Columbus Short (“Whiteout”), Skeet Ulrich (TV’s “Jericho”) and Amaury Nolasco (TV’s “Prison Break”) star as young armored truck guards who, in cahoots with the veteran guards, execute a meticulously planned robbery of their own security firm, in Columbia Pictures’ new action-thriller “Armored.”  But when their seemingly foolproof plan unravels, the men turn against each other as they desperately try to save themselves.

At the center of the story is Columbus Short’s character Ty Hackett, a conflicted young man unprepared for the challenges of caring for his brother and keep their modest home together. Initially Ty refuses to even consider robbing his employer, but the threat of losing his house to the bank and his brother to foster care convinces him to join his co-workers, under one condition—no one will get hurt.

Short says once he started reading the script, he couldn’t put it down. “This is a very smart movie and I fought to get the part,” he says. “It juxtaposes drama and action in a believable way. There are plenty of rock ’em, sock ’em, blow ‘em up moments, as well as emotionally intense scenes. And nobody’s really seen the life of these armored truck drivers before. I knew that this would become such an amazing world and an amazing story.”

Skeet Ulrich plays Dobbs who is someone in over his head and unable to find a way out. “When things start to spiral out of control, he’s afraid to do the right thing,” says Ulrich. “It connects to the whole interplay of betrayal and loyalty, the push and pull between doing the right thing and being loyal to those around you.”

According to Ulrich, the chemistry the cast shared is what he will remember best about the experience of making “Armored.” “I don’t know how to explain it. There’s a certain understanding of each person’s position in the story as a whole. It was a pleasure to work with a group of actors who get the work done without a lot of histrionics. Some of the greatest moments I had were just sitting around talking with the guys.”

Completing the roster of security guards is Palmer, played by Amaury Nolasco. “Palmer is a guy who grew up on the wrong side of the law,” says the actor. “He was a problem child, he did his time in prison and after one of his incarcerations, he found God. So he’s born again.”

The shoot was an extremely collaborative experience, says Nolasco. “We all sat down together at the beginning and we brought a lot of ideas to the table. Each of us was able to set his own agenda and develop his own motive. Everybody’s got a different reason to be in this.”

“I struck gold getting to act with this cast,” he continues. “Matt Dillon and Jean Reno and Laurence Fishburne have worked with some of the best directors in the business. And then there’s Skeet, Columbus and myself who are the new pups coming up and it’s like going to school for us. I tried to absorb everything like a sponge. A teacher told me once, ‘Steal from the best and make it your own,’ and that’s pretty much what I did.”

Opening soon across the Philippines , “Armored” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.  Visit www.sonypictures.com.ph to see the latest trailers, get free downloads and play free movie games.

Each of the diverse characters in Columbia Pictures’ new action-thriller “Armored” has a different motive for taking part in the heist, but all have one thing in common: none of them are heroes, and none are villains. That complexity sent the filmmakers looking for actors who could straddle the line between good and evil.

Industry veterans Matt Dillon, Laurence Fishburne and Jean Reno helped shape the story by bringing unique insights to their characters.

Matt Dillon plays Bill Cochran, the senior officer on the truck. “Cochrane is definitely the big dog in the room,” says screenwriter James V. Simpson. “Everybody respects and trusts him. But in private, he always felt there were great opportunities that lay just beyond his grasp. He’s worked hard all his life. He’s always followed the rules. And now he feels like life is about to pass him by.  “The robbery is his idea and his plan is elegantly simple. It doesn’t involve a lot of pyrotechnics: just take the money, hide it, and stage a false robbery.”

Dillon was attracted by the film’s unique premise, as well as his character’s complexity and contradictions. “This film has a lot of action in it, but it’s essentially character-driven,” Dillon says. “Each of the characters is very specific, with a distinct personality and way of reacting under pressure. When I saw the dynamic coming together, it felt like a classic crime picture.”

Fishburne took his character, Baines, in a direction the screenwriter says he never anticipated. “Baines is more than just a generic loose cannon,” says Simpson.  “He’s a guy who enjoys getting his hands dirty. Had it not been for his connections to Cochrane, he could easily have already robbed an armored car. He’s a criminal at heart who found his way into the company of good men and became a good man, but he’s the guy who will take things a little too far.”

