Most movie lovers, no matter what decade they grew up in, have a special place in their hearts for the films they watched as kids. They also often feel the same way about the actors and actresses in those movies. This is certainly true for me, as I grew up in the 1980s. One of my favorite actors from that time is Sylvester Stallone, along with Jason Patric. Both starred in several movies from the 1980s and beyond that I still enjoy today. Even though their careers took different paths, it’s great to see them still making movies.
Recently, Stallone and Patric starred together in Armor, a new action-thriller directed by Justin Routt. The movie has a simple story, full of the kind of action movie excitement we’ve seen in older films. However, Armor struggles to build any real excitement. Despite efforts from Routt and the screenwriters Cory Todd Hughes and Adrian Speckert, the movie feels shallow, and its 88-minute runtime doesn’t manage to capture much depth.
In the film, Patric plays James Brody, a man who has been struggling with alcohol since his wife tragically passed away. James pretends to be sober to those around him, even hosting regular AA meetings at a local church. However, in reality, he still drinks but has become good at hiding it.
The movie takes place during a hot Mississippi summer. James works as a security guard and driver for an armored truck company. He works alongside his son, Casey (played by Josh Wiggins), who has grown bored with their routine job. Casey even says, "I’d kill for some action," which is often a warning sign in action movies that trouble is coming.
The story also introduces Rook (played by Stallone), the leader of a team of thieves who are preparing for a big heist. Rook’s crew isn’t memorable, and they mostly fade into the background, with Rook standing out only because he’s played by Stallone.
One day, while James is making a normal delivery, he finds an extra box that wasn’t on the list. At first, he refuses to take it. But when the rude bank president threatens to expose him for having AA meetings during work hours, James decides to break the rules and take the extra box. This turns out to be a bad decision.
Outside of town, their truck is hit by a black van, pushing them off course and trapping them on a closed bridge with nowhere to go. Rook and his team of armed criminals surround the truck. The rest of the movie focuses on James and Casey trying to escape in the back of the truck while Rook and his crew try to get in.
Despite the interesting situation, Armor doesn’t create much excitement. Most of the time is spent with both sides talking back and forth. There are a few moments where Rook mysteriously backs off, giving James and Casey time for some father-son bonding in the truck. There’s also some tension within Rook’s team, especially with a character named Smoke, played by Dash Mihok. But this storyline is predictable and doesn’t offer anything surprising.
Armor does have a few good action scenes, even though the movie has a limited budget. Both Patric and Stallone do their best with the weak plot and family drama. However, they can’t fully save the film from its many flaws. Armor was released on November 22nd in some theaters and on VOD.