2013 was the year of dueling White House militants

Director Antoine Fuqua, Olympus has fallen follows Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) for details for President Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart); although the two were once quite close, their relationship was never the same after Banning saved Usher from a car accident but failed to save his wife from death. Roland EmmerichX Fall of the White House follows Metropolitan Police Officer John Cale (Channing Tatum) when he goes to the White House to interview for a position in President James Sawyer’s personal protection department (Jamie Fox); while this would obviously be an important step in his career, it would also give him the opportunity to impress his daughter Emily (Joey King), whom he could not contact after the divorce.

Of course, both films develop in the way one would expect from “tenacious inside the White House”; the capital is attacked, the president is taken hostage, and a John McClane-style hero is called to the fore and faces insurmountable obstacles. It was strange that two seemingly identical films came out as close to each other as Olympus has fallen ran in mid-March before Fall of the White House moved into the summer film season in June. It was often cited at the time as an example of Hollywood’s unoriginality, but none of these films were based on previously established properties; in 2023, it would be nice to see two old-fashioned action movies that don’t take themselves seriously due to their over-reliance on superhero movies and sequels. The two films represent different approaches to the action genre, and both of them, oddly enough, have become underrated gems.

What is the difference between “White House Has Fallen” and “Olympus Has Fallen”?

While both films are clearly old-fashioned in their approach, Olympus has fallen certainly fits the wave of overtly patriotic R-rated blockbusters that were so successful in the 1990s. It’s a raw, violent film in which Gerard Butler literally cracks down on a terrorist using a bust of Abraham Lincoln and somehow, with a deadpan expression, delivers jokes like “let’s play fuck off, you go first.” While the film unfortunately carries some of the cultural baggage that came from 90s action films with their mildly xenophobic Korean villains, it is not in the least bit ironic. Instead of constantly letting the audience know that the characters are involved in the joke, how fast and furious films that Fuqua is known to make are so direct it’s almost absurd.

Vice versa, Fall of the White House classic Emmerich. The man loves to blow up famous monuments, and after the destruction of the White House in independence Day, he has to wreak havoc in almost the entire capital when Cale and Sawyer team up on a ridiculous adventure with a fellow cop. Emmerich’s blockbusters seem to have fallen out of favor after 2012 And Day after tomorrowBut Fall of the White House shows us everything he does well. It’s very stupid to drag Cale and Sawyer into a car chase that defies every imaginable law of physics. There is also Emmerich’s signature off-the-cuff humor; At some point, Sawyer has to stop firing his flare gun to fix his glasses.

How do teams compare in Olympus Has Fallen and The White House Has Fallen?

However, both films work because of their main characters; although neither received positive reviews at the time, and both Gerard Butler and Channing Tatum continue to be solid action stars a decade later. Butler essentially launched the “guy in the wrong place” action subgenre with Geostorm, Airplane, GreenlandAnd Den of thievesAnd Olympus has fallen was the beginning of this era of implausible absurdity. Tatum learned from Fall of the White House that he had the comedic ability to take on more overtly goofy action roles and had great success in films such as 21 Jump Street And Lost city.

Both films also have some pretty great presidents; they both sensibly avoid revealing too many details about their politics or platforms (apart from the fact that they are really good guys), and include a few personal moments from each that show why they are good leaders. Usher has some intimate moments with his son when they bond over his summer reading, and Sawyer shows his friendliness when he agrees to do a video for Emily’s school project. This creates tension when they are in danger; the public not only has reason to believe that they are making the country a better place, but they also care about them on a personal level.

In an age where blockbusters often go to younger directors who are more receptive to studio influence, watching two action movies with distinctive style is inspiring. Fukua has a messy tension in his work that goes back to training dayand that same tactility on earth is present in Olympus has fallenscenes of negotiations with hostages. Emmerich rarely fails to be pompous; Emily’s last moments, when Emily waves the American flag to get the attention of the first responders who could save the President’s life, epitomize the sugary banality for which he is known. In the decade since then, both have been successful in one way or another; Fukua continues to make gritty thrillers like Guilty And Leftyand Emmerich has at least found a cult fan base for Moon landing.

It’s always strange when two such similar films come out in the same year; Armageddon And Significant Impact perhaps the most striking example. Maybe Olympus has fallen had the advantage of doing it first, as he was successful enough to spawn two sequels; sad, Fall of the White House ineffective. Both films are simple, straight-forward action films with no purpose other than entertainment, and it’s interesting that a decade later, such simple goals have become a rarity.