Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) - Theatrical Review

Director: Roland Emmerich

Cast: Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pulman, Liam Hemsworth, Maika Monroe, Vivica A. Fox

Country: United States

Rating: PG-13

Run Time: 120 min

1996's Independence Day (ID4) is, in my opinion, an undeniably flawed, but hugely entertaining blockbuster. Whereas previous ground breaking blockbusters like Jaws and Star Wars offered escapist entertainment with complex characters and haute tension, ID4 simplified everything down to a point that can be described as safe escapist entertainment with oodles of comedic relief and special effects galore. Although ID4 features some fairly solid filmmaking courtesy of director Roland Emmerich, he still cannot match the likes of Steven Spielberg or George Lucas, as he seems to only use his characters as conduits for stories about worldwide destruction. Ever since Emmerich began his fetish for destruction with ID4, he has always challenged himself as to how much destruction he can depict within his films. From Godzilla, to The Day After Tomorrow, to 2012, to White House Down, Emmerich has always been obsessed with disaster epics.

But Independence Day: Resurgence (ID4:R) represents a new low for Emmerich, a filmmaker who used to be somewhat reliable as far as blockbuster devastation came. Not only is the sequel more ridiculous and absurd than the previous, but it fails to deliver the believable character relationships and affective pacing that makes the original still so affective to this day. There's no denying it, the original ID4 is an iconic film, based mainly upon its destructive imagery, but also upon its ability to make stars out of its actors. Whether you want to admit it or not, ID4 was the biggest film of 1996, and one that is still celebrated every Fourth of July. But let me tell you, no one is going to be celebrating ID4:R ever, let alone remembering it even came out by next month. ID4:R might as well be the biggest budgeted SyFy Channel television movie ever made, as it features the horrendous plotting and inept character work of their low budget turds. Coupled along with some absurd science fiction imagery and laughable green screens that will make anyone snicker in their seat, ID4:R is one of the laziest sequels ever to be produced by a major Hollywood studio.

I wish we lived in a world where we could shrug off damage like this like it's nothing.

If you've seen the posters or the trailers, I don't even need to tell you what happens next. But alas, I will. Since the previous alien invasion of 1996 (they even refer to it as the War of '96 in a desperate effort to expand the ID4 mythos), Earth has settled its differences to unify together and prepare for a possible response attack from the aliens. Twenty years later, Earth has harnessed the aliens' technology to create weapons and vehicles in preparation for their eventual return. They even created a base on the moon in order to spot them as soon as they arrive. When the aliens do arrive, which is more of an expected story beat and hardly a surprise to any one at all (it's almost as if they've read the script), they arrive in only one ship this time with a far simpler and like minded purpose, drill to the center of the Earth in order to absorb the Earth's molten energy and leave it for dead. But these aliens messed with the wrong planet! Because we've got Will Sm...Jessie Usher! And we won't go down without a fight!

Independence Day: Resurgence is this year's Terminator: Genisys, a long delayed sequel to a generation defining franchise that pales in comparison to its predecessor and proves that certain intellectual properties (IP) are no longer as "cool" as they used to be. But while the Terminator series has slowly but surely pumped out a sequel every eight or so years, thereby keeping it somewhat relevant and within the public conscious, ID4:R arrives a whopping twenty years after the original film. While there has always been talk of a sequel, the amount of time that has passed since the first film had always convinced people that a sequel would never get made and that ID4 would always be a fun one-off in which the world triumphs over generic alien invaders. But lo and behold, Hollywood's desperation for marketable brand name and recognizable IP can make anything happen. When one looks at 20th Century Fox's lack of successful franchises and Emmerich's previous flop White House Down, ID4:R sure seemed like a safe sequel to green light in order to ensure both the studio and filmmakers' liveliness. Unfortunately, Fox and Emmerich will have to learn the hard way that previously successful IP's are no longer the box office juggernauts that they used to be. Not only does an Independence Day sequel released within 2016 scream "desperate," but also "lame."

Jeff Goldblum and Baby Thor stare in awe at the aliens.

