Film Focus: Armoured

THERE may no longer be any mystery as to how the gang robs the safe (Ocean's 11), steals the gold (The Italian Job) or takes the painting (The Thomas Crown Affair), yet heist movies remain endlessly popular and continue to spawn modern re-makes.

The latest flick from Sony pictures, Armored, puts a slightly new spin on the old genre, as it assembles an all-star cast to attempt an inside job on an "armored" truck service.

Matt Dillon, Jean Reno, Laurence Fishburne and Skeet Ulrich star as guards at Eagle Shield Security, who plot, along with new recruit Ty (newcomer Columbus Short), to rob their employers.

None of them are really baddies at the outset, but their 'foolproof' plan unravels and they turn against each other.

"Armored has a lot of action in it, but it's essentially character-driven," says Matt Dillon. The film centres on Ty Hackett (Short), who returns from active duty in Iraq, after the death of his parents, to find a stack of unpaid bills, as well as now being responsible for his 14-year-old brother.

Aware he needs to pay the mortgage, he signs up to be a guard at the armoured car service his father worked for – and under the tutelage of his godfather, chief officer Michael Cochrane, Ty trains for his dangerous new career.

When his probation comes to an end, his co-workers take him out for a few beers and the conversation drifts to failed robberies and successful heists. It's only on the drive home that Cochrane reveals to Ty his plan to steal 42 million – the next truckload of cash. Ty agrees to take part as long as no-one gets hurt.

Columbus Short, whose credits include Cadillac Records, describes Armored as "a very smart movie".

"It juxtaposes drama and action in a believable way. There are plenty of rock 'em, shock 'em, blow 'em up moments, as well as emotionally intense scenes," says Short, 27.

"And nobody's really seen the life of these armoured truck drivers before. It's an amazing world."

Unlike many action movies which have a token heroine as a plot device, Armored has an all-male cast.

"It was a different dynamic on set," Dillon admits. "This was a very testosterone-heavy film, but we all got along."

For Columbus Short, the film was the perfect opportunity to learn from veteran actors.

"I learnt that if you do good, and you stay humble, you'll have a long career. These guys have been in the business since before I was born, and they've done something right," he says.