Transposing Olympus Has Fallen’s President-in-jeopardy plot to the titular city with an increased emphasis on xenophobia and right-wing tub-thumping makes for an unpleasant, occasionally unintentionally amusing blend.
A cheap-looking sequel to Olympus Has Fallen has the capital city targeted by terrorists allowing the US president time to chill with his favourite security guard.
To its credit, the film is at least partly tongue-in-cheek. It is also energetic enough for us not to notice that there are as many holes in its screenplay as the terrorists leave in London's best-loved buildings.
Sadistic violence, choppy editing and some leaden one-liners all conspire to make this feel like a Charles Bronson film from the 1980s and that’s not a compliment.
Mike Banning’s particular set of skills wears thin in this violent addition to the terrorsploitation canon.
Dreary action sequences, Gerard Butler’s Bruce Willis act and pitiful effects make this action sequel well worth avoiding.
Bloodthirsty, derivative and xenophobic nonsense.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
RSS feed of Cinema reviews