The poster's tagline, "We had twenty years to prepare. So did they," might as well state, "We had twenty years to prepare for this sequel. This is all we could come up with," because ID4:R is essentially ID4 all over again but with less imagination and humanity. It's almost shocking that the film has a whopping five (!) credited screenwriters, and that two of those screenwriters are actually characters within the film! Who the heck are these guys and why is Emmerich giving them the time of day like this? Anyways, ID4:R also shares the same flaws as this year's absymal, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, in that the film takes no time to introduce its characters or bother with exposition. It simply throws you right into the mix and expects you to accept everything as it is. While ID4 is regarded as a science fiction film, the only science fiction aspects are the invading aliens. Everything else is fairly real world and grounded in how our planet would react to such an attack. However, ID4:R's future world is quite shocking, as the entire planet is now entirely sci-fi based, thereby removing all similarities to real life or even the original film. To simply throw the viewer into such a world, barely give them an update, and hope they accept it without asking any questions, is not only world shaking, but dare I say, even comical.

After watching both ID4 and ID4:R within close proximity to each other, I realized just how well made the original ID4 is. For starters, ID4:R has a major pacing issue, as every plot point, character moment, and action beat is utterly rushed to the point where it almost feels shocking how quickly the scenes transition with one another. What's that? You were just starting to enjoy the level of destruction the alien ship was causing on Earth? Too bad, we're moving on. What's that? You want to lament the death of that character? Too bad, we're moving on. When I first saw that the sequel was only two hours long, a whopping twenty five minutes shorter than the original, I let out a sigh of relief for its somewhat brief run time. But alas, it turns out that all of that missing screen time was necessary in order to provide the film with its much needed build up. 

Speaking of build up, ID4:R has none of it. Much the same way that the film throws the viewer into its world with nary any exposition, the aliens show up and are physically presented on the screen as if it were no big deal. It's a shame, because the original film had such excellent build up and treated the aliens as if they were these awe-inspiring and menacing creatures instead of just the lifeless computer generated presence that they are in the sequel. This brings up another problem, in that the aliens are computer generated (CG) throughout the entire film. Besides one practical shot of an alien's foot (Oh Emmerich, you spoil us), the aliens are always CG and always bland. They're simply, well, there.

Another problem with the sequel is that there are simply too many characters and sub-plots to do justice within a two hour run time. ID4 already flirted with this issue, having a plethora of characters without much to do and an entire sub-plot involving Randy Quaid's character that only pays off at the film's end. However, ID4:R kicks this flaw into overdrive, with not only all of the returning cast members, but also far too many inconsequential and flat characters, especially the two who are also screenwriters. It would take a long long time for me to write about every single one of these characters, as there are a lot, but I'll single out a few who are deserved of praise. The only actors who come out of the picture unschated are Jeff Goldblum and Brent Spiner, who are both returning players. While every other actor, including the filmmakers themselves, play the film extremely straight and take the subject matter way too seriously, Goldblum and Spiner seem to understand the ridiculousness of it all and play the picture with a bubbly and joyous energy that is absent in everyone else. Star Trek: Next Generation fans will be pleased to see Spiner score more screen time here than even in the original.

Come on! How can you not laugh at this!

Many people have pointed out that without Will Smith, who is sorely missed, the sequel lacks a "cool" and relatable human character to ground and carry the adventure with. While this is entirely true, it seems that Liam Hemsworth's character is apparently Emmerich's replacement for this likable human lead. I enjoy his tie to the former President's daughter, which thereby ties him to Bill Pullman and the original picture, but Hemsworth is as flat and generic as they come. Even the President's daughter, played by Maika Monroe, who was excellent in two of contemporary indie horror's greatest films, The Guest and It Follows, comes off especially flat. Seriously, there isn't a single interesting human character in this film, let alone a likable or believable relationship to go along with said characters. It's a shame that Jeff Goldblum and Judd Hirsch's characters, who are father and son, are kept separated until the very end, because their relationship produces a few honest to goodness laughs towards the end that breathes some much needed life into an otherwise bland sequel.

By the way, character deaths are borderline comical. Two major characters, who shall remained unnamed, are killed off so quickly and suddenly, that I honestly couldn't believe how blatant their deaths were. However, Emmerich makes sure to give Spiner's lab assistant friend significant mourning time right after his death. You know, because he was such a lovable character in the first place. Overall, don't come to ID4:R expecting good character work, because it's non-existent.

