Angel Has Fallen Movie Review: Gerard Butler Goes Through the Motions in This Predictable Action Fare

Angel Has Fallen Movie Review: Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) has a real bad mojo. For the third the time in his job, the President has come under a terrorist attack. While in the previous films - Olympus Has Fallen and London Has Fallen - it was the poor Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart) who was the target. In Angel Has Fallen, Asher finally decided, off-screen, that enough is enough and packed his bags. Now it is the turn of the former VP Allan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) who is now the President, to face the wrath of the villains. Banning may be a great bodyguard but he is a more effective magnet for Presidential misfortune! Angel Has Fallen Star Gerard Butler Accidentally Flashed 400 Guests at His Sister’s Wedding.

Anyway, this time, the attack leaves not only the President comatose, but also kills most of his security detail. Save for Banning, that is. And before he can thank his good luck, Banning is accused of orchestrating the attack on the President and gets arrested. But, of course, nothing can stop him from going on the run and now Banning has to figure out who tried to kill the President and put the blame on him! Also, to stop another murder attempt on Trumbull's life.

Well, the above synopsis is enough for you to take a guess that, apart from the title, there is nothing innovative in the film. How many times have we seen the protagonists go rogue to clear their names in a crime they haven't committed? And just to make sure that Angel has Fallen gives us more sense of deja vu, there is also a subplot involving Banning and his estranged recluse father (Nick Nolte).

To be honest, this subplot was quite enjoyable more so because it gave Angel Has Fallen a very ridiculously enjoyable action sequence. Also, Nick Nolte is truly on a scenery-chewing mode here, both while exchanging barbs with his son and later, emotionally connecting with his daughter-in-law (Piper Perabo, who replaces Radha Mitchel in the previous films). Gerard Butler is a Different Kind of Action Hero, He's Not Dwayne Johnson or Schwarzenegger, Says Angel Has Fallen Action Director.

However, apart from the unexpected father-son bonding and a couple of scenes here and there, Angel Has Fallen feels like just another forgettable action flick that Gerard Butler is usually associated with these days. It is predictable from the word Go, with bland antagonists and a narrative that can be summed up in one line. There is a 'surprise' villain reveal later in the movie, the mastermind of the attack, that is as surprising as 'Damn, Loki was the villain in Thor? Who would predict that?'!

Angel Has Fallen, directed by Ric Roman Waugh, is best enjoyed when it focuses on the action, of the guiltily enjoyable mayhem. Like the drone attack on the President. Or the climactic action scene set at a hospital that is bloody. Though, there are quite a few dodgy CGI shots and annoying fast edits. Still, that's the reason we are even watching the movie. Unfortunately, Angel Has Fallen, delves on expanding Banning's backstory, instead of serving more ridiculous action-setpieces.

Watch the trailer of Angel Has Fallen below:

As for the performances of a surly Gerard Butler or perennially likeable Morgan Freeman, we need to coin a new phrase for 'going through the motions for a paycheck'. Piper Perabo gets little scope, while Tim Blake Nelson and Danny Huston are cast in one-dimensional roles.

Yay!

- Nick Nolte

- A Couple of Action Beats

Nay!

- A Very Predictable Affair

Final Thoughts

At about two hours of runtime, Angel Has Fallen is a very harmless, if predictable trademark Gerard Butler action flick. The movie is enjoyable at best when it revels in the mayhem; otherwise, you will forget it as soon as you leave the theatres.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 23, 2019 12:01 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).