Armored (2009)

Director: Nimród Antal

Cast: Matt Dillon as Mike Cochrone, Jean Reno as Quinn, Laurence Fishburne as Baines, Amaury Nolasco as Palmer, Fred Ward as Duncan Ashcroft, Milo Ventimiglia as Eckehart, Skeet Ulrich as Dobbs, Columbus Short as Ty Hackett, Andre Kinney as Jimmy Hackett (as Andre Jamal Kinney), Andrew Fiscella as Dispatcher #1, Nick Jameson as Homeless Man, Glenn Taranto as Joe the Cook, Lorna Raver as Child Welfare Agent, Garry Guerrier as Federal Guard, Robert Harvey as Bank Guard

The film Armored represents a clear case of Hollywood's negative
influence in cinematographic art.Namely: in 2003, Hungarian director
Nimród Antal found a good answer with the excellent film Kontroll, an
exotic hybrid of urban thriller and comedy, which besides of telling us
a fascinating story set in Budapest subway train, it also included wise
commentaries about the unpredictable development of Hungarian society
in the post-communist environment.4 years later, Antal was seduced by
Hollywood and he made the mediocre, but moderately entertaining horror
film Vacancy.And most recently, he made Armored, a horrible, hollow,
full of clichés and unsatisfactory action film.

I found the screenplay from Armored to be deplorable; the plan from the
criminals does not have too much sense, nor it seems credible in the
21st century; and in order to cover some of those holes, screenwriter
James V. Simpson decided to leave some significant elements from the
story in the darkness (Is it that easy to disable the electronic system
from an armored truck? I may may try it some of these days).However, a
good director such as Antal could rescue the movie with the help of his
cast and a bit of energy, cannot he? Fortunately, the answer is
no.Armored is one of the most boring and passive action film I have
seen in a long time.The situations this movie portraits did not make me
feel suspense or any emotion (Is the boredom an emotion?), even with
the help of the distinguished character actors who appear on it.I
almost felt pity for Matt Dillon, Jean Reno, Laurence Fishburne and
Fred Ward, because they brought such good works in other movies that it
was demoralizing to see them as sleepwalkers on Armored.The same
applies to Skeet Ulrich and Milo Ventimiglia, but instead of pity for
them, I felt the confirmation of the antipathy they have always
provoked on me.

So, Armored is an absolutely tedious action film because it lacks of
originality, the story is bad, blah blah blah...I do not need to repeat
my long list of complaints.What worries to me is that Antal is
currently working on Predators, the fourth sequel? "re-imagination"?
remake? of Predator, under the supervision of Robert Rodriguez, whose
work I usually like, although I cannot deny he has made some big false
moves in his career.I truly hope they do not ruin that franchise, as it
happened with the atrocious Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem; however, the
precedent created by Armored is not very encouraging, because it is
needed a genuine "anti-talent" to waste four excellent actors, and to
make a chase of armored trucks to be boring instead of exciting.Will it
happen something similar with the predators? I hope it will not...but
the best thing is to have low expectations.