The original ID4 won an Academy Award for Best Special Effects, and deservedly so. The reason ID4 won an award and is so fondly remembered is because it combined every special effects technique possible to great effect. The film's alien ships, aliens, and explosive devastation was depicted not only through CG effects, which were just taking over Hollywood in the 90s, but also animatronics, miniatures, and practical costumes. ID4 was the final dying breath of classic special effects work. Which now brings me to ID4:R, a film entirely devoid of the creativity and ingenuity found in the original. Not only are all of the aliens and ships CG, but terrible green screens permeate many shots. The digital and nonsensical destruction is so over the top and artificial, that there is no possible way that me or any viewer could possibly take the damage seriously. One shot (pictured above) in which Dubai's the Burj flies through the air and lands in London is near tear inducing. It's one of the funniest things that I have seen all year.

"Earth is not for the taking!"

Overall, there are no surprises here. Besides a second alien species that shamelessly sets up a sequel (which I somewhat want because it will be absurd) and a finale in which a giant alien queen chases Goldblum and friends around in a bus (no joke), everything is as expected. The only time the film becomes fresh and watchable is when it steers away from the boring "been there done that" territory of the original for a ridiculous finale in which a giant alien queen runs around with a laser gun. Although I tore ID4:R to shreds, it is without a doubt one of the most enjoyably schlocky blockbusters to come along in a long time. Nowadays, with how horrendous blockbusters tend to be, simply being not boring is an achievement in and of itself. But in all seriousness, this is not a good sequel, nor a good movie. I recommend getting drunk or getting a group of friends together to laugh at it, but otherwise, look elsewhere for legitimate sci-fi entertainment, because you won't find it here.

Rating: 3/10 - Although devoid of creativity, utterly rushed, and over stuffed with more characters than an ensemble romantic comedy, ID4:R is laughable science fiction schlock from beginning to end.

Franchise:
Independence Day (Roland Emmerich, 1996)
Independence Day: Resurgence (Roland Emmerich, 2016)

Jaws 2 (1978) - Review

Director: Jeannot Szwarc

Cast: Roy Scheider, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, Jeffrey Kramer

Country: United States

Rating: PG

Run Time: 116 min

When cinema fans discuss their favorite slasher/horror films, such as Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, or Halloween, they can't help but bring up the entire series as well. There's something fun about discussing both the ups and the downs of a franchise, especially one that stems from such stellar first entries. However, I don't think I have ever heard anyone bring up the Jaws sequels whilst also discussing the original. It's as if they don't exist. Even Universal Pictures, the studio who put out all four films, pretends they don't exist. Whenever the tour guide at Universal Studios brings up Jaws, they rarely ever mention the sequels. It's funny, because every entry in the series was financially successful, especially the second one. I guess their critical revilement more or less buried them into non-existence within both the studio's and public's consciousness, who view them more as an embarrassment and a blemish on the sanctity of the golden idol that is Jaws. Jaws was a such an unstoppable monster that it somehow swallowed up all of its sequels from existence. Now that's impressive.

Jaws 2 is a mostly forgotten sequel, which is surprising considering the film's massive box office take in 1978. It seems that the only thing people seem to remember about the film is its great tagline, "Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water..." Anyways, French director Jeannot Szwarc took over the reigns of the series from Steven Spielberg, a daunting challenge if there ever was one. Nevertheless, Szwarc did his best, and crafted a mostly solid sequel that gave audiences more of the shark attack action and principal players that made Jaws so great. 

Talk about a jab at Orca the Killer Whale.

Unfortunately, the sequel features about half as much content as Jaws, and is somehow still as long. Remember how exciting and terrific the final hour of action was in Jaws? Of course you do, everyone does. Remember how exciting and terrific the final hour of action was in Jaws 2? Of course you don't, because that sucker drags on forever, like an anchor hooked on the ground for miles and miles. Jaws 2 explores some extremely interesting material in its first half, that of an obsessive Chief Brody, but drowns in its second half where its flimsy script and half hearted direction results in nothing more than a sub-standard shark attack film. Than again, I'd much rather take a sub-standard shark attack film with a score by John Williams and performances by Roy Scheider, Lorraine Gary, and Murray Hamilton over any other shark attack film out there.

Jaws 2 proves that the heart and soul of the Jaws franchise is the Brody family, to whom the sequel thankfully takes the time to reintroduce in the first act. Jaws 2 picks up a few years after Jaws, with Chief Brody still standing as the Chief of Police in Amity. When a shark starts killing people in Amity again, Brody becomes obsessed with stopping it once and for all. However, his obsession scares the citizens of Amity to the point where he is fired from his job. When his son Michael goes out at sea with his teenage friends, they come in contact with the shark and radio Brody for help, thereby leading to another showdown between man and shark, Jaws style.

