--- title: "London Has Fallen" year: 2016 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/london-has-fallen" fi1m_id: "london-has-fallen" imdb_id: "tt3300542" tmdb_id: 267860 wikidata_id: "Q18350210" fi1m_score: 38 critics_score: 41 critics_reviews: 22 published: "2026-10-05T14:13:45.296173+00:00" updated: "2026-10-05T14:13:45.869418+00:00" region: "MX" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # London Has Fallen (2016) Directed by Babak Najafi · 1h 39m · RTC B-15 · Action, Adventure, Thriller ## Identity London Has Fallen - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/london-has-fallen - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** london-has-fallen - **IMDb ID:** tt3300542 - **TMDB ID:** 267860 - **Wikidata ID:** Q18350210 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3300542/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/267860, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q18350210 **Fi1m score: 38** · Critics 41 from 22 reviews *In a sentence:* London gets demolished so Gerard Butler can put in another shift > Gerard Butler works hard in a rescue thriller undone by ugly violence and flimsy digital destruction. Babak Najafi supplies pace, but the attacks on London become repetitive long before they become exciting. ## Synopsis World leaders assemble in London, and their enemies gather to attack them. President Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart) is among those in danger, with Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) trying to keep him alive. The other figures include Lynne Jacobs (Angela Bassett) and Alan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman). Attacks spread across the city, striking its landmarks and turning the gathering into a security disaster. Banning has to get Asher through a capital under assault, as a threat aimed at an international gathering becomes a struggle to protect one president. ## Review *London Has Fallen* is a poor rescue thriller with enough physical energy to make its laziness frustrating. Babak Najafi aims for the simple pleasure of watching a capable man steer a president through catastrophe, and there is nothing wrong with that ambition. Gerard Butler supplies the necessary determination and some welcome humour. But the film treats mounting brutality as a reliable substitute for suspense, and London as a collection of things awaiting demolition. The opening build-up has some tension, because the arrival of world leaders gives the attackers an unusually concentrated set of targets. The screenplay, credited to Creighton Rothenberger, Chad St. John, Katrin Benedikt and Christian Gudegast, makes that opening threat more interesting than the pursuit it sets off. Once the attacks begin, the sheer extent of the assault becomes hard to believe. The devastation also makes the script’s narrow concern for the president harder to accept. Gerard Butler is the strongest reason to persist. He moves quickly and handles the fights with conviction, while his blunt delivery produces the occasional laugh. Aaron Eckhart is good company for him, though the film gives their companionship little room to develop. Angela Bassett and Morgan Freeman bring authority to supporting parts that give them little to work with. Their presence makes the thinness of the writing more conspicuous. Ed Wild’s photography is at its most useful when the action stays close enough to read Gerard Butler’s physical work. The attacks on London’s landmarks offer much less convincing digital destruction, with little sense of weight or consequence. Joel Collins’s production design cannot establish much sense of a lived-in city beneath that barrage of effects. We were bored by the demolition, because each fresh burst of destruction seemed to remove something that had never looked solid in the first place. Editors Michael J. Duthie and Paul Martin Smith do keep the picture moving, which matters at 99 minutes. The cuts deliver urgency more consistently than a clear sense of where anyone can go. Too often, movement alone is expected to keep us interested in the escape. Trevor Morris’s score adds further urgency, although it does little to vary the mood. There are passages where the rhythm briefly works and the fighting has force; they make the surrounding confusion harder to excuse. An action thriller is allowed to be blunt, and moral complexity need not be a condition of a good chase. Here, however, Banning’s violence is offered with a relish that makes the thin characterisation matter. The attackers are scarcely characterised, while the devastation around the president rarely broadens the film’s concern. The violence leaves little room for the relief or humour that might make this an enjoyable escape. Against the basic standards of the rescue thriller, the film makes too little of escape, uncertainty and the effort of keeping another person alive. It repeatedly offers a larger attack where a more difficult choice might have helped. There is enough commitment in Gerard Butler’s performance to understand the appeal, but too little around him to reward it. Choose it only if relentless aggression is the attraction; for suspense, look elsewhere. *Fi1m score 38, published 5 October 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics find London Has Fallen a poor sequel, with objections extending beyond its implausible plotting to its politics and appetite for violence. Gerard Butler’s physical commitment is a recurring point of praise, even in reviews that dislike the material he serves. Some critics also credit Babak Najafi with keeping the chases and fights moving briskly, though there is little agreement that speed makes up for thin characterisation or familiar plotting. The sharpest reservations concern xenophobia, flag-waving and gleeful brutality, alongside cheap-looking digital effects. The spread is wide, and the action itself divides opinion: some find it forceful, others incoherent or dull. IndieWire offers a favourable dissent, praising the precision of the mayhem and a prolonged single-take street sequence. The Evening Standard likewise enjoys the chases and landmark destruction despite the silliness. For most critics, those pleasures are insufficient to excuse the repetition and simplistic politics. ## Straight answers **Is London Has Fallen worth watching?