Ever wonder what would happen if the United States were to be attacked by North Korean terrorists? The highly anticipated film “Olympus Has Fallen” gives an idea of the amount of power our government has and how closely guarded it must remain. Director Antoine Fuqua created this far-fetched but suspenseful film using life-like situations on a large scale.

The film begins with President Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart, “Erased”) preparing for yet another presidential appearance with his wife and son Connor (Finley Jacobsen, “Marmaduke”) at Camp David. On a snowy night, as the cars travel to the event, the president and the First Lady are in the process of exchanging Christmas gifts when a few of the cars spiral out of control. In an unlikely turn of events, the president’s vehicle is teetering over the edge of a bridge, and a member of his Secret Service detail, Mike Banning (Gerald Butler, “Movie 43”), makes a split second decision to pull the president out of the car. The First Lady, who was stuck in the vehicle, falls to her death off the bridge in the car.

Eighteen months later, Banning is struggling to come to terms with the decision he made that caused his removal from the president’s detail. Meanwhile, the President meets with the South Korean prime minister to discuss a resolution with the North Koreans. As if Asher had not been through enough, Washington D.C. quickly becomes under attack, and he is escorted to the bunker with the prime minister and U.S. government members.

While the audience is left believing the violence is done after a short spurt of gunfire, a plot twist occurs, and the president is held hostage. Until the bad guys get what they want, they threaten the lives of all American civilians. Banning ends up being the only one in the White House that can find Connor and attempt to save the president with some direction from the acting president and those in the Pentagon.

Fuqua’s film is filled with gory and violent scenes, but we see this especially in the first quarter of the movie. When it appears there are just a few terrorists attacking the White House, they continue to appear from all directions, easily taking out Americans left and right. Although the bloody bodies are sometimes hard to bear, it is difficult to take your eyes off the screen throughout this thriller.

The love and bravery of both Jacobsen’s and Eckhart’s characters leave you yearning for them to be reunited at the end. The president has a personality that is not difficult to fall in love with. He is strong for his co-workers and is not afraid to get snappy with the terrorists holding him hostage. Perhaps one of his best lines that embodies this persona is when the leader of the North Koreans finds out it is Mike Banning who is in the building and is told not to be worried about him. President Asher remarks, “Well, you should be.”

Butler’s character ultimately makes this film come to life. His sarcastic remarks and “succeed or die trying” mentality brings some humor and light-hearted scenes into the mix. It is exhilarating to watch Banning have a second chance at saving the president’s world, but with many tricky turns of events, you never truly know what the outcome will be. Butler’s character proves to be smart and witty and able to act in an instant. He is quick to think of the best action plan and know when something isn’t right, which can be a change of pace from Butler’s other films.

Even though at times the film’s animation was apparent, the hidden passageways and hiding places in the White House, and some of the secret powers of which the government has control, incorporates enough life-like situations to make the film believable. “Olympus Has Fallen” leaves you wondering about all of the secrets within the government of which civilians aren’t aware.

While this movie was action-packed, it incorporated romance stories between the president and his wife and Banning and his wife, and humor in Banning’s and President Asher’s characters. It has enough of everything to keep audiences on their toes and wanting more. Even if you aren’t an action-packed movie lover, you will enjoy this film on a level you did not think you would.

4 out of 5