You’re with a tour group visiting the White House and all of a sudden you feel and hear an explosion out of nowhere, what do you do? The first thing you worry about is your safety and those of your family.
Channing Tatum stars as an ex-military soldier who gets caught up in the chaos that ensues in the White House. Tatum plays his character with grace, definitely on point and very emotional. This film is a step up for Tatum. He was okay in “21 Jump Street” and “G.I. Joe”, but in my opinion, he came out of his shell and proved that he has the chops to play a lead role. Not just an action star with the looks, but he sold the character of John Cale, his role in the film. He plays a father who’s trying to rebuild a relationship with his daughter, Emily, played by Joey King.
Jamie Fox plays the President of the United States. Fox is an amazing actor, he was great in “Ray” and is just as amazing in “White House Down”. He definitely nailed the character of being the President. His sense of humor in the film is hilarious and adds to the film’s atmosphere.
Maggie Gyllenhaal is the head of the Secret Service. She played the character very well, with a “I’m in charge” attitude. Loved her in “The Dark Knight” and she is no different in this film.
Joey King plays Tatum’s daughter. I am not familiar with her work, but I found her to be an amazing actress. She has some resemblance to Tatum, making her character more believable as his daughter in the film. The chemistry between Tatum and King is all there, from the attitude down to the humor.
I had no idea what the film was about, as I have never even seen the trailer before going into the theater. Just from the look of the poster, I thought it was something along the lines of “Lethal Weapon”, but that wasn’t the case. “White House Down” is its own film, something that could very well happen today. It’s real, it’s emotional, and it’s got a lot of heart as a film. And yes, there is plenty of action as well!!!
What I noticed that was also amazing about this film was the cinematography. Very amazing camera views throughout the movie. The action scenes were just as great, not overly done nor heavily exaggerated, more on the realistic side.
Tatum and Fox are an amazing duo in the film. In fact, the entire cast has great chemistry, very fluid throughout the film and you can see how they all connect with one another. The film is a roller coaster on the way to suspense, a thriller that had me on the edge of my seat, making me wonder what will happen next! And when you think it’s over, it’s NOT! Don’t blink!