By Cate Hill

Caution: Spoilers ahead.

Third in the Fallen series, the film Angel Has Fallen is a sequel to Olympus Has Fallen (2013) and London Has Fallen (2016). The film was released in late August 2019 and was directed by American film director, writer, actor, and stunt performer Ric Roman Waugh. Making $147.5 million in box office, the film proved to be an entertaining addition to the series. The plot of this action-packed thriller follows Gerard Butler as Mike Banning in his role as a Secret Service agent to United States President Allan Trumball, played by Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman. 

Born in Scotland in 1969, Butler is both an actor and film producer best known for his work as Mike Banning in the Fallen series. Butler has played leading and supporting roles in many films since his acting debut as Archie Brown in the film Mrs. Brown (1997). Some of the most popular films that Butler has played a role in include 300 (2006), Law Abiding Citizen (2009), The Ugly Truth (2009), and The Bounty Hunter (2010). His production company, G-Base, produces his current projects with the help of his friend and manager Alan Siegel. 

Other main characters in Angel Has Fallen include Tim Blake Nelson as Vice President Kirby, Michael Landes as Sam Wilcox, Lance Reddick as Secret Service Director Gentry, and Danny Huston as Wade Jennings.  

The storyline follows Banning in his determination to fulfill his duty. Banning is revealed to be suffering from migraines, insomnia, and back pains as a result of his work from the previous two films. After being falsely accused of attempting to assassinate the president, Banning is taken into custody by authorities. While the person responsible for the attack remains a threat looming over the president, Banning escapes the authorities in hopes to defeat the enemy and protect Trumbull. He must endure efforts by the FBI, his own agency, and angry Americans who relentlessly try to recapture Banning and put him back into custody. Despite all odds against him, Banning must be resilient in order to clear his name and save President Trumbull. 

I watched the film through Fios on Demand with my family while under quarantine. We had discovered the Fallen series a few summers ago and enjoyed both Olympus Has Fallen and London Has Fallen. While watching Angel Has Fallen, I had somewhat high expectations, as I remembered the previous two films kept me on the edge of my seat. While I found the overall plot to be entertaining and enjoyed the addition of new characters, the story seemed repetitive as compared to other action movies. In comparison to London and Olympus, I did not enjoy watching Angel quite as much. My brother Jack Hill (‘22) agreed, saying, “I thought the movie was a little predictable. I liked this movie less than London Has Fallen.” 

While I thought the level of violence and action was about the same, I enjoyed learning more about Banning’s early life from his father, Clay Banning, played by Nick Nolte. Additionally, the anticipation of not knowing the man who was behind the attempted assassination of President Trumball kept me engaged. For me, the realization that the enemy, Wade Jennings, was a longtime friend of Banning strengthened the plot, as Banning was forced to kill him in some of the final scenes of the film. Despite liking the film less than its prequels, I thought Angel Has Fallen was an enjoyable action-thriller, and I am glad to have continued with the Fallen series. 

According to Rotten Tomatoes, critics gave Angel Has Fallen an average rating of 5.02/10, awarding it an overall low tomatometer score of 39%. Comparatively, the average audience rating of the film was a 4.37/5 stars, giving it a satisfactory rate of 89%. The Critics Consensus on Rotten Tomatoes states, “Angel Has Fallen rounds out a mostly forgettable action trilogy in fittingly mediocre fashion.”

In his article “‘Angel Has Fallen’ is a freak: An action movie with half a brain but no fun whatsoever,” Hau Chu of The Washington Post gave the film a harsh rating of 1.5/5 starts. Not a fan of either Olympus Has Fallen or London Has Fallen, Chu writes, “Against all better judgment, another installment of the Fallen series has arisen.” He describes the plot as predictable, saying that “any attentive viewer will spot [the twists and turns] from a mile away.” Throughout the article, Chu continues to criticize the film and ends his thoughts with the final statement, “‘Angel’s ending certainly hints at the prospect of another sequel. Then again, we all might be better off at this point if Banning simply traded his badge for angel’s wings.”

On the other hand, Ben Kenigsberg of The New York Times writes in his article “‘Angel Has Fallen’ Review: Returning to Grace, One Bullet at a Time,” “Angel Has Fallen appears to have aimed higher than its predecessors, both of which started in forehead-slapping territory and grew dumber with every twist. The Ric Roman Waugh-directed “Angel,” by contrast, is capital-T topical.” Kenigsberg feels that the film is a more than significant addition to the series, even surpassing its prequels. 

All photos by Nu Image Productions.