Cliché but enjoyable

Nothing sounds more like a snoozefest than an action movie entitled White House Down.

We all know that being the fictitious US president puts you on the ‘most hated’ list (as well as in danger) but why does it have to call in for some action-thriller deluxe every time.

Don’t get me wrong, I love America … I practically bleed red, white and blue, but it’s always the US president in danger when … spoiler alert … he is bravely saved by the all-American hero – Channing Tatum. It’s a tired plot!
However, when the film stars a young black man as president, everything changes.

Jamie Foxx may have never seen battle, but in White House Down, give this president a cowboy hat and a gun and he’s Django.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I actually enjoyed this movie. It had its fair share of explosions, fight scenes and car chases, but it was all thrilling to watch thanks to the computer-generated effects.

Yet it was the Tatum-Foxx duo that really sold the film. Although the movie is pretty serious most of the time, including hidden stereotypes and political issues, it still has time to add some humour. The tongue-in-cheek chemistry between Tatum and Foxx develops throughout and the audience is showered with a number of cathartic one-liners.

The movie follows John Cale (Tatum), a police officer assigned to protecting the Speaker of the House.

After viewers are introduced to the smooth talking Cale, they come to realise he has an estranged daughter, Emily (Joey King). Emily is obsessed with politics and in an effort to win her over, Cale applies for a position with the US Secret Service.

When he goes for an interview at the White House and brings his daughter along, he realises he doesn’t have a shot. He never finished university, he doesn’t have the experience and he’s just not what they’re looking for.

In an effort to put himself and his daughter in a good mood, they decide to take a tour of the White House, which quickly takes a turn for the worse when a group of terrorists storm the building. As he’s separated from his daughter, he leaves the tourist group and tries to find her, killing anyone who stands in his way.

While looking for Emily, he manages to free president Sawyer (Foxx) from his captors, but Emily has been taken hostage. Now Cale must protect both the president and his daughter as the terrorists scour the White House searching for him.

The ending of this movie is obvious, but it’s the excitement that happens in between that keeps viewers hooked.

I have only started becoming a fan of Tatum recently, after his more comedic roles in 21 Jump Street and Magic Mike. The reason I thought he did a great job, once again, is because just like those films he brings the same entertaining mix of comedy and action. However, he doesn’t fit the leading character and needed more aggression and authority instead of campy and cold … come on, your daughter could be dead!

Foxx was entertaining as usual. He had the most memorable scenes as well as one-liners and definitely stole the show regardless of how little screen time he actually had.

There’s a number of supporting characters that help bring the film up to the standard of a major action blockbuster, but King who plays Emily definitely delivers as a 13-year-old political buff who fears for her life. She did present the audience with major eye-roll moments but she’s 13, we forgive her.

Overall, director Emmerich is definitely in his element. From directing one of the best White House movies (1995’s Independence Day), this could be a downgrade in making cinematic history. I mean anyone who didn’t enjoy that movie in the 90s must have been watching the wrong film.

White House Down falls short of making history and may have been completely predictable, but it was entertaining, had me giggling throughout and consisted of an A-list cast providing plenty of worthwhile moments to carry the film.

* Showing in Cineco, Saar, Seef II