ANGEL HAS FALLEN

US, 2019, 121 minutes, Colour.
Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Danny Huston, Jada Pinkett-Smith?, Tim Blake Nelson, Piper Perabo, Lance Riddick,
Directed by Rick Roman Waugh.

The title sounds like Lucifer defying God in heaven – but the screenplay says that Secret Service Agents have the role of guardian angels to their charges.

With Olympus Has Fallen and, then, in London Has Fallen, fans know that Gerard Butler is the guardian Angel for the American President himself. So, the title indicates that something is amiss for Butler’s Mike Banning. In fact, he is the target of the most elaborate frame up, pinning an assassination attempt on the President allegedly by him, backed by Russia to the tune of at least $10 million!

But, who can rescue Mike Banning when he is in danger? Of course, the answer has to be, Mike Banning himself. And so he does.

The question is, who are the villains? But, moviegoers have become very quick at spotting the villain and, in this case, you certainly don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes, let alone a first-year rookie at Detective School, spotting the villains almost as soon as they appear. Which means, that we can be self-congratulatory as we share the action, tensions, traps, fights with Banning.

Gerard Butler looks to be getting a bit older and heavier, and his character is suffering from migraines, taking multiple tablets, visits to various doctors whose advice he ignores. But, in the event, arrested, escaping, driving a huge truck pursued by the police cars, infiltrating the hospital, masterminding the defence of the President and, finally, mano a mano with the villain, we share the drama with him.

There is a strong and varied cast, Morgan Freeman always dignified, with great gravitas, speaking beautifully, is the president. Danny Huston is a colleague of Mike Banning from the past. Jada Pinkett Smith is a tough FBI agent. Tim Blake Nelson, often in comedies, is a bespectacled VP. The film is directed by talented stuntman, Rick Roman Waugh.

What we see is conspiracy on a vast scale, political turmoil in Washington, arguments for a war against Russia, a vast militia supported by big business interests, and the framing of Mike Banning as an arch-villain. The clues against him are so well placed that the FBI and the media take it for granted that he is guilty.

But, he has another, unanticipated ally. After engineering his escape from the pursuing police, he goes into a forest wilderness, finding a hut and – of all people – his long-departed Vietnam veteran father, living alone in protest against the government like the Unabomber. And, he is played by Nick Nolte which gives further edge to the portrayal and to the restoring of father-son relationships (via a huge range of explosives protecting his refuge).

From then on, plenty of action, an attempt by the conspirators to blow up the hospital with the president, but Mike Banning overcoming his mental stress, the emotional stress, drawing on his loyalty, and his years of Secret Service experience to save the day. Angel Arises – ready for any further sequel! (Fans wouldn’t be sorry.)

And Gerard Butler should have been Jack Reacher!!

1. The action series with Mike Banning? Secret Service? His achievements in the past? His being framed? Audience expectations?

2. The title, the Secret Service as guardian angels, Mike Banning as the President’s guardian angel?

3. Washington DC, the exercise at the training centre, the fishing lake, the forest? Hospital sequences? The roads, car chases, the remote hut, the series of explosions? Action and special effects? The musical score?

4. Mike Banning, the harshness of the original exercise, the guns, Secret Service action? Wade Jennings, owning the company? The past bond with Mike? The visit to the home, the meal? Audiences spotting the villain?

5. Morgan Freeman as the president, his dignity, manner, speaking voice and gravitas? The VP, at the meetings, his look, spotting the vice president as villain?

6. The president at the Lake, the fishing, the attack of the drones, the visual and found impact of the drones then numbers, the range of deaths? Mike and his rescuing the president? In hospital?

7. His being framed, the plot and details, the evidence, the money from Russia? His arrest, in the vehicle, his escape?

8. The president, in coma? The cabinet meetings, the leaking of information, the vice president, his being sworn in, his manner in office, the political issues, the Russian connection, memories of the hacking and the presidential election, the payment for the assassination attempt? His wanting to go to war, the issue of private contractors and their making money? The distorted voice on the phone to Jennings?

9. The FBI, agent Thompson, her assistant, strong, the interrogations, of Mike, the accusations, going to leave? The arrest? The continued pursuit, assessing the evidence, baffled, the change of mind? The investigations into Salient, the call, going by helicopter to confront Jennings, his killing the agents?

10. Leah, the baby, love for her husband, Mike and his going to visit the different doctors, migraines and tablets? Not telling Leah? The offer of the directorship? The discussions with Wade, the past bonding? The arrest, Leah’s response, the police and the reporters? His phone call?

11. The pursuit by Jennings, the alleged rescue, the fight, Mike’s escape, the service station, the phone call, the FBI and the locations? The police pursuit, the locals and their militia? Mike taking the truck, the chase, the crash?

12. The hut, the introduction to Clay, his story, Vietnam and achievement, disillusionment, leaving his family, hiding like the Una-bomber? Talking with his son? Helping, his property ringed with explosives? The escape, the vehicles?

13. Jennings, the link with the vice president, the plan? The president waking? The vice president pushing for action against Russia? Jennings and the decision that the president had to die?

14. The hospital sequences, Mike and his infiltration, arrest, going to the President, being freed, the role of David as the President’s assistant? The various members of the Secret Service? Their jobs?

15. Jennings and his plan, to destroy the hospital, the computer experts, the gas in the basement? The setup?

16. The hospital evacuation, hiding the President, the bluff?

17. The climax, the shootouts, the two men fighting, the knives, Jennings and glad that it was Mike who killed him?

18. The president confronting the vice president, the moment of bluffing him, the arrest?

19. Mike with the president, promising to tell the truth, accepting the job?

20. The final family sequences, Clay and his bonding with the family, Leah welcoming him? And the joke during the final credits but their both doing the New Age Therapy in the baths?