In a world where many horror sequels either follow an entirely different group of characters (A Nightmare on Elm Street II: Freddy's Revenge) or drastically shift their tone (Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part II), Jaws 2 is nearly a best case scenario from both a storytelling and creative stand point. Although not every character or filmmaker returned (both Drefyus and Spielberg's absences are felt throughout), most of the creative team did return, along with many of the extremely memorable actors and characters from the first film. Most notable is Roy Scheider, who returned only to fulfill a contractual agreement to Universal Pictures, and composer John Williams, who supplied one of the key factors to Jaws' success. With both the original film's star and composer back on board (strangely the same situation as Halloween II), Jaws 2 could've been a stellar sequel. Unfortunately, Szwarc's decision to aim for blockbuster action over searing tension, along with a lackluster script that retreads the plot of the original, hinders the film from ever taking off like Spielberg's blockbuster predecessor. All in all though, Jaws 2 gives you the exciting shark kills and human peril that you would want from a Jaws sequel, just not as skillfully as Jaws obviously.

Chief Brody: one of the all time great badasses of action cinema.

For an actor who only returned to fulfill a contractual agreement, Scheider gives a stellar performance once again as Chief Brody, everybody's favorite shark slaying police chief. The reason Scheider comes off so well in the picture is because his character is put through the ringer and depicted as an obsessive person who will do anything to protect Amity from danger once again. The greatest success of Jaws 2 is this character dynamic that makes for an extremely interesting first half of a film. All of the scenes focused on Brody's shark obsession come out the greatest, such as the stellar scene in which Brody thinks he sees a shark in the water, and than proceeds to shoot into the water as horrified beach-goers watch on. I know that I've been on a roll with the Halloween connections, but one could also compare Brody in Jaws 2 to Loomis, Michael Myer's therapist and hunter, from the Halloween series. It's a shame that the sequel couldn't see through this obsession story to the end in a satisfying matter, but it's nice to have a taste of what could have been great in the first half of the film.

While the first half of Jaws 2 shakes up the formula of the first film by forcing Brody into a corner all on his lonesome, it caves into established formula and flounders in its second half in which Brody is sidelined in favor of a group of teens and their peril with a shark that heavily resembles the final hour of Jaws. Whereas the first half of Jaws 2 feels fresh, the second half is uninspired tripe, the type of blockbuster entertainment that Universal figured had to be stretched out to an hour in order for audiences to get their money's worth. The weaknesses of the film's narrative are most apparent in this second half, as the film's natural story of Brody's obsession leads into a teens in peril sub-plot that becomes the dominant plot of the picture for no good reason. It's a shame that the through line of the picture is so wonky and lopsided, as numerous scenes fail to gel with one another, all culminating in a lazy finale that doesn't feel earned or worthwhile the way Jaws' second half was. 

Either way, this transition into teen territory does place Jaws 2 into a fun sub-genre: the slasher sub-genre that is. Released in 1978, a few months before John Carpenter's Halloween, Jaws 2 acts as a proto-slasher before the slasher boom of the 80s. The sequel's group of teens, who are mostly horny and sex fueled, are typically flat and disposable bait to the shark's unstoppable killer, key elements of the slasher genre. While the film is far from scary, due to Szwarc's inability to produce honest tension, it still stands as a unique blockbuster slasher before the solidification of the low budget slasher a few months later.

Look out for that mechanized shark whose mouth is bending!

Szwarc seems to be a decent director, although he is no Spielberg. Whereas Spielberg masterminded Jaws and made it a success, Szwarc seems more like a director for hire. Interestingly enough, Szwarc replaced original director John Hancock after several production and personal issues between the director and the studio. Therefore, Szwarc was literally hired on to complete the project, just as original Jaws screenwriter Carl Gottlieb was re-hired to touch up the script. All of these last minute shake ups are ultimately to blame upon the uneven sequel.

Szwarc has specifically stated that he never intended to ape Spielberg's style, which owed much to Alfred Hitchcock and his view of suspense and tension. After all, the shark is completely shown within the first twenty minutes of the film. Therefore, Szwarc crafts a more action packed shark attack film instead of a terrifying one along the lines of the original. Compare the scene where Brody discovers the burnt body in the ocean to the infamous scene from Jaws where a head rolls out of a boat. One is fast paced while the other is slow paced and satisfying. See what I mean? Whereas Jaws was satisfying to watch above all else, Jaws 2 is nothing but entertaining. And while never ending shark attacks may be entertaining to watch for a period of time, Jaws 2 reminds us that the presence and threat of a killer is far more formidable than the killer itself. 