** *London Has Fallen* is a poor rescue thriller we score 38/100, with little to recommend beyond Gerard Butler’s physical commitment and occasional humour. It may suit viewers who want relentless aggression, but we find the repetitive destruction, unconvincing effects and thin characterisation leave too little suspense to make the escape exciting. **How long is London Has Fallen, and what is it rated?** *London Has Fallen* runs 1h 39m and is rated B-15 by the RTC in Mexico. It is an action and adventure film. **Where can I watch London Has Fallen in Mexico?** *London Has Fallen* is streaming on Amazon Prime Video in Mexico, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from MX$50.00. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is London Has Fallen, and is it suitable for children?** *London Has Fallen* carries a UK 15 certificate and is unsuitable for children, with brutal fighting and widespread attacks on a city. We find its relish for violence more oppressive than exciting, while repeated destruction leaves little room for humour or relief. It is a poor choice for squeamish viewers, including teenagers uncomfortable with sustained aggression. **How does London Has Fallen compare to Die Hard?** *London Has Fallen* is a weaker rescue thriller than [*Die Hard*](https://film.one/film/die-hard), which we recommend for its clear staging, vulnerable hero and balance of tension and humour. The confined action in *Die Hard* makes geography and injuries matter; *London Has Fallen* spreads destruction across a capital but struggles to make the escape convincing, despite Gerard Butler’s effort. **What should I watch after London Has Fallen?** After *London Has Fallen*, try [*Die Hard*](https://film.one/film/die-hard) (1988, Fi1m 89): A confined rescue thriller that makes its geography, injuries and jokes count. Then [*The Raid*](https://film.one/film/the-raid) (2011, Fi1m 83): Relentless close combat, with clear spatial stakes and formidable physical commitment; and [*Victoria*](https://film.one/film/victoria) (2015, Fi1m 76): City streets and sustained physical movement create tension without demolishing the neighbourhood. ### Reviews we read (22) - **Evening Standard**, David Sexton (70/100, inferred): Sexton finds the sequel a zestful, briskly made action film, despite its silliness and inauthenticity. He praises its exciting chases and fights, along with its gleeful destruction of London landmarks. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/london-has-fallen-film-review-a3195486.html) - **IndieWire**, Nick Schager (B-): Schager calls it a brash, brutal, simplistic throwback that delivers its mayhem with punishing precision. He praises the visceral staging of the action, especially a prolonged single-take street sequence. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-london-has-fallen-starring-gerard-butler-aaron-eckhart-morgan-freeman-angela-bassett-robert-forster-more-265894/) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (65/100, inferred): McCarthy finds the film an effective, fast-moving action sequel that gets the job done. He praises Babak Najafi’s hard-driving pace and tone, while noting that the visual effects are merely adequate. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/london-has-fallen-film-review-872090/) - **RogerEbert.com** (64/100, inferred): The page is blocked, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No specific praise or complaint can be verified from the supplied content. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/london-has-fallen-2016) - **Screen Daily**, Fionnuala Halligan (64/100, inferred): The page identifies this as Screen Daily’s review, but its verdict is unavailable in the accessible text. No specific element of the film is available to report as praised or criticized. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/london-has-fallen-review/5101007.article) - **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The supplied page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It provides no readable review text from which to identify what the critic praised or criticized. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/04/movies/london-has-fallen-review.html) - **Time Out**, Kate Lloyd (3/5): The critic describes the film as an equally ludicrous sequel to *Olympus Has Fallen*. It follows Gerard Butler saving London from terrorists. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/london-has-fallen) - **Slant Magazine**, Ed Gonzalez (2/4): Gonzalez finds the film a dumb, politically shallow imitation of an imitation, though its action is kinetic. He singles out Butler’s nimble physicality and Najafi’s energetic staging of the chases. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/london-has-fallen/) - **Radio Times**, Andrew Collins (2/5): The critic gives the sequel a poor verdict, finding its violence nasty and its destruction reliant on below-par CGI. They single out the tense build-up as a strength before the attack overwhelms it. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-n95tuj/london-has-fallen/) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (2/5): Bradshaw finds the sequel repetitive and cheap-looking, despite some surreal fun as London’s landmarks and dignitaries are attacked. He singles out the bromance between Gerard Butler and Aaron Eckhart, while criticizing the digital effects. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/mar/02/london-has-fallen-review-gerard-butler-bromance-brews-as-big-ben-blows) - **Total Film**, Neil Smith (2/5): The critic calls the film bloodthirsty, derivative, xenophobic, and ultimately boring. He singles out its implausible, CGI-heavy massacre and bland, formulaic action for criticism. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/london-has-fallen-review/) - **Empire**, William Thomas (20/100, inferred): Thomas gives the film a strongly negative verdict, calling its plotting exceptionally foolish. He particularly criticizes the implausible, city-wide attack and Banning’s relentless violence. