Yes, even I’m a bit baffled that these movies have been successful enough to warrant multiple sequels without being relegated to bottom-of-the-barrell DTV fare that would normally happen to such an unassuming and specific minded movie like Olympus Has Fallen. And here we are, after the throwback to old Die Hard knockoffs, and the throwback to the trashy action junk of Cannon films – complete with icky politics – with London Has Fallen, we now have Angel Has Fallen, completing the dad action trifecta, harkening to the kind of modest action thrillers of the mid-to-late 90s that would always be in rotation on cable. Think stuff like U.S. Marshalls, The Peacekeeper, and Most Wanted.
This new installment follows everyone’s favorite secret service agent, Mike Banning (Gerard Butler), who is on the verge of a major job promotion, even if personal issues potentially get in the way. However, it seems like he keeps finding himself in terrible situations. Now, he is forced to go on the run when he is framed for an assassination attempt on President Trumbull (Morgan Freeman), which has left him in a coma. He now has to survive as a wanted man while also trying to find out who would frame him and why.
I recall somewhat enjoying Olympus, not so much its sequel, London, but neither of them seemed to have made much of a lasting impression because I don’t remember much at all. Though, you don’t need to see either of these films before Angel since it is able to stand on its own, which would make sense considering the original creative team isn’t as involved, with Ric Roman Waugh coming in to direct and co-write with Robert Mark Kamen and Matt Cook. And I gotta say, I think the third time’s the charm.
Now, that’s not to say Angel Has Fallen is anything essential. It’s still a dopey, predictable throwback, but the craftsmanship behind this is really solid. The action, while occasionally veering into overedited territory, is effective and often memorable, especially once Mike’s reclusive dad, Clay (Nick Nolte), enters the picture. The initial attack on the President is appropriately harrowing, and the explosions and stunt work at play is a joy to behold. The film has some – what I can only assume are supposed to be – twists, but they’re so telegraphed so far in advance that it seems like even the film doesn’t bother to make a moment out of the big reveal.
Some of the troubling elements of London Has Fallen is largely gone, and much of the harder edged elements that defined the previous films have been sanded down significantly. Though that can make the experience of Angel a tad more generic, it still has enough care and attention placed on character to keep something interesting going on to keep you engaged. The film touches on things such as the experience of veterans, many of whom are left to fend for themselves once they get back home from fighting, and with little to no resources to make them feel like their old selves. Mike is always caught between his desire for dury and his need for self-care, which has been put off for so long, it has manifested into a pill problem and issues with insomnia. Obviously, being the kind of film it is, it doesn’t dig too deep into these ideas, but there’s enough there to ground the over-the-top action beats into something that resembles a relatable human experience.
Gerard Butler is great, and it’s interesting to see how much he really builds on what came before as opposed to just doing a different approach. It feels like a natural evolution, even if critical reactions to some of material might have potentially prompted the change to begin with. Everyone else is perfectly serviceable, with the cast being made up largely of character actors who do exactly what they do best. Nolte shines as Clay, bringing a quiet, subdued humanity to the hyperactive plotting, and it’s used to great effect, both dramatically and even comedically at points. I wished he were in it more than he was.
Angel Has Fallen will probably not convince anyone who wasn’t already at least a bit intrigued by this series and this particular slice of schlocky American action cinema. If, like me, you got a soft spot for these kind of disposable, but totally functional actioners that are able to deliver some solid spectacle and compelling characters, then this is one you should check out. I was genuinely surprised by how much I was engaged with it, especially considering my indifference towards the other films. It’s exciting when it needs to be, dramatic when it needs to be, funny when it needs to be, and it’s all done in a clean, slick, and effective manner that just goes to show how hard it can be to just do the bare minimum sometimes. If this is the end of Mike Banning as we know it, I bid him farewell, but if another were to be made, I definitely wouldn’t mind.