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Here's a look at the new movie I saw this week.

Angel Has Fallen
Starring: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Nick Nolte, and Danny Huston
Synopsis: This sequel returns Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Butler) to the side of the President, in this case Trumbull (Freeman), who is once again in danger. This is the formula we saw in "Olympus Has Fallen" and "London Has Fallen" before, and if you've seen those (or even really a trailer for those) then you can be pretty sure how this is gonna go. The wrinkle here is Mike is aging and struggling with injuries, which he hides from the President, his co-workers and even his wife (Piper Perabo). He gets framed for an assassination attempt on the President, and quickly sets out to prove his innocence. For that, he turns to his long-lost father (Nolte) for help. There is plenty of action in this and a pretty easy-to-follow story. This is exactly what you'd think it would be in terms of a late summer action film, with the added wrinkle that it feels like one man's quest to get CTE in service to the President. Butler is good in this role, Freeman adds gravitas, Nolte has some fun moments and Huston is the perfect foil. Though he's introduced early in a seemingly friendly role, there is never a moment of doubt he's the villain. And his casting works well. This isn't a great or a deep film, but if you've been a fan of the franchise, it's worth seeking out.
Rating: R for violence and language throughout.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:
Friday, August 30: "Playmobil the Movie," "Don't Let Go"

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