“Every heist movie needs a character like Baines,” says Fishburne. “You have to have a guy who’s not quite right. That’s the guy I get to play in this movie. Baines does a good job at pretending to be normal, but he’s definitely not.”

Reno plays the third veteran guard, Quinn. “Quinn is a follower,” says Simpson. “Quinn wants to please. Jean Reno brought a tremendous accessibility to the character. I think a lot of people are going to relate to him and be surprised by what he does with the character.”

“I very much liked the idea of working with this cast,” says Reno .  “When you have a good group of professional actors, then you do not have to explain what you’re going to do. When you dance with somebody who knows how to dance, you do not have to explain where you put your foot. They are aware of you. We each learned something every day about talent or about generosity.”

Opening soon across the Philippines , “Armored” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.  Visit www.sonypictures.com.ph to see the latest trailers, get free downloads and play free movie games.

Milo Ventimiglia, probably best known as Peter Petrelli from the hit TV show “Heroes,” plays Eckhart, a police officer who stumbles across an inside-job armored truck robbery, in Columbia Pictures’ no-holds-barred, action-packed thriller “Armored.”

In the film, a crew of armored truck guards executes a meticulously planned robbery of their own security firm, but when their seemingly foolproof plan unravels, the men turn against each other as they desperately try to save themselves.  “Armored” also stars Matt Dillon (“Crash”), Jean Reno (“The Da Vinci Code”), Laurence Fishburne (“The Matrix”), Amaury Nolasco (TV’s “Prison Break”), Skeet Ulrich (TV’s “ Jericho ”) and Columbus Short (“Stomp the Yard”).

“I originally saw the Eckhart character as someone a little bit older,” says director Nimrod Antal. “But when Milo showed up, he was The Cop. His concentration and his level of commitment were constantly there. He was always engaged and curious as to what was going on. It was great to see someone who has had as much success as Milo and still loves the process of filmmaking as much as he does.”

Screenwriter James V. Simpson had also envisioned a more mature actor in the role, but agreed that Ventimiglia brought something essential to the table. “The character of Eckhart is like the conscience,” he says. “With Milo on board, I liked the way the story went.”

Ventimiglia describes himself as a huge fan of his castmates. “They are amazing actors,” he says. “Then when I showed up to the set and they’re just as excited to be part of the group, it was amazing. We were hanging out with the guys making a guy movie with guns and blood, and it was a great time.”

Ventimiglia shot to stardom on the NBC drama “Heroes” about a group of seemingly everyday people who discover they have super powers.  The show received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Television Series – Drama, won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite New Television Drama, and received a 2007 Emmy® nomination for Outstanding Drama Series and also won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite New Television Drama.

Herecently starred in MGM’s “Pathology,” opposite Alyssa Milano, made an appearance in the Lionsgate thriller “Game,” and played Sylvester Stallone’s son in the sixth installment of the Rocky series, “Rocky Balboa.” His other film credits include the independent film “The Chaos Theory,” Wes Craven/Kevin Williamson thriller “Cursed,” “Stay Alive” and “Dirty Deeds.” Additionally, he starred in the short films “Nice Guys Finish Last” and “Must Be the Music,” which debuted at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews.

In July 2008 Ventimiglia visited the Middle East . on a 10 day, three country USO tour and spent time meeting with the servicemen and women of the armed forces and made his second USO trip to Germany and Turkey in November 2009.  Ventimiglia is also involved with the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America organization (IAVA) which supports veterans who need help when they return home from the war.

Opening soon across the Philippines , “Armored” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.  Visit www.sonypictures.com.ph to see the latest trailers, get free downloads and play free movie games.

The perfect crime—victimless, nonviolent and undetectable—goes terribly awry in Columbia Pictures’ no-holds-barred, action-packed thriller “Armored.” A crew of armored truck guards executes a meticulously planned robbery of their own security firm, but when their seemingly foolproof plan unravels, the men turn against each other as they desperately try to save themselves.

“Armored” stars Matt Dillon (“Crash”), Jean Reno (“The Da Vinci Code”), Laurence Fishburne (“The Matrix”), Amaury Nolasco (TV’s “Prison Break”), Milo Ventimiglia (TV’s “Heroes”), Skeet Ulrich (TV’s “ Jericho ”) and Columbus Short (“Stomp the Yard”).

