White House Down (1 Viewer)

[Michael Elliott]

As I walked out of the theater this beautiful, fine morning I had a burning desire to find director Roland Emmerich and kick him in a certain area. In fact, I had a desire to kick him there for 132-minutes, which is what it felt like to watch this horrid piece of crap that really proves to me that this guy is a complete joke.

For starters, OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN was so much better in every single way but that was a R-rated action movie whereas this one wants to be some sort of cute, politically charming movie where its star takes off his shirt for the ladies watching.

The story here is without question rather stupid but then again so was the one in OHF. The biggest difference is that this film goes for cheap laughs, which are just downright horrid. There are some of the worst one-liners I've ever heard in a film but even worse is the really bad political B.S. that is thrown in. I'm guessing having Foxx act like Obama was meant to be respectful but it comes off so lame, so bad and so incredibly awful that I'm guessing Emmerich must have done this on purpose because no one is dumb enough to make something this bad. Even worse is an incredibly bad subplot dealing with Tatum's young daughter doing a Youtube interview with him and the entire thing dealing with her becoming a hero is just so annoying that I was ready to call Jaden Smith the next Brando. In fact, God help us all if this actress (who I won't name) and Smith ever make a film together because I see mass suicides breaking out in theaters across the globe.

The performances were a complete joke even from the rather talented supporting players. The CGI action is among the worst I've ever seen and it's almost on the level of a SyFy movie. The scenes with the helicopters hitting the ground or flying through the streets are so bad that I'm curious where the high budget went.

Hmm....what else? Oh yeah, I really, really, really hated this film with a passion.

1/2 (out of 4) and it avoids a BOMB because there are some moments where it's so bad that you can't help but laugh

 

[mattCR]

Yeah, I felt the entire bit about "lay off my air Jordans" coming from a President struck me as just somewhat offensive. The film itself just didn't work. There are a few moments that are interesting, but we never at any point sorted out how any of this would work; there is a huge cliffhanger moment in the 3rd act that makes ZERO sense

Spoiler

Wherein they use the Nuclear football inside the whitehouse, which the president points out would have already been deactivated, so.. even with the right codes, why would it work? More than that, the never explain why the senator would have any interest in launching WWIII to start his presidency, which also seemed silly

Pretty bad. I agree, OHF is a significantly better film, if only for the fact that we didn't spend 30 minutes with the president pulling donuts on the white house lawn while everyone else stands around with their hands on their head saying "we don't know what to do!!"

 

[Robert Crawford]

A pretty silly film, but I had fun watching the bad script unfold. A truly forgettable popcorn flick, but one that gave me a reason to get out of the heat into an air condition movie theater chewing on some popcorn, twizzlers and sipping pop as my Saturday morning breakfast. The breakfast of champions.

 

[Lord Dalek]

The movie's a box office dud so you guys aren't alone.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

The sheer audacity of making an action movie where the President of the United States is apparently the comic relief sidekick character has made this a must watch for me.

 

[TravisR]

^ I gotta admit that reading the negative reviews here have made me much more interested in the movie. "Is it as bad and goofy as everyone is saying?"

 

[Robert Crawford]

^ I gotta admit that reading the negative reviews here have made me much more interested in the movie. "Is it as bad and goofy as everyone is saying?"

It's pretty bad as it appears our forces surrounding the WH had no intention of recapturing the WH

Spoiler

even when the president's limo was being fired upon as it rides around the WH grounds with the whole world watching the chase.

 

[mattCR]

Robert, that scene you describe ranks as one of the dumbest scripted moments I've seen in any film.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Robert, that scene you describe ranks as one of the dumbest scripted moments I've seen in any film.

I was laughing throughout the film, but mostly during the action scenes since they were so stupid. No question this is an awful film, but I was entertained throughout because it was so bad. However, I won't be buying the BD of it so viewings on HBO or what have you, would have to suffice if I wanted to view it again which most likely won't happen. At least, not in its entirety.

 

[Michael Elliott]

Did anyone actually see $150 million on the screen? I read some pre-release stuff from a guy at Fox who "defended" the budget because "you'll see it on the screen" but this thing had some of the worst special effects I've ever seen.

 

[schan1269]

Maybe one day we'll get a spoof called Cat House Down: Phallus Has Fallen...Maybe the people behind Pirates could do it.

 

[Mike Frezon]

What a shame. I had really been looking forward to White House Down.

I had skipped Olympus Had Fallen thinking this one would be better.

