Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
After a treacherous attack, Secret Service agent Mike Banning is charged with attempting to assassinate President Trumbull. Chased by his own colleagues and the FBI, Banning begins a race against the clock to clear his name.
Angel Has Fallen is the third entry in the Fallen franchise and arguably the most formulaic. The plot recycles the framed-agent manhunt template with little invention, and the twist villain is telegraphed early. Gerard Butler delivers his reliable gruff performance and Nick Nolte adds some genuine charm as his off-grid father, elevating the acting slightly above the material. Cinematography is serviceable but indistinct — generic action photography with murky lighting and choppy editing during set pieces. Novelty is essentially nil: this is a by-the-numbers sequel retreading familiar ground from both its own franchise and countless other action thrillers. The ending resolves predictably with no emotional or narrative surprise, wrapping up tidily without earning its conclusion.