After the death of his parents, Ty Hackett (Short) returns from active duty in Iraq to face a stack of unpaid medical bills, a mortgage and the responsibility for his 14-year-old brother, Jimmy.  Ty signs on as a guard at Eagle Shield Security, the same armored car service his father worked for. Under the tutelage of his godfather, Chief Officer Michael Cochrane (Dillon), Ty trains for a grueling and often dangerous new career.

On the last day of his probationary period, his co-workers take the young man out for a congratulatory celebration. Over a couple of beers, they trade anecdotes, reveal loopholes in the security system, and discuss failed robberies and successful heists. Cochrane has the topper: an unsolved holdup in Texas that he believes he knows the answer to. The only way it could have happened, he says, is if the guards themselves staged the robbery.

Driving Ty home later, Cochrane reveals that the incident he was talking about inspired him to plan the perfect crime. With a pickup of $42 million dollars coming up, Cochrane proposes to slip away from the route, stash the money in an abandoned warehouse and call in a holdup. No victims, no bad guys and no clues.

All it will take to make six men wealthier than their wildest dreams is the cooperation of every guard involved. Cochrane has already convinced the others: impulsive, hotheaded Baines (Fishburne); quiet but intense Quinn ( Reno ); high-strung, vulnerable Dobbs (Ulrich) and born-again ex-con Palmer (Nolasco). Ty is all that stands between them and their plans for a better life.

Initially Ty refuses to even consider robbing his employer, but the threat of losing his house to the bank and his brother to foster care convinces him to join his co-workers, under one condition—Cochrane must assure him that no one will get hurt.

On the big day, the pickup of the cash goes smoothly. After checking in with their dispatcher, the men make the brief detour to their selected hiding place. In high spirits, they move quickly to unload the money, but an unexpected interruption changes the game plan. With millions of dollars at risk and their futures on the line, the crew scrambles to salvage what they can and, in one tragic moment, everything changes.

Opening soon across the Philippines , “Armored” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.  Visit www.sonypictures.com.ph to see the latest trailers, get free downloads and play free movie games.

Matt Dillon has built a successful film career that spans three decades, showcasing his wide range of dramatic and comedic talents. As The New York Times’ film critic A.O. Scott put it, “He seems to be getting better with every film.” Now, the Oscar-nominated actor stars in two films that couldn’t be more different from each other – Disney’s family comedy “Old Dogs” and Columbia Pictures’ action-thriller “Armored.”

In “Old Dogs” which also stars John Travolta and Robin Williams, Matt Dillon was cast as Barry, an earnest Pioneer scout leader Dan (Travolta) and Charlie (Williams) encounter during a family camping trip. “My character is a little overzealous,” says Dillon.  “He takes being a scout a little too seriously. I really like doing comedy, the chance to really have fun. I think the best way to play comedy is to play it straight, to play it sincere. I think it’s gotta be heartfelt.”

Says producer Andrew Panay, “What Matt brings to the table is incredible comedic chops.  People loved him in ‘There’s Something About Mary’—he is unbelievably funny in that film.”

Dillon says he got a kick out of the physical comedy scenes.  “The script had Barry just firing at the skeet in a typical way, but our director added a layer by having Barry shoot cowboy-style from the hip. It’s probably what makes the scene so ridiculous,” he says.

Dillon’s next film “Armored” tells of the perfect crime—victimless, nonviolent and undetectable—that goes terribly awry. A crew of armored truck guards executes a meticulously planned robbery of their own security firm, but when their seemingly foolproof plan unravels, the men turn against each other as they desperately try to save themselves.

Dillon plays Bill Cochrane, the senior officer on the truck. “Cochrane is definitely the big dog in the room,” says screenwriter James V. Simpson. “Everybody respects and trusts him. But in private, he always felt there were great opportunities that lay just beyond his grasp. He’s worked hard all his life. He’s always followed the rules. And now he feels like life is about to pass him by.

Dillon was attracted by the film’s unique premise, as well as his character’s complexity and contradictions. “I liked the relationship he had with Ty, played by Columbus Short,” says the actor. “Ty’s father was his mentor and he has become Ty’s. That lays down the foundation for what is to come later on in the story.”

Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International, “Old Dogs” opens across the Philippines on January 20, while “Armored” — distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International – follows in February.