There’s no missing the patriotic imagery in “Olympus Has Fallen,” a high-octane action thriller about a splinter group of North Korean terrorists who invade the White House and hold the president hostage. Key scenes in the film feature sun-dappled images of flying American flags, the Washington Monument toppled during a spectacular terrorist attack, and — because it’s an action movie — even a defensive use of a weaponized Abraham Lincoln bust in the oval office.

And that flag-waving imagery isn’t just there for decoration. “That flag is supposed to represent freedom,” said director Antoine Fuqua last week in an interview with The Washington Times.“So why not wave it?”

“I hear people sometimes say some negative things. ‘Eh, America’ —” Mr. Fuqua said, making a dismissive sound. “I just call bull on it. I’m patriotic. This country gave opportunity to everybody. It’s supposed to be the melting pot of the world. The flag is a representation of that.

“There’s nothing wrong with being patriotic. People sometimes get so cynical — they’re like, ‘Ah I don’t want to be patriotic because it’s not cool.’ I think it’s bull. My kids have grown up here. We have freedom here.”

That freedom directly applies to his work as a filmmaker. In America, Mr. Fuqua said, “I get to make a movie like this. In some places the government would never let you make this movie. You know, you’ve got people censoring your art.”

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