'White House Down' has lots of action to little effect
Director Roland Emmerich, having already laid waste to the White House in 鈥�Independence Day,鈥� is back for seconds in 鈥�White House Down,鈥� in which D.C. cop Channing Tatum鈥檚 John Cale turns into an impromptu bodyguard to Jamie Foxx鈥檚 President James Sawyer after a gang of nasties moves in.
Tatum muscles his way through the role with panache, while Foxx never gets a chance to break loose. (Would breaking loose be considered unpresidential?) John鈥檚 young daughter (Joey King) is also trapped inside the White House, and she disports herself mightily. Maybe she鈥檒l get her own movie franchise.
Emmerich isn鈥檛 strenuous about setting a consistent tone. Action movie blow-ups are interlaced with dumb jokes and slapstick. He鈥檚 an anything-for-effect guy, but some of his effects are none too effective. Grade: C+ (Rated PG-13 for prolonged sequences of action and violence including intense gunfire and explosions, some language and a brief sexual image.)
