We've been wondering often and loudly lately about the surprising box office failure of White House Down, which opened last weekend and seemed to have ever possible element of a surefire hit. It's Roland Emmerich destroying the White House, right before the 4th of July! What else could a red-blooded American possibly want? Well, the answer to that is apparently "The Heat," and White House Down got scorched by its opening weekend competition, making just $25 million in its opening bow.
But now, fellow Americans, we have the chance to make up for our past mistakes. It's a holiday weekend, and at some point after the barbecue is eaten and the sunburn is acquired, you might want to go to the movies. Need more encouragement? Listen up, military men and women. Today, July 4, all active military personnel and veterans get free tickets to see White House Down-- and you get a plus-one! Servicemen and women, take your kids! Lazy kids (like me) who never served, take your grandparents and ask them about the Korean War! Here's what Sony's president of worldwide distribution, Rory Bruer, has to say about why you should go:
“We think White House Down is the summer’s best action movie, so on July 4th, we’re inviting all active duty and veteran military personnel to bring a guest and see it for free. It’s a great way to celebrate the holiday and to honor and thank the troops for their service to our country.”
For those of you in the military who actually know how the government would respond in a time of crisis… just try not to think about it too much while you're watching White House Down, OK? To get to the scenario in which Channing Tatum is the only man capable of rescuing the President (Jamie Foxx), you have to have a lot of things happen, from terrorists allowed inside the White House under the guise of repairing the home theater system to one rogue Secret Service agent with the ability to get his hands on the nuclear football, which SOMEHOW has become the only thing standing between us and total nuclear war. It involves a really smart hacker wearing a leather jacket. I know, I know, just go with it.
Even if military members probably know better than to buy into the crazy plot of White House Down, there's still a ton to enjoy in there, from Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum's ridiculous chemistry to the gonzo silliness of a car chase on the White House lawn. Since no one seems to be at all interested in seeing The Lone Ranger, why not give weird underdog White House Down a try?
