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| Independence Day (1996) White House destruction |
Here are the worst times the White House has been attacked in movie history. The President in never safe.
With the release of the movie White House Down (2013), where terrorists take over the White House, its time to look back at all the worst examples of security at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the President of the United States since 1800. It’s located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.
It’s one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. It’s so common, it even appears on the back of the U.S. $20 bill.
Security is pretty tight in the White House these days, but in movies, the thing gets attacked all the time.
Here are the top five times the White House has been attacked in science-fiction and superhero movies.
#5. Superman II (1980)
Difficulty: Medium
Destruction: 35%
General Zod and his soldiers attack the White House and make the President kneel.
#4. G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013)
Difficulty: Hard
Destruction: 5%
After Zartan impersonates the President and destroys the world’s arsenal of nuclear weapons, COBRA takes over the White House and hangs flags over the front. This one actually left the White House completely intact and, since the President was a fake anyway, didn’t endanger the President. It’s not easy to create an exact duplicate of the President, infiltrate the White House and trick the world leaders into leaving themselves defenseless, so this is the most complicated plan of them all.
#3. 2012 (2009)
Difficulty: Easy
Destruction: 100%
If you needed more proof that Roland Emmerich hates the White House, he destroys it again in 2012. This time he uses a massive wave with the help of the USS John F. Kennedy.
#2. Independence Day (1996)
Difficulty: Easy
Destruction: 100%
The aliens park a ship over the White House and use a massive laser to demolish it. The first bit of proof that Roland Emmerich hates the White House.
#1. X2: X-Men United (2003)
Difficulty: Easy
Destruction: 15%
There’s a reason tours aren’t allowed in the White House anymore. They say it’s because of sequestration, but I think it’s because they watched this movie. Thanks to a helpful tour guide, Nightcrawler makes it all the way into the Oval Office and almost stabs the President.
Which is the worst White House attack you’ve ever heard of? Is the President safe in any movie?
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<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="37469 ">14 Comments
President is always fair game!
Think the one in Independence Day was the most impressive.
Great list. How about Mars Attacks!
ID is the most iconic one. Pretty lame of Emmerich to do it again a decade later. Talk about jumping the shark! If the president is a main character like White House Down, Olympus Has Fallen, or Air Force One then he's pretty safe. Otherwise he's fair game.
I think this makes us look weak… in the films…. we are not weak, just silly. I can think of two more… Die Hard 4 and Mars Attacks… not that they count… maybe?
ID4 has that iconic image of the ship blasting the White House. That's going to be tough to beat.
HA! Take my upvote for Jack Lemmon, James Garner, Dan Aykroyd!
It really is a near perfect cast. They even threw in Brimley.
That's a good one David! I'll add it.
That speech is one of the top ten inspiring speeches in movies Mary. When I first heard it would be Bill Pullman I thought of Spaceballs, but he did an amazing job.
I've never seen "My Fellow Americans" but it sounds like a great flick with the cast.
Good point Pat.If the main character is the President they always survive.
Mars Attacks definitely Jeremy. Great one!
Definitely the most impressive Alex. Not my favorite, but the most impressive.
Plzz tell me the name in which white house get covered by foreign soldiers a person left inside the white house which help to make free the person is the main guard of presidant plzz tell me