White House Down (2013)

As anyone who has followed my blog may realize, I do not do many flicks that are in theatres. Too often, the hype that has been built can influence an opinion. I like to wait until I forgot about something and see it then. Last night, we decided to hit the drive-in for the evening, and I got to see two flicks that interested me for different reasons; the first movie up for review from the trip, White House Down from 2013.

Plot/ While on a tour of the White House with his young daughter, a Capitol policeman springs into action to save his child and protect the president from a heavily armed group of paramilitary invaders.

Action flicks are not normally my cup of tea, but when at the drive-in, they are always a solid bet. This flick was not great but it was not terrible either. It was a typical over-the-top action flick full of implausible and impossible details. With that, it also had the somewhat disjointed plot and feel to it, almost like the multiple story lines were so far apart that they could not be brought together smoothly. The acting was OK, and none of it was believable, but it was entertaining. To me, the biggest letdown (besides the CGI and lack of any character development) was what I expected when we pulled in, the idea that right-wing extremist sponsored by a right-wing element of the military industrial complex would be to blame. Yes, the same NDAA driven propaganda that has become the calling card for training in the DHS and DOJ in recent years.  In the end, this is an entertaining action flick that makes little big picture sense, and a movie perfect for a drive-in or living room once it hits DVD.