Armored is a throwback to the crime thrillers of the 1970’s. It is well shot and acted by a cast that are ideal for the characters portrayed. But if anything lets down this movie, it is the all-too-predictable story line.
The plot involves a group of armoured-car guards who decide to fake a robbery of their vehicles and get away with $42 million. The hero, the rookie Ty (Columbus Short) who is caring for his teenage brother following their parents’ death, agrees to go along with the plan as long as there is no violence and no guns. This follows a sob scene in which the young brother reveals he has been skipping school to look for a job, so the pair doesn’t lose the family home.
Well, as they say, the best laid plans of mice and men go often astray and things start to go wrong. After taking delivery of the cash from the bank, the gang drive their trucks to an abandoned steelyard, where they unload and stash the cash. With just 58 minutes remaining before their next scheduled pick up, they have to work fast.
As they finish unloading, they notice someone watching. Despite the promise of no violence, one of the gang shoots the watching man. Our hero has had enough and locks himself into one of the trucks.
Things go from bad to worse as the gang tries to get Ty out of the van. Without revealing the action, a series of clichéd situations arises along with a couple of technical innovations worthy of MacGyver himself as Ty battles the gang.
A capable cast, with Matt Dillon as the gang leader, Laurence Fishburne, Jean Reno, Skeet Ulrich and Amaury Nolasco as gang members and Fred Ward as the security guard dispatcher, do their best to disguise the paper-thin plot and almost succeed.
Does our hero succeed? You’ll need to watch the movie to find out…