Channing Tatum assumes the role of action hero in his latest film White House Down – which also stars Jamie Foxx as the President of the United States. But it’s hard to take Tatum, or the film, seriously with the absurd sequences and formulaic plot twists that begin to taint White House Down not long after the opening credits roll.
The film, which also stars Maggie Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Woods, has all the basic elements of a summer blockbuster – with the exception of a sappy love story.
But Roland Emmerich’s mailed in direction and James Vanderbilt’s absolutely typical storyline give little depth to the effort.
It’s another day at the office for President James Sawyer before a terrorist attack kicks off at The White House that has the potential to compromise peace on the entire planet.
Capitol police officer John Cale is reconnecting with his long lost daughter on a tour when the plot unfolds and kicks into high gear to ensure her safety.
The truth is, with most summer action films the audience knows how the story ends. But where White House Down fails is in the manner it transports the audience to the happily ever after. The film attempts to take the long scenic route, but gets lost along the way early on.
The film has an advantage of a suspense element with respect to the culprit of the attack. Sadly, the suspense card is turned over far too quickly and audiences are never allowed to develop their own ideas and subsequently be thrown for a loop.
White House Down is one missed opportunity after another from every angle.
The funny bits aren’t clever enough to fly – and the lack of comedic chemistry between Foxx and Tatum doesn’t help. Foxx is tuned in to his serious side for most of the film, which could be expected when one plays the role of commander in chief.
With the exception of a “get your hands off my Jordans” (could the writers have found anything more cliché – or borderline offensive – to come from the mouth of the black president?) Foxx’s Sawyer is extremely low key. And Tatum doesn’t have the wit or timing to be the go-to for comic relief.
The action sequences are drawn out so long that they don’t pack the punch that they could.
It’s as if the powers that be – including executive producer Tatum – tried to incorporate so many elements audiences love about the feel good action blockbuster that White House Down is spread thin. The end result is a watered down crowd pleaser with unmet expectations.
White House Down opens in theatres nationwide on Friday, June 28. The Film is rated PG-13 with a running time of 137 minutes.
