London Has Fallen

"The car is bullet proof, not politician proof.

After the death of the British Prime Minister, several world leaders converge on London for the funeral.  U.S. President Benjamin Asher (Eckhardt) also plans to attend.  His security team is led by Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Butler), who is eagerly anticipating the birth of his first child.  Banning does not feel it is safe to travel to London on short notice, but agrees to protect the president and Secret Service Director Lynne Jacobs (Bassett).  As the world leaders make their way to the funeral, they are ambushed.

Banning changed their itinerary at the last minute, which allows them to get away.  Lynne is killed in a helicopter crash, but Banning and Asher survive.  Meanwhile, Vice President Allan Trumble (Freeman), is contacted by Pakistani terrorist Aamir Barkawi (Aboutboul).  Barkawi claims that their main target is Asher, and they plan to execute him on live television.  Banning and Asher are cut off from their allies and trying to stay one step ahead of the terrorists.  Can they get to the US embassy safely?


The sequel to director Antoine Fuqua's Olympus Has Fallen in 2013.  The writers (Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt) and main cast returned for the sequel.  But director Fuqua was unable to return and directing duties were given to Babak Najafi.  This was Najafi's first English language film.  Prior to this he was a well-known director in Sweden.

Like its predecessor, this film is explosive.  It is bigger, louder, and more destructive.  The first film destroyed the White House.  The trailers (and posters) for this film, look like they will destroy well-known landmarks in London, but that is only at the beginning of the film.  The majority of the film involves the main characters running through back streets in London on the way to the embassy.  The film is an excuse to blow-up things and beat-up people.

London Has Fallen (2016) 99 minutes
Rating: R for strong violence and language throughout
Director: Babak Najafi
Starring: Gerard Butler as Secret Service Agent Mike Banning
Aaron Eckhardt as President Benjamin Asher
Morgan Freeman as Vice President Allan Trumble
Alon Moni Aboutboul as Aamir Barkawi
Angela Bassett as Secret Service Director Lynne Jacobs
Robert Forster as US Army General Edward Clegg
Melissa Leo as Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan
Radha Mitchell as Leah Banning
Charlotte Riley as MI6 Agent Jacqueline Marshall
Jackie Earle Haley as White House Deputy Chief of Staff DC Mason
Sean O'Bryan as NSA Deputy Director Ray Monroe
Waleed Zuaiter as Kamran Barkawi
Mehdi Dehbi as Sultan Mansoor