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If White House Down had you hooked with its mix of explosive action, political stakes, and an everyman-turned-hero saving the day, you’re in luck. Hollywood has delivered a whole lineage of films cut from the same cloth, sieges on seats of power, presidents in peril, terrorists with impossible plans, and lone defenders standing between chaos and collapse.
Some are cult classics from the ’90s that set the standard for political thrillers, while another is a gritty modern blockbuster that doubled down on the spectacle. Here’s a look at five movies like White House Down that deserve a spot on your watch list.
Olympus Has Fallen
Antoine Fuqua's Olympus Has Fallen started off the Has Fallen franchise with Gerard Butler stepping into the shoes of Mike Banning, a disgraced Secret Service agent who defends the country after an attack on the White House from North-Korea. The film stars Butler with Aaron Eckhart as President Benjamin Asher and Morgan Freeman as Allan Trumbull. The film came out in 2013, and pulled in $170 million worldwide against a $70 million budget. It later on led to two sequels, London Has Fallen and Angel Has Fallen.
The film is often compared to White House Down 2013, which arrived just three months later with a strikingly similar premise: a surprise attack on the White House, a charismatic action hero forced into protector mode, and a president in dire need of saving. Where White House Down leaned into blockbuster humor and buddy-action chemistry between Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx, Olympus Has Fallen delivered a darker, grittier, and more violent take on the formula. Both films highlight themes of resilience, loyalty, and the fight to protect democracy when America’s most iconic symbol of power comes under siege.
Available to watch on: Prime Video
Air Force One
Harrison Ford’s Air Force One is pure 90s big-iron patriotism: a taut political action thriller directed by Wolfgang Petersen where the president becomes the action hero. Terrorists hijack the presidential plane and demand the release of their dictator, and instead of waiting for a rescue, President Andrew Marshall picks up a weapon and fights to retake Air Force One himself. The film landed massive box office returns, pulled strong reviews, and earned two Oscar nominations for its technical work. Ford’s weary, stubborn leadership gives the movie a moral backbone, while Gary Oldman’s villain brings a charismatic menace that elevates every showdown.
Compare that to White House Down and you get the same central fantasy of American power under siege, but with very different flavors. Air Force One is grim, claustrophobic, and star-driven, centered on the president as the last defender. White House Down is looser and more popcorny, built around an everyman protagonist who’s part joke-cracking action hero and part sentimental family man. Where Air Force One mines emotional weight and old-school heroics, White House Down trades on buddy chemistry, spectacle, and blockbuster snark. Both scratch the adrenaline itch of a seat-of-power attack, but if you want gravitas and a commander-in-chief kicking ass, watch Air Force One. If you want goofier charm and non-stop set pieces, go for White House Down.
Available to watch on: Disney+ and Prime Video
Under Siege
Under Siege is pure 90s action magic as it turns the USS Missouri into a floating war zone and gives Steven Seagal the perfect playground to go full volatile. As Casey Ryback, a low profile ship's cook with a Navy SEAL past, he quietly watches before unleashing precision martial arts on a gang of mercenaries who think they can hijack America's pride. Tommy Lee Jones serves as the antagonist, Gary Busey brings unpredictable chaos and every fight scene is a masterclass in hand-to-hand mayhem. The film hit big at the box office, earned two Academy Award nominations and still stands as Seagal's peak of cool, calm and deadly.
The film has it's similarities with White House Down. Both trap a lone hero inside an iconic American landmark under siege as it turns the atmosphere into a thickening adrenaline bomb. Core beats in both the films include civilians in peril, impossible odds, and one underdog who saves the day. However, White House Down mixes jokes and family drama in it's narrative while Under Siege is pure action and patriotism.
Available to watch on: Netflix
Executive Decision
Executive Decision is a high-octane thriller that turns a transatlantic flight into a ticking time bomb. Kurt Russel stars as Dr. David Grant, a genius who is an American Army consultant but is reluctantly thrust into a life-or-death mission when Oceanic Airlines Flight 343 gets hijacked. With 400 passengers trapped at 30,000 feet, Grant teams up with a Special Forces squad to infiltrate the plane mid-air using a cutting edge docking aircraft. The cast also includes Halle Berry, Steven Seagal and John Leguizamo, who help Russell navigate the chaos and ensure safety.
The film has some pretty noticeable similarities to White House Down. Both films trap a hero in a high-stakes siege situation and challenge them to save civilians under impossible odds. Where White House Down leans on humor and spectacle, Executive Decision turns up the tension and claustrophobia, proving that whether on the ground or in the sky, America’s icons are never safe, but a determined hero can always turn the tide.
Available to watch on: Prime Video
Independence Day
Will Smith's Independence Day performance is undeniably one of the best performances of his career. The film blends science fiction with action, making the premise a larger-than life sci-fi spectacle that turns Earth into an ultimate battlefield. Directed by Roland Emmerich, the film unleashes an alien armada that decimates cities and brings humanity to its knees. Smith is joined by Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman, as they all work together to save their world.
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The film's parallels to White House Down are striking. Both the films have ordinary and extraordinary heroes working together against attackers who are targeting the world. Each film thrives on the tension of civilians and leaders alike, facing overwhelming odds, a ticking clock and the resilience of the heroes turning the tide.
Available to watch on: Disney+
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