‘Armor’ Review: Suspense Stalls Out on a Bridge in an Uninspired Heist Thriller With Sylvester Stallone

As a seasoned moviegoer who has witnessed the evolution of action cinema, I must confess that “Armor” left me feeling somewhat underwhelmed. Sylvester Stallone is undeniably an icon, but his portrayal of the villain in this film falls flat, much like a deflated armored truck tire on a rural bridge – the setting for most of the movie’s action.

Sylvester Stallone typically avoids playing villainous roles on screen, as his stiff performance in “Armor” suggests he’s not particularly keen on doing so. This lack of passion is likely to be shared by many viewers who watch this forgettable action film, where the main characters, played by Jason Patric and Josh Wiggins, find themselves ambushed by robbers while transporting bank money – unbeknownst to them, they’re also carrying a more valuable hidden cargo.

Set mainly on a rural bridge, where a lengthy confrontation unfolds between heroes and villains, Justin Routt’s Mississippi-produced feature film displays competent craftsmanship. However, neither the direction nor the acting manages to surpass the constraints of Adrian Speckert and Cory Todd Hughes’ script. Consequently, the film fails to elevate its ordinary content with unique excitement, visual flair, or intricate character development. Lionsgate will release the movie on U.S. screens, digital platforms, and on-demand services on November 22.

In his daily life outside of driving an armored truck, James Brody (Patric), formerly a cop, spends time facilitating AA gatherings. He claims to have been sober for six years following the death of his wife in an accident he feels responsible for. However, this is not entirely true as he secretly continues to consume alcohol. Interestingly, his son Casey (Wiggins) appears unaware of this, despite sharing a work environment with him and spending most days transporting cash between banks. This might seem surprising, given their close relationship, but the movie “Armor” contains several questionable plot points.

The key point is that, oddly enough, no one reports or contacts the authorities when their prearranged journey is disrupted by Rook (Stallone) and his band of accomplices. Despite being pursued and forced off the road, the truck eventually halts in the center of a rural bridge with numerous buildings nearby – it seems illogical that such a noisy altercation, let alone the gunfire and explosions that ensue, wouldn’t attract the attention of law enforcement. Additionally, one would assume that an armored vehicle carrying large amounts of cash would be tracked using GPS, but in this case, it appears there is something unusual at play since the events unfolding don’t warrant continued questioning about such matters.

Regardless of the circumstances, a father and son discover themselves confronted by a dozen armed men dressed in black. Among them are Dash Mihok, Joshua David Whites, Blake Shields, and Sylvester Stallone. It appears they intend to make off with treasure that turns out to be illicit wealth from a drug cartel, which our protagonists were unaware they were transporting. When resistance arises, the tactics become increasingly ruthless on both sides. The Brodys then retreat into the armored truck’s interior following Casey’s injury. Inside, they experience attempts to gas and overheat them, but also discover methods to diminish their adversaries.

One villain remarks about the security guard, ‘He’s quite formidable,’ in a reluctant show of respect… Unfortunately, this dialogue is quite typical, and about halfway through, there’s a flashback to the incident that disrupted James’ life, with Erin Ownbey portraying his deceased spouse. This too feels overly familiar as the script’s one significant effort to explore character background and complexity.

In this production, it’s not fair to criticize the actors for not making their roles more compelling given the lackluster writing. While none of them are terrible, they also don’t seem particularly motivated. Sylvester Stallone, for instance, seems to be here merely for a paycheck, much like some of Bruce Willis’ later performances. His character, a criminal mastermind, claims he’s not a killer and it’s against his nature. However, this contradicts the eagerness shown by his subordinates to eliminate our main characters. Additionally, if the Brodys were meant to survive, why don’t the villains make an effort to conceal their identities? This seems like an oversight in the plot.

If the humor was more abundant or if the action scenes were handled with style, “Armor” could have been an enjoyable watch. Unfortunately, it feels like we’re stranded on a bridge surrounded by quarrelsome characters, leaving us puzzled as to why no other vehicles pass by to acknowledge the blocked road, and even more so, why the police aren’t responding swiftly to what seems like an unusual outburst of loud criminal activity in this rural setting. The intended nail-biting tension doesn’t materialize as it should, instead veering towards being less suspenseful than it needs to be, occasionally bordering on monotonous.

In this professional film production, standout features include Cale Finot’s striking wide-angle cinematography and the picturesque bayou settings, although they could have been utilized more fully. However, they still manage to impress visually. Additionally, the soundtrack, featuring a blend of bluesy, twangy Southern rock tunes from multiple artists, attempts to infuse the regional atmosphere, even if it doesn’t quite reach its full potential.

2024-11-22 11:46

‘Armor’ Review: Suspense Stalls Out on a Bridge in an Uninspired Heist Thriller With Sylvester Stallone

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