 

[Michael Elliott]

It might also depend on where you think action films should be. A hard, violent R-rated film or a comedy drive PG-13 film. I'm personally glad the film tanked at the box office and I don't think the only reason is because we had a familiar film earlier in the year. I'm not sure if my opinion of the film would be different if there was no OHF but there's no question that while watching this it just felt like I was watching something that had its content edited for television.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

As I walked out of the theater this beautiful, fine morning I had a burning desire to find director Roland Emmerich and kick him in a certain area. In fact, I had a desire to kick him there for 132-minutes, which is what it felt like to watch this horrid piece of crap that really proves to me that this guy is a complete joke.

For starters, OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN was so much better in every single way but that was a R-rated action movie whereas this one wants to be some sort of cute, politically charming movie where its star takes off his shirt for the ladies watching.

The story here is without question rather stupid but then again so was the one in OHF. The biggest difference is that this film goes for cheap laughs, which are just downright horrid. There are some of the worst one-liners I've ever heard in a film but even worse is the really bad political B.S. that is thrown in. I'm guessing having Foxx act like Obama was meant to be respectful but it comes off so lame, so bad and so incredibly awful that I'm guessing Emmerich must have done this on purpose because no one is dumb enough to make something this bad. Even worse is an incredibly bad subplot dealing with Tatum's young daughter doing a Youtube interview with him and the entire thing dealing with her becoming a hero is just so annoying that I was ready to call Jaden Smith the next Brando. In fact, God help us all if this actress (who I won't name) and Smith ever make a film together because I see mass suicides breaking out in theaters across the globe.

The performances were a complete joke even from the rather talented supporting players. The CGI action is among the worst I've ever seen and it's almost on the level of a SyFy movie. The scenes with the helicopters hitting the ground or flying through the streets are so bad that I'm curious where the high budget went.

Hmm....what else? Oh yeah, I really, really, really hated this film with a passion.

1/2 (out of 4) and it avoids a BOMB because there are some moments where it's so bad that you can't help but laugh

Are you surprised? This is the guy who thought the awful Ebert and Siskel inpersonators in Godzilla was funny.

 

[dpippel]

White House Down is a dud? After the likes of Godzilla, The Day After Tomorrow, 10,000 B.C., and 2012, color me surprised...

 

[schan1269]

White House Down is a dud? After the likes of Godzilla, The Day After Tomorrow, 10,000 B.C., and 2012, color me surprised...

I actually kinda liked TDAT. Too bad this movie wasn't done after Shameless...

 

[Brett Meyer]

I really enjoyed this flick. Great cast and a breezy, fun Vanderbilt script. I was entertained. I usually hate Emmerich's films -- especially Godzilla, 2012 and 10,000 BC. Even Independence Day bothers me now. This is easily his best. I think TDAT is a step above and I really like The Patroit. I like a lot of Stargate except for how unprofessional the soldiers are. Olympus Has Fallen beat him to the punch but except for the locales, the films were pretty dfferent. I like OHF for having the balls to be a hardcofre action film.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

My brain hates me for this, but I had a blast at "WHD". I completely loathed "Olympus" - it was almost as awful as "Good Day to Die Hard" - but "Down" was fun from being to end.

Was it stupid? Yup. Illogical? Totally. Ridiculous? Completely.

But unlike the self-serious "Olympus", it gleefully embraced its idiocy and just had FUN. Even its lifts from "Die Hard" felt like winks, whereas in "Olympus" they felt like uncreative theft.

I was shocked at all the positive reviews for "Olympus", which I thought was a "D-" movie at best. I'm not shocked at all the hate for "Down" - Emmerich has always had severe detractors - but still a little surprised.

I guess if you hate "Independence Day", you'll hate this - and if you like "ID", you'll probably like this. They're insane, absurd popcorn movies with such reckless abandon behind them that I can't help but go along for the ride...

 

[Mike Frezon]

Well, I like ID4...

 

[Patrick Sun]

As an unlikely buddy-buddy film, I enjoyed it for what it was, a light-hearted comedy about a dire situation where the White House comes under attack. Sure, there are bouts of setting the table for emotional heart-tugging by introducing us to the main character of John Cale, his daughter, and their fateful visit to the White House (primarily for a job interview for a Secret Service detail job for John, that turns into a White House tour visit, and then into chaos), but plenty of bombastic action and minor quips to keep the audience awake for the roller coaster ride.

I give it 2.5 stars, or a grade of C+.