” (which served as the model for basically every action movie in the 90s). For all intents and purposes, “Olympus” was a basically a theatrical adaptation of Vince Flynn’s novel “Transfer of Power” ( ...it’s not really an adaptation, but feels very similar).
I also enjoyed the 2016 follow-up “London Has Fallen” (not quite as good as the first, but still fun).
The plot of each movie is basically this: Something nefarious happens to the President of the United States, and Mike Banning must save the world.
“Angel Has Fallen” is the latest entry in the series.
The movie starts off with Banning spending time with former Army Ranger buddy Wade Jennings (Danny Huston).
(Don’t you just love movies where the lead characters have "former Army buddies"...?)
Jennings is the CEO of a group of “private security contractors” operating under the moniker Salient Global. The early moments of the film find Banning training at Salient’s Virginia facility.
As Banning and Jennings become reacquainted, we learn Salient is struggling to make a buck because of a federal government decision to curb the use of contractors in global hotspots.
Banning is in line to be the head of the Secret Service. As such, Jennings hopes Banning can put in a good word for his firm with President Trumbull (Morgan Freeman).
The story then shifts to the president on a fishing trip, with Banning and the rest of his Secret Service detail In tow. Trumbull has a “heart to heart” talk with Banning about his future.
(I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the cool V-22 Ospreys featured at the beginning of this sequence — a plane I was first introduced to in Dale Brown’s 1990 thriller “Hammerheads”).
Anyhow, the fishing trip is cut short when a “flock” of bat-like drones attack President Trumbull, Banning, and the rest of the agents.
Banning isn’t harmed in the attack, and manages to save Trumbull’s life. But both men are severely injured in the attack and transported to the hospital (the president is in a coma).
A crew of FBI investigators led by Agent Helen Thompson (Jada Pinkett Smith) arrives on the scene. The evidence they find leads them to believe Agent Banning is responsible for the drone strike.
Yep, our hero is getting framed.
While Banning is being moved from the hospital to a detention facility, the vehicle carrying him is ambushed.
He escapes, and what ensues from there is a manhunt movie borrowing liberally from thrillers like 1993’s “The Fugitive” and 2007’s “Shooter” as Banning tries to clear his name, track down those responsible, and return to his wife and daughter.
Is it predictable? Yes.
Is it ridiculous? Yes.
Did I have a great time watching it? Yes!
“Angel Has Fallen” is a far superior sequel than 2016’s “London Has Fallen.” Not only does the film feature a more fully realized story, the characters are far more interesting.
For example, the FBI agent Jada Pinkett Smith plays seems like she’s channeling her “inner Sam Gerard” (as played by Tommy Lee Jones in 1993’s “The Fugitive”).
I half expected her to bark, “What I want out of each and every one of you is a hard target search of every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse in that area.”
We are also treated to Nick Nolte playing Mike Banning’s estranged father Clay. Clay Banning is an unhinged Vietnam veteran who lives off the grid and has a healthy disdain for the government.
This character archetype was popular in 80s and 90s action movies. In this clip, we see what sort of “security measures” the grizzled tunnel rat has on his remote West Virginia property:
Nolte is surprisingly good in the role. He isn’t given a lot to work with, but he is one of the more compelling characters in the narrative, giving the testosterone-laden narrative some welcome moments of comic relief.
I must say, I admire the fact that Butler is willing to be a true “action movie star” in an era where we don’t see a lot of pure “action movies” at the box office.
The Mike Banning character is better developed in “Angel Has Fallen.” We learn early on the character has been suffering from headaches and insomnia. We also gain insights into his family, his past, and future aspirations.
Like many fans, I love the way Banning is able to knock heads and deliver deadpan one liners. He reminds me of no-nonsense literary heroes like Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp and Brad Thor’s Scot Harvath.
I’m glad Gerard Butler is willing to singlehandedly keep macho action movies alive.
“Angel Has Fallen” is a fun time at the movies. If you are someone like me — who pines for the ball-busting action movies of yesteryear — you don’t have to look further than the latest entry in the Mike Banning series.
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