That being said, Jaws 2 is still a fun time for a summer blockbuster. The sequel is more or less a direct retread of the original film: shark attacks citizens of Amity, Chief Brody tries to warn people, nobody listens, somebody significant dies, Brody goes out on boat and kills shark once again. Even though it is a fairly lazy sequel, Jaws 2 is still a lot of fun to watch, especially for its more over the top action sequences. For example, one of the first shark attacks in the film results in a hilarious scene where a girl dumps lighter fluid on her boat, shoots a flare at it, sets herself and the shark on fire, and than explodes! It's the highlight of the film purely for how ridiculous it is. Even the lengthy finale, while flawed, features some fun shark kills, such as a moment where a poor coast guard lands his helicopter in the water, only for the shark to pop up and eat him and the vehicle whole! The only dissatisfying death in the whole film belongs to the shark itself, who dies in a fairly lame way that feels immensely forced if only because Jaws ended the same way. If you can forgive a sequel for directly retreading the same water as its original, than Jaws 2 should be nothing but a serviceable time for you.

At least they have the option of an open casket burial for this Jaws.

I think that I would be willing to forgive Jaws 2 for its minor flaws if it were at least a shorter film. Many of the film's scenes run for far too long and drain the film of all tension whatsoever, thereby dragging the film to a near two hour run time. I always felt that the original Jaws ran for 10 or so minutes too long, as the final hour is nothing but shark hunting. Unfortunately, Jaws 2 runs for a whopping 30 minutes too long, which is far from excusable and damn near sequel killing. 

All in all though, Jaws 2 is undeniably a solid sequel with good production value, memorable characters who are only memorable because they were great in the original, and some fun shark action. Szwarc does his best to move the story along, Scheider does a fine job holding the audiences' attention, and Williams crafts some new and fun pieces of music that liven the tone. Therefore, Jaws 2 gives you new worthwhile material to walk away with, especially Brody's near asylum inducing freakout at the beach that stands as my favorite scene in the film. In conclusion, Jaws 2 is the best non-original-Jaws shark attack movie...next to maybe Renny Harlin's Deep Blue Sea, which is on a whole other level of ridiculousness. It's no Jaws, but Jaws 2 does not deserve to be forgotten amongst the halls of blockbuster cinema and sequel-dom. Give it a re-watch, you may find yourself surprised at how well it holds up, in parts that is.

Rating: 6/10 - Jaws 2 is a flawed but entertaining sequel that delivers both the shark action and some of the memorable principal players that audiences loved about the first film.

Franchise:

Jaws (Steven Spielberg, 1975)

Jaws 2 (Jeannot Szwarc, 1978)

Jaws 3-D (Joe Alves, 1983)

Jaws: The Revenge (Joseph Sargent, 1987)

London Has Fallen (2016) - Theatrical Review

Director: Babak Najafi

Cast: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Angela Basset, Radha Mitchell

Country: United States

Rating: R

Run Time: 99 min

London Has Fallen is the sequel to Antoine Fuqua's Olympus Has Fallen, a Die Hard rip-off from 2013 with some of the worst special effects in Hollywood history. I figured that I would give my own mini-review of the film before I dive into its sequel in order to give you all a contextual understanding of the series and my opinion of it thus far. While I have no qualms with a film being a Die Hard rip-off, it's one of contemporary action's greatest traditions (i.e. Under Siege, Speed, Sudden Death, Passenger 57, Air Force One, Paul Blart: Mall Cop), I had major issues with Olympus Has Fallen's brutal depiction of the North Korean's attack on Washington D.C. Interestingly enough, Olympus Has Fallen proves Die Hard director John McTiernan's point that no viewer will have fun watching a movie where terrorists murder countless innocents.  Oops, looks like Fuqua skipped out on that lesson of Action Filmmaking 101. I was also immensely disturbed by the first film's treatment towards its characters, as several of the President's cabinet members are brutally mauled and tortured in an unnecessarily malicious matter. All in all though, if Olympus Has Fallen had been directed more competently and lighter on the horrid terrorist violence, than it could have been a fun but brutal take on the Die Hard formula for a new age. That concludes my mini-review for the first film, now on to the sequel.

