Angel Has Fallen Review: Banning is Back in Action!

Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Cast: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Piper Perabo, Lance Reddick, Jada Pinkett Smith, Nick Nolte
Rating: 15
Running time: 120 mins 
Release date: In cinemas now

Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) is back again in ANGEL HAS FALLEN as a Secret Service Agent who has definitely seen his fair share of action during his career responsible for the protection of the President of the United States. In the latest film in the franchise, furrowed hero is facing a new threat to the president he is sworn to protect and this time the accused is himself.

This is the second sequel to 2013’s OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN, following on from LONDON HAS FALLEN. We see a weary looking Banning battling a mild addiction to painkillers after his past altercations leading to concussions – a hazard of the job for the man who defends the President. His addiction he conceals from all including his wife Leah (Piper Perabo, taking over for Radha Mitchell). Despite his favourable reputation with President Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) and Secret Service Director David Gentry (Lance Reddick) he decides to keep his personal medicinal combat to himself.

In the first scenes of the movie, we are introduced to a former army buddy of Banning’s Wade Jennings (Danny Huston), who is now operating his own high-level private security firm. During their brief reconciliation, the two former soldiers relive discuss their turbulent war days Jennings’ thirst for the action on the frontline once more. 

Upon returning to Washington, Banning finds himself on another trip away with the president—former Vice President Trumbull who is now Commander-in-Chief supported by new VP Kirby (Tim Blake Nelson). As the franchise goes, you may have already guessed that yet again there is another assassination attempt on the POTUS. Action-packed explosions ensue via drones which wipes out the whole Secret Service team on duty to protect him and conveniently only Banning is left alive (after the drone heading for him is aborted) alongside the President who ends up in a coma.

Related: Pain and Glory Review: Pedro Almodóvar’s Movie Boasts Super Performances

Banning is now the fallen angel who is the number one suspect for the assassination attempt on the President and for the murder of all of his fellow agents. FBI Special Agent Helen Thompson (Jada Pinkett Smith) is determined to have him sent down and the hunt is on to catch him after he evades capture from the very people who have framed him… The difference in this film compared to its two predecessors in the franchise is that there is no terrorist that they are hunting for this time, it is the film’s hero. 

So will the audience be seeing anything new from the film? Not really, but if you are a fan of the franchise, then you will love this film too. It is an action-thriller and it ticks all of the right boxes with stylistic action sequences and choreography, car chases leading to stacked up vehicles, dark, moody lighting to create the suspense and of course Mike Banning who definitely has more lives than a cat!

The explosive scenes pack a punch and the movie is definitely not short of it. It is just a shame that the ending on the rooftop leaves you feeling a bit lacklustre after all of the exciting shootouts and hunting.

Nick Nolte, who play’s Mike Banning’s estranged father is an absolute scene stealer in the film who helps his son in quite an entertaining way in the middle of a forest. The former war veteran is still living with paranoia and battles his own mind after the tours abroad that he fought in – bringing a sense of realism to the importance of mental health and supporting soldiers once they have retired or been forced to stop fighting. Nolte of course is acting royalty and you can see the weary, tired, overwhelmed sense he has for living in his eyes even when not speaking. A great visceral performance from him.

One of the film’s biggest strengths was having Jada Pinkett Smith’s character investigating the attempted assassination on the President, but unfortunately her role was not utilised enough which is a shame. 

Overall, the film will not bring many surprises to the table and the scripting may feel all-too-familiar but Butler always delivers in these types of roles and has continued to show his acting prowess in this genre once again for ANGEL HAS FALLEN. The film boasts great action sequences and subtle elements of humour peppered with the right amount of emotion to connect with the audience. 

Have you watched the latest movie in the franchise yet? What did you think of it? As always, we like to know your thoughts, so leave a comment below, tweet us @filmandtvnow or drop us a comment on our Facebook page.

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