--- title: "London Has Fallen: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/london-has-fallen/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/london-has-fallen" critics_score: 41 critics_reviews: 22 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): what the critics said Critics' score 41 from 22 reviews: 2 positive, 7 mixed, 13 negative. 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. ## Evening Standard — David Sexton Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 4 March 2016. 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 the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/london-has-fallen-film-review-a3195486.html) ## IndieWire — Nick Schager Rating B-. 2 March 2016. 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 the review](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 Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 2 March 2016. 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 the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/london-has-fallen-film-review-872090/) ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 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 the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/london-has-fallen-2016) ## Screen Daily — Fionnuala Halligan Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 2 March 2016. 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 the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/london-has-fallen-review/5101007.article) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 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 the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/04/movies/london-has-fallen-review.html) ## Time Out — Kate Lloyd Rating 3/5. 2 March 2016. The critic describes the film as an equally ludicrous sequel to *Olympus Has Fallen*. It follows Gerard Butler saving London from terrorists. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/london-has-fallen) ## Slant Magazine — Ed Gonzalez Rating 2/4. 2 March 2016. 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 the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/london-has-fallen/) ## Radio Times — Andrew Collins Rating 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 the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-n95tuj/london-has-fallen/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Rating 2/5. 2 March 2016. 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 the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/mar/02/london-has-fallen-review-gerard-butler-bromance-brews-as-big-ben-blows) ## Total Film — Neil Smith Rating 2/5. 3 March 2016. 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 the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/london-has-fallen-review/) ## Empire — William Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 3 March 2016. 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 the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/london-fallen-review/) ## Los Angeles Times — Robert Abele Fi1m's normalised score 15/100 (inferred from the text). 3 March 2016. 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 the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-london-has-fallen-review-20160304-story.html) ## The AV Club — Ignatiy Vishnevetsky Rating F. 2 March 2016. 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 the review](https://www.avclub.com/gerard-butler-scowls-his-way-through-the-atrocious-lond-1798186887) ## Variety — Guy Lodge Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 2 March 2016. 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 the review](https://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/london-has-fallen-review-gerard-butler-morgan-freeman-1201719482/) ## HeyUGuys Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 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 the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/london-has-fallen-review/) ## Den of Geek — Simon Brew Rating 2/5. 2 March 2016. 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 the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/london-has-fallen-review-2/) ## Paste — Kenji Fujishima Rating 2.7. 5 March 2016. 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 the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/article/london-has-fallen) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 4 March 2016. 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 the review](https://deadline.com/2016/03/london-has-fallen-review-gerard-butler-aaron-eckhart-morgan-freeman-1201714045/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 2 March 2016. 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 the review](https://www.thewrap.com/london-has-fallen-review-gerard-butler-aaron-eckhart-morgan-freeman/) ## Consequence — Randall Colburn Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 3 March 2016. 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 the review](https://consequence.net/2016/03/film-review-london-has-fallen/) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 3 March 2016. The critic pans the film as a disastrous, incoherent sequel. They single out its implausible revenge plot and excessive violence for particular criticism. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/london-has-fallen-2016-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/london-has-fallen.md