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Friday Film Review: White House Down. 

I'll be honest, I didn't have very high hopes for White House Down when I sat down to watch it; however, I found that I absolutely loved this film. White House Down mixes together action and comedy to create a really entertaining film that grips you from beginning to end.

That's not to say that this film isn't flawed, because it is in many ways. First and foremost are the special effects. Whilst at times they were excellent, at others, they really weren't. The opening shots of the White House are evidently fake and there are a few other moments that are supposed to be visually spectacular that are clearly the work of what seems to be an amateur CGI artist. This was disappointing because had these effects been bettered, even by just a little, this film would've earned itself a few more brownie points.


The plot of this film, for the most part is well structured and exciting. This film is about catastrophic events that take place when the White House is infiltrated, but the reason for this is cleverly concealed until the very end. There are numerous plot twists throughout the film (even in the last five minutes!) that keep you on your toes. I most certainly would not have been able to predict the way this movie would pan out, something that I think should be commended given that this sort f film has been made and remade time and time again. This is a newer, certainly more thrilling, take on the 'President-in-crisis' story. That said, there were a few moments, more towards the end of the film, where slightly too unrealistic events were occurring. Sometimes this was a fault of the humour that embodies this film, at others, just an over-excited script writer.

I was surprised to find that White House Down is actually a really funny film. Actually scrap that - it's downright hilarious at times. You'll find the perfect blend of action and comedy in this film, but the comedy does not take away any of the impact of the action. There were a few moments when I did question whether or not humour was really appropriate but for the most part, it was seamlessly integrated into the plot and the characters' personalities to make this an incredibly entertaining film. Tatum and Foxx were the perfect pair for this film as both men are talented actors when it comes to action and comedy and emotion - the three key elements to this film. Alongside the humour are some pretty badass action scenes. There's everything from gun fights to fist fights to knife fights to missile launches to high speed car chases (around the Whote House, in the president's limo I might add). I was really impressed y the action scenes as they had me gripping the edge of my seat, never certain who had the upper hand or what move would be pulled next.


As well as action and comedy's there's also a dash of emotion added in. There is also the story of a man fearlessly trying to protect the life of the President whilst his daughter is being held hostage. There are many emotional conflicts which bring you to a more personal level with the characters so it's not all guns and grenades. I cried several times whilst watching this film (as I am slightly ashamed to admit), but you really do start rooting for the characters and their cause. In addition, this film managed to instil me with a deep sense of patriotism and admiration for the patriotism of Americans, despite the fact that I am not American.


All in all, I would highly recommend this film to fans of either action or comedy or both. This film had me second guessing the plot the entire way through and it's not until the very end of the film that everything is revealed. I guarantee this film will have you on the edge of your seat.