White House Down

Rating : 7/10
Release Date : 19th July, 2013
Time : 131 minutes
Director : Roland Emmerich; Writer : James Vanderbilt; Music : Harald Kloser, Thomas Wanker
Starring : Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx, Maggie Gyllenhal, James Woods, Richard Jenkins, Joey King, Jason Clarke, Nicolas Wright

If the story is a tad ridiculous, and more than a bit fanciful, what you look for are leads who light up the screen and some slick action sequences & cool repartee to gloss over all the script failings. White House Down achieves all that, giving you an enjoyable ride despite a plot that’s as unbelievable as they come.

Jamie Foxx, another in the long line of Hollywood President’s of Afro-American descent ever since Obama took over, is a President trying to make a difference. Trying to unite the world by moving out of the Gulf, but in the process obviously making a few enemies. Not the least of whom are the defense companies and hawks in his government who stand to lose their raison d’ etre if this move goes through.

Channing Tatum is a war veteran and now just trying to make a living. Currently handles security for the Speaker, Richard Jenkins. And trying to win back the approval of his daughter, Joey King, who is White House / President junkie and a typical, surly teenager.

They are on a White House tour when the bad guys, led by Jason Clarke, strike. And soon, with the good guys scattered and leaderless, Channing, refused just a couple of hours ago the opportunity to join the Secret Service, is possibly the only one who can protect the President. But also has to rescue his daughter, Joey King, who is being held hostage.

Maggie Gyllenhal is good and James Woods convincing (and a tough son-of-a-bitch) as always, both important Secret Service personnel. The US Vice President one of the wimpiest in recent memory. Channing and Jamie are excellent together, both playing off each other, coming up with cool one-liners. There are multiple instances when our heroes / the daughter should've been dead. Times when the family gets together but shouldn't have. Plenty of rah-rah, Go-USA moments. Plenty of rousing music to remind you to feel patriotic, uplifted at key points.

If bombs, bullets, bad boys and bro-mantic good guys aren’t your thing, please stay away. But if it’s an entertaining action flick, with liberal doses of humour you’re after, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by this one. A notch above the similarly themed ‘Olympus Has Fallen’, thanks to its charismatic leads and snappier dialogues…