Displaying items by tag: Sylvester Stallone

ARMOR/ARMORED

US, 2024, 89 minutes, Colour.

Jason Patric, Sylvester Stallone, Josh Wiggins, Dash Mihok.

Directed by Justin Routt.

Armor (original title, later Armored) is a security van robbery thriller. It received very bad reviews from the critics and not a great response from the public. However, it has found a life on Netflix streaming.

The setting, sometimes spectacular, is the border of Louisiana and Mississippi, the Mississippi River and a blocked bridge over it which serves as a dead end for the security van which is being pursued by cars with a team of thieves.

However, there is a family theme running throughout. Jason Patric is an alcoholic, former policeman, hyper-conscientious on duty, holding up a speeding car, then his own car, with wife and son, crashed into by a truck, the death of his wife. And he has become an alcoholic, organising meetings and urging members of the group to sobriety he still secretly drinks.

He has invited his son, Josh Wiggins, to work with him as a security guard. His wife is pregnant – and there is a family scene where father comes to dinner and there is some goodhearted and good-humoured banter.

In the meantime, there is a scene with a prisoner who is treated very leniently by guards, communicating with a government agent, and the arrangement of gold coins to be transported in the security van, with the connivance of the owner of the company.

There is family conversation on the drive, then the pursuit by the thieves. Sylvester Stallone, in a rather rare performance as a villain, is the leader. However, they are quite an erratic group, especially Dash Mihok doing a psychopathic turn. The two men in the van are determined to save the day, despite all kinds of gunfire attacks, teargas, the overturning of their vehicle.

While there is some madness and frantic wanting to attack in some of the group, Stallone’s character stays very calm, in control, not wanting to be a killer, eventually, after the overturning of the truck, its falling into the Mississippi, the two men escaping but being confronted by a psychopath, they are saved by Stallone.

There is some background to the gold coins that are being transported, contact with the prisoner, his being paroled, connection with the agent… Perhaps a possibility for a sequel which has not eventuated.

SLY

US, 2023, 95 minutes, Colour.

Sylvester Stallone, Frank Stallone, Quentin Tarantino, Henry Winkler, John hurt’s felt, Talia Shire, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wesley Morris.

Directed by Thom Zimny.

This documentary on Sylvester Stallone and his career was made when the cinema icon was in his mid-70s, born 1946. Although only 95 minutes, it offers quite a comprehensive look at Stallone and his life, the various stages of his career.

What makes the difference is that the bulk of the documentary is Sylvester Stallone talking, his confiding in his interview in a variety of locations, where He grew up, studios, in cars… (And it would make an effective audiobook with the words and intonations of the star). There is quite a lot of commentary on many of Stallone’s films and many clips.

The principal commentator on the Stallone family is Sly’s younger brother, Frank. Significant people in his career include Henry Winkler with whom he appeared in The Lords of The Bush, his co-star in the Rocky films, Talia Shire, Arnold Schwarzenegger reminiscing about previous rivalry and getting over it. Critic Wesley Morris makes frequent comment. And, there is plenty of exuberant commentary by Quentin Tarantino.

Some commentators have said that there is not enough of Stallone’s private life, his first marriage, his second marriage, his children, and his son’s age who died in his 30s from illness – although, there are some sequences from Rocky V where the actor interact with his son. Stallone’s wife of 25 years plus, Jennifer Flavin, is seen with their children.

Stallone is very Frank about his growing up, revisiting the New York locations, the harshness of his upbringing, not being interested in school, the severity of his father, discipline and expectations, the absence of his mother – all supported by commentary from Frank Stallone. There are memories of his auditioning for Death of a salesman and the agent urging him to a career in theatre.

While Stallone is often considered to be monosyllabic mumble, thinking of his character, Rocky, in fact he is very articulate in commentary, in press conferences, quite a range of vocabulary during this film. Plus the fact that he was a writer. It is great emphasis in the film on his writing, visuals of his written manuscript, crossings out, revisions.

But, as expected, a lot of attention is given to the emergence of rocky, his writing the screenplay, small budget, collaboration with the director, the choosing of the cast, the parallels with his own life, the decision that Rocky should be a boxer, initial indifference cinema patrons reactions, but the surprise of audible cheers during the initial release in New York. A claim, Oscars.

Attention is given to the immediate aftermath, Stallone’s attempt to be serious in FIST, directing Paradise Alley, the attention given to the sequels and some critical expectations, the very personal nature of Rocky V. While some attention is given to the sixth film, Rocky Balboa, almost 20 years later, there is no inclusion of the Creed franchise.

Which leads, of course, to Rambo, the effect of the Rambo films in the 1980s (which is where Schwarzenegger’s commentary comes in about his action films of the 80s), the personal investment Stallone made, and his dispute with the filmmakers, his philosophy of cinema that audiences don’t watch want unhappy ending is – and his final statement that he believes in a cinema of hope.

There are the various ups and downs of the 90s, his attempted comedy, not particularly successful, his continued career and the launching of The Expendables.

The audience feels that it gets to know Stallone quite well during the 95 minutes, his talking to his audience, confiding in them, being very Frank, ups and downs. Whatever the future as he nears 80, he has had a career for half a century.