White House Down (2013)

[Gopher]

I wish I hadn't seen Olympus Has Fallen before watching this. The story is the same beat-for-beat (I much preferred the villains here, though) but this movie is much more enjoyable. It takes a long time to get going, but the second hour is almost entirely action (and some of James Woods going crazy), and that stuff all works. They get the tone right: it's bright, fun, and actually looks like they're in DC. I do wish they went for more comedy- most of the jokes really hit- but that's just me wanting a cheekier film and nothing against what they're going for here. Nothing amazing, but a solid summer movie. 

[Leyla]

my 2nd fav movie of the summer!

Jamie & Tatum were brilliant! Great action setpieces & humour & for once not an annoying child!

Me my sis & my mother all enjoyed it immensely

& too bad prwsidents like J Foxx character exist only in movies

 

too bad some crap movies like HO3 get more money that such entertaining films as WHD

real shame

 

A

Edited July 23, 2013 by Leyla

[Crusader]

And summer 2013 strikes again ! ( at least for me ) 

 

First off lemme just say this when its fun its fun ... but its not fun a lot isn't it ? I mean when you come down to it there are only 4 action sequences ( the take over, lawn chase, helicopter strike, air strike aka the finale ) and frankly, while they are good, they are not nearly enough to get me through the flat parts of the movie which is the majority of it. 

 

Then I must mention this ( and also hold it as a flaw ) 150 mil ?????????? on fucking what ? cgi shot of a plane taking off ??? helicopters flying ( and I don't mean that part where they fly between buildings ... every part where they fly ) they couldn't get a single shot of actual helicopters flying ? also explosions each and every one of them looked like tv shit... cgi in whole was terrible and on par with OHF. Die Hard 4 cost 110 mil and got way more spectacular and practical stuff onscreen... I was thoroughly unimpressed with the scope and bad CGI. I get that Emmerich does his shit a tad below Bruckheimer in terms of spending but he usually puts the money on the screen ... I'm being real now I could have made this movie for 100 mil ... if OHF cost 70 mil than I would've managed this with 100. Hollywood is really going ballistic with the budgets ... its like they exist only to be big not to actually make the movie better in any way 

 

The movie just felt off to me ... comedy was good I guess and Tatum has IT but despite the light and fun script that comes out through this mess everything around him ( except Foxx and Woods somewhat ) just completely and totally lets him down ... I mean its supposed to be this buddy movie on the side and yet it takes like 45 minutes for Tatum and Foxx to find their way to each other and after 40 minutes or so they are split up again only to be brought together in the end again 

 

My point is that it kinda goes through the motions and nothing really flows the way it should 

 

This is IMO a very flawed movie and what's more irritating is the fact that it could and SHOULD have been much more than this ... I thought Emmerich got this shit on lock but I was seriously mistaken ... Fuqua and him should have switched and directed each other's movie 

 

Idk I guess its a 5/10 cause I have to drop my criteria a bit it seems otherwise I'm gonna be called a hater and a snob 

[A Marvel Fanboy]

I am seeing this on Friday.

[Olive]

8/10

[RichWS]

I wish I hadn't seen Olympus Has Fallen before watching this. The story is the same beat-for-beat (I much preferred the villains here, though) but this movie is much more enjoyable. It takes a long time to get going, but the second hour is almost entirely action (and some of James Woods going crazy), and that stuff all works. They get the tone right: it's bright, fun, and actually looks like they're in DC. I do wish they went for more comedy- most of the jokes really hit- but that's just me wanting a cheekier film and nothing against what they're going for here. Nothing amazing, but a solid summer movie. 

 

I came here to write a little something but you took the words right out of my mouth. Damn you. 

[Goffe]

which is better to watch first? this or OHF?

[RobinHood26]

which is better to watch first? this or OHF?

WHD is better, so its up to you which you wanna do.

 

Id personalty watch WHD. 

[Goffe]

OHF looks more serious and I hate the comedy tone for WHD stablished by the trailers

[A Marvel Fanboy]

Ill give it B-

 

So 1990s ....

