White House Down

UK Release Date: 13 September 2013

Certification: 12A
Director: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Jason Clarke, Jamie Foxx, Richard Jenkins, Joey King, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Lance Reddick, Channing Tatum, James Woods

Rating: 39%

Review:

Channing Tatum became signified attached to the role of Mike Lane in the eyes of the public following the release of Magic Mike in 2012. A role that could have ruined an actor's career - ridiculed for the sheer absurdity of it. However, Channing Tatum is the best aspect of White House Down as John Cale. He displays all the characteristics of a leading action man in Hollywood. The looks, the charisma, the charm, it's all there. The reluctant but skilled hero 'gimmick' is convincing here with Tatum going as far as to do most of his own stunts for the film. Channing Tatum's chemistry with Jamie Foxx is infectious throughout. 

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, Joey King is frighteningly bad. One of the worst child acting performances I've ever seen, completely ruins the film. Her character is insufferable to the point where I was actively rooting for her to die in every single scene. Her final scene is also insanely nonsensical. 

Most of the action is done fairly well. The gun play leads to high-octane set-pieces with varied conflict from start to finish. The location heightens the action with the majority of the film taking place in The White House (surprisingly) making for a unique spin on the action disaster sub-genre. Even the car chase is entertaining. Although, any scene involving an explosion is terrible. You can tell it was all shot on a green screen and added in post.

Roland Emmerich isn't a good director in my opinion. White House Down is a sub-par action film. Instead of making a decent film, Emmerich takes fifteen seconds out of the film - completely changing the subject - to shout out one of his previous films and then move on as if nothing has happened. Simply pretentious and self-absorbent filmmaking. 

White House Down follows every single trope of the genre. Lead man is ex-military, wears a vest and has a family member kidnapped by the main antagonist. Sound familiar to John McClane in Die Hard. An incredibly clichéd and contrived plot.