The sequel, which now takes the political carnage from Washington D.C. to London, is not nearly as brutal or mean spirited as its predecessor, although it is far more malicious in its jingoism. The special effects may be slightly better and the action competently shot, but London Has Fallen is just as meat headed as its predecessor, and proof that this series is surviving simply on box office dollars, not stalwart storytelling. All in all, the action fanatic in me wants to see this series continue on simply to bask in its B-movie simplicity, but the human side of me wants it to end in order to eradicate the jingoism put forth by its story and setting. It's just a shame that this one wasn't called, "London Bridge is Falling Down," or that nobody said it in the movie.

Here we go again.

Since the events of Olympus Has Fallen, Secret Serviceman Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) and President Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart) are buddies again. Elsewhere in the world, the British Prime Minister passes in his sleep, thereby leading to a gathering of the Western world's leaders in London for the funeral. Banning, accompanied by Lynne Jacobs (Angela Bassett), the Director of the Secret Service, join the President on his trip to London. In order to ensure their protection on such short notice, Banning moves up their schedule in order to get them to the funeral far ahead of time. However, disaster strikes when all of the world's leaders are simultaneously killed by terrorist leader Aamir Barkawi in London at various locations. Due to Banning's protective strategy, he and the President survive the attack. After further surviving a downed helicopter, the two make their way through the streets of London in search of rescue all the while fighting off Barkawi's men. It's a classic case of, "How could the same thing happen to the same guy twice?" in a sequel that diverts from the Die Hard formula in favor of a disaster/survival plot.*

The biggest issue with London Has Fallen is not that its special effects suck, but that it bases its plot around a terrorist attack all too real in today's day and age of terrorist threats while also trying to be intensely patriotic. When I initially reviewed Stuart Baird's Executive Decision, a fantastic suspense thriller from 1996, I commented that the film could never be made today because its plot would never fly as an entertaining blockbuster in a post 9/11 world. Nowadays, suspense thrillers based around terrorist bombings and real world threats have to be respectful and serious along the lines of Paul Greengrass' cinema or Zero Dark Thirty, foregoing blockbuster pleasures for a more docudrama like take on the matter. 

Unfortunately, London Has Fallen completely disregards this sense of respect altogether and shoots purely for blockbuster pleasures. It's a bold move, albeit one made all the bolder based on its shamelessness. If that wasn't enough to damn the picture, the intense jingoism, especially in the form of both Butler and Freeman's speeches on America towards the end of the film, clashes with the blockbuster sentiments of the picture. Here we have an action film that tries to send a message about American patriotism, but also deliver blockbuster entertainment in the form of Gerard Butler gunning down countless Arab terrorists. Call me crazy, but I don't think that either of those messages or tones can blend with one another in a realistic matter, especially in a film where Butler utters lines like, "Go back to f***headistan or wherever you guys come from!" London Has Fallen is exactly the kind of action film that came out at the end of the 80s in America when some filmmakers were still hung up on demonizing the Russians (i.e. Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rambo III), but less sensitive to the times and more hard headed. Therefore, meat headed right wingers who like politics mixed in with their violence will go nuts for this film.

The world's most lethal secret serviceman is back.

All politics aside, London Has Fallen follows in the footsteps of its predecessor by coming off immensely cheap despite its rather large budget of $60 million. Although the sequel desperately desires to be a blockbuster, signs of DTV cinema creep in to the picture and drag it down to the depths of action movie hell. For example, an exchange early on in the film between Freeman and Butler's characters was clearly never filmed in the same room. Therefore, director Babak Najafi opts for a shot/reverse shot of the conversation. This shameful scene is made all the more cringeworthy when a body double who is supposed to be "Freeman" walks away from Butler with his back towards the camera. Some research will reveal that Butler shot many of his scenes separate from most of the actors in the film besides Eckhart. This is why so many of the film's other notable character actors appear in a room away from the action or off screen. Regardless, London Has Fallen takes some obvious tips out of the Steven Seagal playbook on lazy filmmaking.

