Gerard Butler is the undisputed king of modern trash cinema, look no further than the “Has Fallen” franchise. The films — “Olympus Has Fallen, “London Has Fallen,” and “Angel Has Fallen” — are modern-day throwbacks to the politically incorrect action fare of yesteryear, with Butler’s Secret Service agent, Mike Banning, blasting and stabbing his way through terrorists while protecting the President of the United States. A fourth film, “Night Has Fallen,” is currently in the works, but the franchise has also expanded into the world of small-screen entertainment with a spin-off set in France.
“Paris Has Fallen” doesn’t feature Butler’s one-man army, but it’s still an entertaining, violent thriller that will appeal to fans of the film saga. The story follows Vincent Taleb (Tewfik Jallab), a protection officer to France’s Defense Minister, and Zara Taylor (Ritu Arya), an MI6 agent, as they team up to stop a rogue soldier who is targeting the politicians they serve. However, the people in power aren’t exactly innocent of crimes, either.
“Paris Has Fallen” is a combination of the things that define the franchise’s cinematic offerings, but it also stands tall in its own right. The terrorist plot is reminiscent of the first two films, but the series also touches on the conspiracy elements that inform “Angel Has Fallen,” a movie that sees Butler’s character get wrongfully accused of trying to assassinate the President and having to go on the run as a result. That said, “Paris Has Fallen” is more nuanced than its cinematic counterparts, and it boasts the best villain in the entire franchise.
