Tuesday, July 2, 2013

white house down vs. olympus has fallen


White House Down vs. Olympus has Fallen:  Some spoilers, but, I'll keep them light.  I watched BOTH of these movies this week.  Yes, in 100 degree heat, I'm taking some air conditioned air for the team.  I am so selfless.

Short answer, there is no difference.  Long answer, there is not very much difference at all.  But let’s break it down. 

Blood and Gore: With the hard “R” rating, Olympus has significantly more gore.  But there’s plenty of body count for the most bloodthirsty ‘Murican summer movie fan.  Edge: Olympus

Spunky Kids: Check and Check.  Whitehouse Down co-stars some punky Brewster type little kid who has a Vlog or a cell phone or some other plot device.  Olympus has Oliver from season 4 of The Brady Bunch who hides places.  Edge: White house down.

Bruce Willis:  White house down has Channing Tatum as reluctant hero John Cale.  They should have gone with John McCale.  He channels Bruce willis in Die Hard, taking a beating but persevering.  Olympus has King Leonidas, starring as Bruce Willis in A good day to Die Hard, or the expendables.  Kind of sort of ‘unstoppable baddass John McClane’.   Edge White House down.

Gratuitous use of Mini-Gun:  See body count.  Edge, Olympus has Fallen

Humor:  Nothing funny about terrorists taking out ‘Murica.  But it’s just a movie.  If King Leonidas is funny, he can’t do it while maintaining a NY accent.  Tatum and Jamie Foxx are genuinely funny together.  Edge: White House Down.

Plot Holes:  Neither movie actually makes any sense whatsoever.  Without spoiling anything, both groups of bad guys had sort of really really complicated plans requiring wild coincidences.  Edge: White house Down, b/c of the bigger Explosions. ‘Murica.

President:  Aaron Eckhart vs. Jamie Foxx.  Eckhart boxes.  Foxx shoots people.  Edge: Eckhart for getting his hands dirty.  Olympus.

Both movies are fine summer fare for a hot day.  Honestly, I found White House Down’s buddy cop tone to play a little better for my taste.  Plus the opportunity for a series of sequels, in which Jamie Foxx plays an ex-president who’s now in the secret service with his ex-secret service guard, guarding a new president.  Or, better, Tatum is the new President, and Jamie Foxx has to save him?  Throw in a mini-gun, maybe Chris Pine from Star trek, and some Somalian pirates, and we got as a MOVIE.  ‘Murica.