Jason versus Olympus Has Fallen

Shawn and I bitch and bitch about how Hollywood waters down action movies. Gone from most are the graphic violence and foul mouths that made the flicks we grew up with so endearing. Then along comes Gerard Butler and Olympus Has Fallen to prove us wrong.

Disgraced former Presidential guard Mike Banning finds himself trapped inside the White House in the wake of a terrorist attack; using his inside knowledge, Banning works with national security to rescue the President from his kidnappers.

Without a doubt this is the type of flick Cannon Films and Chuck Norris would have made back in the 80s. And I admire the old-school sensibilities at play here. The action is brutally violent and the language foul. Lips are busted and jaws broken. It's awesome.

Working against Antoine Fuqua's film are some special effects that are a step above The Asylum and a seriousness that doesn't suite the cartoon nature of the story. I believe the similarly themed White House Down is more in line with what I'd dig from a flick like this.

Still, I enjoyed my watch. I like violent action movies. They are a cathartic way to end my work week. And the cast -- including Morgan Freeman and Aaron Eckhart -- is solid. But this is a Bad at best. And there's nothing wrong with that.

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