Ken and Todd examine the conventions of action films and how White House Down uses them. Do action films promote American exceptionalism? How does the use of comic relief undercut the film's moral seriousness? What makes a true hero?

SHOW NOTES:

0:00 - Intro: Why we are discussing White House Down

5:40 - What are the film's genre conventions?

14:50 - Conflict, resolution, and social order

18:00 - American exceptionalism

29:10 - Death and comic relief

38:18 - True heroism and cultural values

44:14 - Concluding remarks

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