A dirty robbery and a battle of family values

Although the heist genre is associated with crime, there is often a code of thieves that persists. Features like Heat, ThiefAnd Raffifi emphasized this aspect in their stories. Now, Armor hopes to join that list thanks to Sylvester Stallone’s stoic performance. Director Justin Routt places his thief at the foot of an immovable object – an ex-cop with his own form of justice. Although there are aspects Armor which fit the dudes will be dudes subgenre, too many moments fall into the mold to really elevate the film to a higher heist level.

Armor – Plot

Former cop James (Jason Patric) struggles with alcoholism and trying to stay sober. He took a job as a security guard and helped his son Casey (Josh Wiggins) take the place next to him. After picking up a transport with an unusual cargo, they are ambushed on a bridge by a professional gang of thieves. Led by “Rook” (Sylvester Stallone) and “Smoke” (Dash Mihok), they turn the armored vehicle on its side and try to hit the target. However, when James and Casey realize they won’t leave the scene alive, they become defensive.

Too many stereotypes Armor

When tropes become too common in a film, the settings seem much less successful. At many moments ArmorNot only is it predictable, but it also feels like karaoke from an action movie. There’s a daring robber (Mihawk), an apparently corrupt bank manager, and a “hidden” trauma that’s screaming to come out. These aspects hurt Armor from the very beginning. This is not only less convincing, but also makes the drama feel contrived. The convenience of the experience lowers the stakes.

Additionally, a heist movie is most effective when it captures the attention of the audience and the characters in the story. It never matters Armor. If an action film needs to deviate from this path, it needs to rely on emotional performances. Instead, the stock nature of the characters makes it easy to tell everything you know about each person from the first moments they appear on screen. Routt slightly exaggerates these aspects of the story, resulting in an unsatisfying experience.

Sly and Patrick aren’t doing their best.

More than any other problem you have to face Armor two flat projections at the top. Stallone and Patrick could have headlined the film, but they seem to be walking through it in a dream. Stallone, in particular, feels like a copy of a copy. He barely mutters his lines and lets the movie come to him. There are times when an action star comes looking for a paycheck, and that seems to be Stallone’s approach here. As he walks through history, we are left wanting more, especially since he has the most glamorous role.

Meanwhile, Patrick is unable to give his story any dramatic weight. He exaggerates the haunted look, and Routt exaggerates the “water bottle” scene that the ex-cop can’t put down. At the end of the film, he reveals that he is far from sober, and even his son shouts at him how obvious his addiction to alcohol is. There is something interesting about people being so self-deceived that they believe they are living sober. However, Patrick can barely cope with his negativity, which overshadows the most exciting moments of the film.

Is Armor is it worth watching?

There are simply too many better action films to waste time on. Armor. If you’re interested in the lead roles of Stallone and Patrick, we recommend focusing on the supporting characters. Both Wiggins and Mihawk give much more exciting performances on screen. Mihawk plays big and this wild approach suits his style of play. Meanwhile, Wiggins proves that he can hold his own and outshine the veteran actors around him. These two are a reason to tune in, but knowing that most of them will be there to see the headliners, you might not find Armor according to your taste.

Armor will be released in select theaters and VOD on November 22, 2024.