White House Down (2013) Review

3/5

When you pay for a movie that is called White House Down directed by Roland Emmerich and rated PG-13, you kind of know what you're going to get. A high octane spectacle of special effects and ridiculous action leading up to a conclusion with a twist or two to keep the whole thing from being entirely formulaic. I just wish he'd have gotten to the insane stuff sooner, and didn't try to incorporate as much story in the opening half-hour.
Yes, it takes what feels like four hours until we hear the first gunshot, see the first explosion, watch someone crash through a window or drive with a turret coming out of the trunk. This isn't quite on the epic scale of 2012, but within the confines of the White House, the movie does a pretty good job of tearing the place apart.
In terms of entertainment, this is a blast (after the opening "plot" sequences) and watching James Woods do his thing is worth the price of admission just so you can say you watched James Woods on screen for a considerable amount of time. Tatum is at his best when he's shooting up bad guys, and Jamie Foxx often surprises me with the depth he can bring to what could be a rote character. The real bright spot among the cast, however, is Jason Clarke. This man can act. He has an intensity that we saw in Zero Dark Thirty (the "I'm not your friend" agent) and here, whereas another actor would play the villain as a kind of crazy psychopath, he brings a subtle sense of humanity to that raging murderer stereotype. It's always a pleasure to have Richard Jenkins as part of a cast, and Maggie Gyllenhaal has the most impeccable timing of all time because every phone call she makes is cut short by the receiver getting pummeled into a staircase or something. Joey King is making a name for herself... I imagine she is one to watch.
The script is not great, but it doesn't need to be. If you can look past the cliches and plot holes and cheesy dialogue, which I can't beyond a 3/5, this is a perfectly serviceable summer popcorn adventure that will leave you an unchanged yet entertained person ready for the next event in their day, and sometimes that's just what you need.