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/london-fallen-review/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Robert Abele (15/100, inferred): Abele condemns the film as a reactionary, by-the-numbers slog aimed at angry conspiracy theorists. He particularly faults its incoherent action and its simplistic portrayal of geopolitical conflict. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-london-has-fallen-review-20160304-story.html) - **The AV Club**, Ignatiy Vishnevetsky (F): Vishnevetsky condemns the film as an inept, xenophobic action movie. He singles out its incoherent action and cheap-looking reliance on stock footage for particular criticism. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/gerard-butler-scowls-his-way-through-the-atrocious-lond-1798186887) - **Variety**, Guy Lodge (10/100, inferred): Lodge pans the sequel as crude, xenophobic, and poorly made, arguing that its action and flag-waving lack craft or insight. He singles out Gerard Butler as the film’s most committed performer, though even that praise is qualified by the material he serves. [Read](https://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/london-has-fallen-review-gerard-butler-morgan-freeman-1201719482/) - **HeyUGuys** (45/100, inferred): The critic finds the film watchable but less adventurous than its predecessor, with its exaggerated action keeping it from becoming unbearably political. They praise the surprisingly accurate London geography, while faulting the narrow focus on the president amid widespread destruction. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/london-has-fallen-review/) - **Den of Geek**, Simon Brew (2/5): Brew calls it a poor, disappointing sequel that wastes its budget and offers little tension or character. He singles out Gerard Butler’s committed, blunt performance for generating the few laughs and lifting the film somewhat. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/london-has-fallen-review-2/) - **Paste**, Kenji Fujishima (2.7): The critic finds the sequel appalling and a throwback to jingoistic, morally simplistic action cinema. He particularly condemns its gleeful violence and stereotyping, despite a brief attempt to give the antagonists some nuance. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/article/london-has-fallen) - **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (30/100, inferred): Hammond finds the sequel boring, predictable, and largely an excuse for implausible nonstop action. He praises Gerard Butler’s action-star presence and the diverse casting, but regrets that the talented supporting actors are stuck with clichés. [Read](https://deadline.com/2016/03/london-has-fallen-review-gerard-butler-aaron-eckhart-morgan-freeman-1201714045/) - **The Wrap** (25/100, inferred): The critic is negative, finding the sequel derivative and its action too implausible to overlook. They acknowledge that the film moves briskly enough to keep viewers awake, but fault it for failing to conceal its plot absurdities. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/london-has-fallen-review-gerard-butler-aaron-eckhart-morgan-freeman/) - **Consequence**, Randall Colburn (10/100, inferred): Colburn condemns the film as alarmist, jingoistic, and ugly, arguing that it celebrates violence without meaningful reflection. He singles out Waleed Zuaiter’s ability to find pathos in a thinly written character, while criticizing the film’s visuals and shallow treatment of its subject. [Read](https://consequence.net/2016/03/film-review-london-has-fallen/) - **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray (10/100, inferred): The critic pans the film as a disastrous, incoherent sequel. They single out its implausible revenge plot and excessive violence for particular criticism. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/london-has-fallen-2016-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) ## Details - **Director:** Babak Najafi - **Director:** Babak Najafi - **Screenplay:** Katrin Benedikt, Christian Gudegast, Creighton Rothenberger, Chad St. John - **Story:** Katrin Benedikt, Creighton Rothenberger - **Cinematography:** Ed Wild - **Editor:** Michael J. Duthie, Paul Martin Smith - **Music:** Trevor Morris - **Production design:** Joel Collins - **Costume design:** Stephanie Collie - **Producer:** Gerard Butler, John Thompson, Alan Siegel - **Cast:** Gerard Butler as Mike Banning; Aaron Eckhart as President Benjamin Asher; Angela Bassett as Lynne Jacobs; Morgan Freeman as Alan Trumbull; Melissa Leo as Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan; Robert Forster as General Edward Clegg; Sean O'Bryan as NSA Deputy Director Ray Monroe; Radha Mitchell as Leah Banning - **Runtime:** 1h 39m - **Certificate (RTC):** B-15 - **Release (Mexico):** 11 March 2016 - **Genres:** Action, Adventure, Thriller - **Budget:** $60 million - **Box office:** $206 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQhX4JxGHtw ## Where to watch in Mexico - Amazon Prime Video: add-on - Amazon Prime Video: rent MX$50.00, hd - Apple TV: rent MX$50.00, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy MX$99.00, hd - Apple TV: buy MX$99.00, hd *Checked 2026-10-05.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, HU, ID, IE, IN, IT, JP, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PL, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *Die Hard* (1988), Fi1m 89: A confined rescue thriller that makes its geography, injuries and jokes count — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/die-hard.md) - *The Taking of Pelham One Two Three* (1974): Dry humour and clear stakes give a threatened city some actual inhabitants - *The Raid* (2011), Fi1m 83: Relentless close combat, with clear spatial stakes and formidable physical commitment — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-raid.md) - *Sleepless Night* (2011): A rescue under pressure, with cramped spaces doing the work of spectacle - *Victoria* (2015), Fi1m 76: City streets and sustained physical movement create tension without demolishing the neighbourhood — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/victoria.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/london-has-fallen