[RobinHood26]

-

Edited May 7, 2018 by Jay Hollywood

[Kvikk Lunsj]

I did not like this or OHF. I would say WHD is better but both are way to cheesy for my test. Foxx and Tatum work well together and have some nice one liners which is the best thing about this movie. The girl waving the flag was so stupid. Taking over the white house part was stupid. I like the villain in WHD more then OHF.  The first thirty minutes are slow. I felt like the film could have been made under two hours.  

D

[baumer]

I think both are really good.

[ladyevenstar22]

i actually enjoyed this and i'm surprised because the trailer seemed so lame and coming off OHF which i had just seen and enjoyed so i was like meh this reminds me of when armageddon came out and there was also that other movie which name escapes me it had tea leoni and frodo in it (i'm too lazy to google and its after midnight writing this and off to bed)

 

and one was awesome and had spectacle explosions over the top drama and action and ending with a rousing we did it save the planet(aerosmith song) and the other was a dud like the meteor that still crash and tsunami ensues bla bla bla with morgan freeman geeez why can't i remember the name anyhoo

 

back to white house down , i like channing tatum a lot , wasnt always the case he's got a funny face but he's grown on me and is sorta cute but i like seeing an actor do well and chose good movies that look good in a resume  of his journey from nobody to somebody 

 

i agree him and jamie foxx had good rapport but i couldnt quite take him seriously as president , i mean its jaimie fox , had he played a more serious president , still he had some good lines like "let go of my jordans" like who says that nowadays does anyone still care about whether you own a jordan or not ? 

 

james woods was ok , i thought something was up when he said i'll be late to his wife but then i bought the explanation that it was because he was leaving the job retirement etc 

 

when they go out of their way to show you how secure the airspace is around the white house , you start to wonder well gee however do they just waltz in through the front door and take the castle hmmmm of course typical inside man  trojan horse tactic !

 

as for the kid , i could not buy her geeking out over the white house and the president of all people but hey kids who knows what catches their fancy but when it does they can be rabid about it i know that (see my nephew and mamma mia on a loop for months)

still what a brave girl taping it all and uploading it (great plugging for mobile and youtube channel) hey you never know when you 'll be in a hostage situation or something else 

 

the flag waving was cheesy i'll admit but not moreso than the helicopter pilot saying he's aborting upon seeing her do so maybe he has a kid too

 

did anyone else think the tour guide was hitting on the mom at the end there, i loved his moment too as a person who has an appreciation of antiques, old books and irreplaceable items i know the feeling of seeing a person who doesnt give a fart break an item or ill-treat it 

 

as all such film end with bad guys stupid demise because they always end up in ideological conflict on how best to resolve the situation , did they not rehearse before , clearly not or not enough , last film i saw that was logical on that front where bad guys don't die because they actually aren't stupid and have thought things out is SWORDFISH 

now don't get me wrong i like these sort of film but i always feel like my enjoyement is not quite what it could be if this trope of the bad guy losing the plot stupidly in last 10 mn didnt always happen

 

for what its worth i gave it a B

i'd have to rewatch olympus has fallen to decide which one was better but as far as president action films goes i still love me AIR FORCE ONE now there was a president who was hands-on with the terrorists no need for sidekick bs 

Edited November 19, 2013 by ladyevenstar22

[Punishment]

I enjoyed OHF much more than WHD; the comedy just didn't work for me.

 

70/100 C-

[DAR]

This didn't work at all for me. I thought it was quite dull and boring. And the effects looked like they were from Toonces the Driving Cat on SNL. Really disappointing. D

Edited March 27, 2014 by DAR

[Dark Jedi Master 007]

I remember enjoying it. Not really sure why. I have a blind spot for Emmerich films. 

[DAR]

I usually do too but not this time.

[Phil in the Blank]

Nicolas Cage did it better.

 

 

VS

 

 

No Contest!

[Dark Jedi Master 007]

OMG, that bottom image looks awful in terms of its composition. Although, I enjoyed the scene.