‘Angel Has Fallen’ has elaborate action scenes

BY Ron and Leigh

It’s official; the “Fast & Furious” franchise no longer has a monopoly on the ridiculous but thoroughly entertaining action series. This is the third chapter of the “Fallen” trilogy. First, there was Olympus, then London and now “Angel Has Fallen.” Gerard Butler carries each movie as the charismatic and heroic secret service agent, Mike Banning.

Each film begins with a brazen and preposterous, yet plausible attack against the highest officials in the land. Despite the predictability of the formula, the audience is gut-punched into a temporary state of hopelessness. We know Banning will save the day, but how and when, especially when the odds are so overwhelmingly stacked against him.

Other than Butler, only Morgan Freeman, as Allan Trumbull returns to this third chapter. In the original, Trumbull was speaker of the house. In the last film, he was vice president and in the current feature, Freeman is typecast as president of the U.S., replacing Aaron Eckhart, who we assume peacefully served out his term.

Master stuntman, Ric Roman Waugh (“Snitch”) takes over the job as director and offers a non-stop array of elaborate action scenes and more than enough boom-boom throughout the film. Piper Perabo assumes the role of Banning’s wife Leah and Danny Huston takes over the role of fellow secret service agent Wade Jennings.

The character changes don’t really matter that much. The supporting characters mostly provide continuity for Butler to do his thing. In this case, the evildoers conduct a massive drone attack against the president. Although it is Banning who saves the president, it is he who is framed for the entire incident. While being taken into custody, he is able to escape. His task is to find the real killers (not necessarily like O.J.).

There are too many movies where the hero is framed for some heinous crime, detained and escapes. Instead of just running away, the hero runs back to the scene of the crime in hopes of finding the actual assailants. Yet, we didn’t seem to mind this time. Somehow, with all the carefully designed chaos and mayhem, we were just shoveling in the popcorn while our eyes were glued to the screen.

As the most wanted man in America, Banning is pursued by FBI Agent Thompson (Jada Pinkett Smith) as well as his own agency. Worse yet, he must also foil the next looming plot to assassinate the president. Meanwhile, Vice President Kirby (Tim Blake Nelson “Ballad of Buster Scruggs”) is doing his best to fill in while the president recovers.

Nick Nolte is a hoot as Agent Banning’s long-lost father now living off the grid. Nolte offers plucky comic relief in the midst of the heavy-handed action and storyline. Nolte plays his role tongue in cheek and with impeccable timing. He plays well off Butler, whose swagger, charm and rugged good looks define the star’s screen power.

This film is a little darker than the prior two movies but is probably the best of the bunch. Morgan Freeman has said he was pleased with this film, “I get to play the president, I’m in a successful franchise, I’m working with a guy I really admire and like, it’s perfect.” When asked if he still has that fire in his belly, the 82-year old actor said, “I still enjoy making movies, but it’s more like smoldering embers now.”

“Angel Has Fallen” is two hours and rated R for violence and language throughout. This is not a great film by any means, but it’s exceptionally entertaining and worth your 10 bucks at the theater. Butler has said he hopes this is the last of the series, but we know that will really depend on the final count of the box office receipts.

Spoiler alert: Secret Agent Mike Banning saves the day, again. He values the president’s earlier words, “It is our moments of struggle that define us.” Yet, at the end of the movie, President Trumbull demands that Mike keep no more secrets from him. What? He’s in the secret service, hello!

Ron’s Rating: B+
Leigh’s Rating: B+