White House Down

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White House Down

PG-13

2013

2h 11m

Action

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

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Popcornmeter

52%

Tomatometer

199 Reviews

62%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Capitol police officer John Cale has just been denied his dream job of protecting President James Sawyer as a member of the Secret Service. Not wanting to disappoint his young daughter with the bad news, Cale takes her on a tour of the White House. While he and his daughter are there, a heavily armed paramilitary group attacks and seizes control. As the nation's government dissolves in chaos, only Cale can save his daughter, the president and the country.

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Critics Consensus

White House Down benefits from the leads' chemistry, but director Roland Emmerich smothers the film with narrative clichés and choppily edited action.

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Shubhra Gupta

The Indian Express

Mar 19, 2019

2.5/5

There is a certain comfort you can derive from these predictable mega-budget monsters. Trouble is, it goes on too long. It has several climactic moments, but every time you ready for the exit, the film bounces back again for the next round.

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Mark Kermode

Observer (UK)

Sep 15, 2013

3/5

At least has the good grace to laugh at itself as it rolls out the dingbat-daft action-movie cliches.

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Donald Clarke

Irish Times

Sep 15, 2013

2/5

It is appallingly funny in a way that few parodies ever manage. But it is undeniably exciting.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Sep 2, 2022

2/4

Never does White House Down surprise us or go in a direction we didn’t see coming. It’s all been manufactured to proven specifications and refuses to deviate from customary action movie schematics.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Aug 21, 2022

1.5/5

Emmerich’s action is repetitive, hackneyed, and not the least bit exciting.

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Joshua Rivera

Polygon

May 3, 2021

t's a '90s throwback from the king of '90s disaster schlock himself, Roland Emmerich - and at the same time, weirdly prescient.

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Jacob W

@RT17896586 3 days ago

In the late 80s Roland was the master of epic storytelling with Independence Day and 2012. In this film in which people break into the White House and cause havoc. At the time of its release there was another film with G Butler that had a similar storyline. As a result this got poor reviews. Despite a great cast the film is not that bad. Enjoyable.

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Pam D

@pamjets12 Aug 28, 2026

Definitely a fun movie to watch if you like action movies. Its not perfect, like most action movies, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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Jeremiah C

@jwormizzle2005 Jul 4, 2026

This is probably the only movie I can genuinely say was perfect to me; every standard was met for me! Amazing movie, 10/10, and enough said!

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Jaden R

@MovieManiac2003 Jun 29, 2026

It’s ok, but kinda fun.

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Adetayo A

@RT80138779 Jun 25, 2026

White House Down is one of the most entertaining action movies I have watched. From the moment the action begins, the movie barely slows down and keeps delivering thrilling scenes, intense shootouts, and exciting moments all the way to the end. What I enjoyed most was the combination of action, suspense, and humor. Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx worked very well together, and their performances made the movie even more enjoyable. The action sequences were big, fast-paced, and exactly what I look for in an action film. Despite its serious premise, the movie never forgets to be fun. There is always something happening, whether it's a daring rescue, a chase, or an explosive confrontation. The pacing kept me engaged throughout, and I never felt bored. If you're a fan of action movies packed with excitement and entertainment, White House Down is definitely worth watching. For me, it was a fantastic experience and an easy 10/10.

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Shirley D

@Sunny1000 Jun 20, 2026

I love this movie, and I've watched it about 20 times. It's packed with action! I felt like I was right there! The actors are fantastic, and I loved Joey King as Emily! Channing Tatum was great as John Cale. There just aren't enough good things I can say about this movie. You won't want to pause it! I give it 10 stars!!!!

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Roland Emmerich

Director

Channing Tatum

Cale

Jamie Foxx

President Sawyer

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Finnerty

Jason Clarke

Stenz

Richard Jenkins

Raphelson

White House Down: Official Clip - Consider This My Resignation

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White House Down: Official Clip - Ground Force One

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White House Down: Official Clip - Presidential Rocket Launcher

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White House Down: Official Clip - No Jail for You

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White House Down: Official Clip - Mr. President Pulls the Trigger

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White House Down: Official Clip - You're Not Going to Shoot the President

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White House Down: Official Clip - Hand-to-Hand Combat

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White House Down: Official Clip - Helicopter Hunting

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White House Down: Official Clip - Millions of People Are Gonna Die

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Synopsis

Capitol police officer John Cale has just been denied his dream job of protecting President James Sawyer as a member of the Secret Service. Not wanting to disappoint his young daughter with the bad news, Cale takes her on a tour of the White House. While he and his daughter are there, a heavily armed paramilitary group attacks and seizes control. As the nation's government dissolves in chaos, only Cale can save his daughter, the president and the country.

Director: Roland Emmerich
Producer: Bradley J. Fischer, Harald Kloser, James Vanderbilt, Larry J. Franco, Laeta Kalogridis
Screenwriter: James Vanderbilt
Distributor: Sony Pictures
Production Co: Centropolis Entertainment, Mythology Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Intense Gunfire and Explosions|A Brief Sexual Image|Seq of Intense Action Violence|Some Language)
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 28, 2013, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 22, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $73.1M
Runtime: 2h 11m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, Datasat

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