Capitol Policeman John Cale (Channing Tatum) has just been denied his dream job with the Secret Service of protecting President James Sawyer (Jamie Foxx). Not wanting to let down his little girl with the news he takes her on a tour of the White House during which the complex is overtaken by a heavily armed paramilitary group. Now with the nation's government falling into chaos and time running out it's up to Cale to save the president his daughter and the country. Co-starring Maggie Gyllenhaal Jason Clarke Richard Jenkins and James Woods.
In many respects, White House Down is a solid blockbuster, and had all the makings of being a successful hit in cinemas last summer.
Boasting a stellar cast, led by one of the most successful blockbuster directors of all time, its release was unfortunately timed to follow the release of unexpected hit Olympus Has Fallen. With two stories centred on an attack on the White House within the space of just a few months, one of them was bound to outperform the other, and Olympus Has Fallen was very much the winner, both in terms of money and, somewhat surprisingly, quality.
Despite strong characters, as written by the impressive emerging screenwriter James Vanderbilt (The Amazing Spider-Man), you can't help but shake the feeling throughout that something is missing from the bigger picture.
Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx are brilliant in the leads, bringing both gravitas and comedy to their respective roles. Tatum stars as John Cale, an officer in the US Capitol Police, who aspires to be a role model for his young daughter, applying for a position on the White House Secret Service. Enter Jamie Foxx, President of the United States of America.
When the building is overtaken by a paramilitary group - armed to the teeth - whilst Cale and his young daughter are inside, it's up to him to step up and become the hero that his daughter, his President, and his country all need him to be.
The film undeniably has breathtaking action sequences in spades, some excellent witty dialogue to match the action, and a great supporting cast headed up by Maggie Gyllenhaal and Jason Clarke.
But when push comes to shove, it's that unshakable feeling that something was missing that you're left with at the end of the film. You can't quite put your finger on what it was, but it was there from start to finish.
Tatum is as brilliant as he's always been, bringing his natural strength to the good-guy role of John Cale, and Foxx is excellent opposite as the American President. Emmerich's direction makes the film feel larger than life - exactly what you want from a blockbuster like this. And Vanderbilt's script is unique in that, with the exception of Olympus Has Fallen, a story like this really hasn't been seen before on the big screen.
So whilst it may be recommended viewing, and definitely worth a night's entertainment if you're looking to unwind with some explosive action sequences without much intellectual input needed on your part, it's also not something I'll be returning to for a second viewing particularly soon. A solid three-star effort, in my books.
We will publish your review of White House Down (Blu-ray + UV) on Blu Ray within a few days as long as it meets our guidelines.
None of your personal details will be passed on to any other third party.
Please note this is a region B Blu-ray and will require a region B or region free Blu-ray player in order to play. Please note the UV copy is only compatible in participating regions, please visit the UV website for full details. Fast-paced action feature starring Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx and Maggie Gyllenhaal in which the White House comes under attack. When Washington DC policeman John Cale (Tatum)'s interview for the Secret Service goes badly, it seems he will be denied the chance to serve President James Sawyer (Foxx). However, when a group of paramilitaries under the command of Stenz (Jason Clarke) launch an assault on the White House and take Sawyer hostage, Cale is offered an unexpected opportunity to redeem himself. Attempting to protect his daughter Emily (Joey King) on one hand and to take down a gang of highly trained mercenaries on the other, Cale will have to prove his mettle in spectacular style if he is to save the nation and its president from the evil designs of Stenz. Will he be up to the task? Age Rating 12 Actors Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx, Maggie Gyllenhaal & Jason Clarke Director Roland Emmerich Certificate 12 years and over Year 2013 Screen Widescreen 2.40:1 Anamorphic Languages English - DTS-HD Master Audio (5.1) Additional Languages English Audio Description ; Spanish Subtitles English for the hearing impaired ; English ; Hindi ; Spanish Duration 2 hours and 11 minutes (approx)
Fast-paced action feature starring Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx and Maggie Gyllenhaal in which the White House comes under attack. When Washington DC policeman John Cale (Tatum)'s interview for the Secret Service goes badly, it seems he will be denied the chance to serve President James Sawyer (Foxx). However, when a group of paramilitaries under the command of Stenz (Jason Clarke) launch an assault on the White House and take Sawyer hostage, Cale is offered an unexpected opportunity to redeem himself. Attempting to protect his daughter Emily (Joey King) on one hand and to take down a gang of highly trained mercenaries on the other, Cale will have to prove his mettle in spectacular style if he is to save the nation and its president from the evil designs of Stenz. Will he be up to the task?
This site uses cookies.
More details in our privacy policy
