Military veterans and active personnel were granted free access to Roland Emmerich's new movie White House Down on July 4, 2013. In a nice touch from Sony Pictures Entertainment and the four largest U.S. cinema chains - which doubled as a savvy way to push WHD on the patriotic holiday - servicemen and woman flocked to the cinemas with their plus-ones to catch the new film starring Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum.

Theaters run by Regal Entertainment Group, AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc, Cinemark Holdings Inc and Carmike Cinemas Inc were all in on the scheme, which proved hugely popular. "It's a great way to celebrate the holiday and to honor and thank the troops for their service to our country," Rory Bruer, Sony Pictures' president of worldwide distribution, said in the most American sounding statement ever. 

White House Down stars Tatum as a police officer down on his luck after his Secret Service application is turned down. However, in an ironic turn, he ends up protecting the President (Foxx) when a paramilitary group attacks the famous residence while he and his daughter are on a tour. 

Watch the 'White House Down' trailer:

According to Box Office Mojo, the movie has made a rather underwhelming $40 million worldwide since its June 28 release - to the delight of U.S. conservatives. Not all military veterans took up the opportunity of a free ticket on Thursday. "If you spend one damn cent on this crap, you're spitting on our troops," wrote US military veteran Kurt Schlichter at Townhall.com, "Repeat after me, conservatives: not one damn cent.In the eyes of Hollywood, the military is an all-white, all-male organisation so dedicated to unfocused imperialism that it is willing to commit mass murder of fellow Americans for the chance to die in some Middle East hellhole."

Read our White House Down review.

White House Down is in theaters now. 

Roland EmmerichRoland Emmerich At An 'Anonymous' Screening

Jamie Foxx