However, the DTV shoddiness doesn't stop there. Hilarious stock footage and freeze frames of exterior buildings abound throughout the picture. I nearly laughed out loud during my screening when the film cut to stock footage of motorcycles cruising through the streets of London that looked as if it were pulled from a news broadcast. The most heinous moment of stock imagery can be spotted in a shot where a still image of the White House is shown as an exterior and the "camera" zooms in on it. If you look carefully enough, you can spot a dark security guard who doesn't move at all during this zoom. Later on in the film, stock footage of Time Square and other cities is used in order to show the President's near assassination on the live screens within the footage. However, if you look at the people walking around the cities, none of them react to the massive image of the President on their screens! Anybody who declares London Has Fallen a solid action picture needs to check their I.Q., because low budget atrocities like these permeate the entire experience and ruin what should have been a more professionally made theatrical release.

From an action stand point, the sequel is a huge step up from its predecessor, especially in its second half. Unfortunately, the first half of the film, which is where it most desperately wishes to be a blockbuster, crumbles due to poor framing and awful computer generated effects. The entire inciting incident, and the ensuing helicopter chase, is so poorly rendered and shot that it begs to be seen purely for laughs. Fortunately, the action becomes much better in the second half as the fights and shootouts are scaled down and brought to a more personal and manageable scale considering the budget at hand. In all honesty, there is some very solid action during the second half of the film, as Butler's Secret Servicemen kicks major butt during some solid shootouts that feature some good stunt work and cinematography. I lost count, but I'll take a guess that that Butler kills a whopping 60 or so Arabs in this film.

The easiest acting job that Freeman could ask for.

With the release of last month's Gods of Egypt and now this, Butler has officially sunk to the level of B-movie star and joined the ranks of Seagal and Van Damme at the end of their own theatrical careers. After nearly ten years since the release of his break out film, 300, Butler has done nothing but coast on mediocre scripts and generic actioners for almost a decade. I for one declare that his A-list label be torn from his name sake and tossed to the dirt. That being said, Butler still does a solid job with the action sequences, and imbues a certain sense of fun with the character of Mike Banning. Banning is a combination of Under Siege's unstoppable Casey Ryback and Rambo III's intensely patriotic John Rambo rolled up into make shift action star. He's far from original, and in no way deep, but he gets the job done, especially while everyone else sleep walks through the picture.

While it must have been fun to see such an extraordinary cast in a B-picture like Olympus Has Fallen the first time, its simply embarrassing to see them all here again and working with worse material than before. The surprisingly impressive supporting cast of Morgan Freeman, Melissa Leo, Jackie Earle Haley, Angela Bassett, Radha Mitchell, and Robert Forster is simply shocking. Every single one of these actors has given far better work within far greater films, and yet here they all are embodying some of the flattest characters imaginable. Freeman, one of the more legendary actors still working today, deserves to have his feet held to the fire for his performance in this film. He barely does anything other than sit in a chair amongst his cabinet members and talk to a giant screen. The many terrorist negotiation scenes strongly resemble the ones found within Seagal's Under Siege series. You know your sequel to a Die Hard rip-off sucks when you can't even top Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, another sequel to another Die Hard rip-off, for goodness sakes. 

Butler and Eckhart run from their critics.

A ridiculous sequel like London Has Fallen should be fun to watch, much the same way that Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, Taken 2, Predator 2, Transporter 2, and Death Wish 2 were to their own series of ridiculous violence and ludicrous action. Unfortunately, the mean spirited tone and intense jingoism holds the sequel back from fulfilling its entertainment duties, which is more or less what a blockbuster of such nature should do. Najafi does a fine job taking over for Fuqua, who is more or less a sleepwalk director for hire anyways. However, it seems that Najafi does nothing more than join the ranks of another foreign director turned blockbuster director, Jose Padilla of RoboCop fame, with a lousy studio film that fails to showcase its director's talents. Only time will tell if another city gets destroyed in another "*Insert City Name Here* Has Fallen" film. Let's just hope that the special effects are more convincing than the ones found here. While die hard action fans may get a kick out of the film, as I temporarily did during its action sequences, London Has Fallen is mostly a dreary picture that is also mercifully short. Expect this one to land on the list of the worst action films of 2016 at the end of the year.

Rating: 4/10 - Mediocre action and disparate tones result in a haphazard sequel that is somewhat greater than its predecessor, but not by much.

*I've retroactively realized that although London Has Fallen does not resemble Die Hard, it does in fact closely resemble Die Hard With a Vengeance with its terrorist bombings, city centric plot, and buddies on the run repertoire. So, I guess it still is a Die Hard rip-off. Here's to originality.

Franchise:

Olympus Has Fallen (Antoine Fuqua, 2013)

London Has Fallen (Babak Najafi, 2016)