In pretty much every heist movie, the security system guarding the targeted object of desire – whether that be a pile of cash, a piece of art or a gigantic jewel – is of central importance to the plot.
The band of burglars are often recruited because each have specific abilities that allows the party of thieves to bypass the seemingly impenetrable, intimidating security system. The whole planning phase of the movie often revolves around the characters figuring out how to get around the security measures.
There’s usually a long monologue delivered by the antagonist describing the security system and telling the audience why it is considered so extremely impenetrable. This usually comes with an assertion that no sane criminal would ever dream of trying to break into it.
Home Alone
While not exactly the best example of a modern or traditional home security system, you have to give Macaulay Culkin’s Kevin McCallister credit for creativity and ingenuity. The child sets many effective burglar-deterring traps throughout his family’s home after they accidently leave him behind on their Christmas vacation. The unfortunate burglars are foiled and likely left with some scars for their efforts.
Panic Room
When it comes to home security systems its hard to find a more complex cinema setup than the 2002 film Panic Room. In the film, Jodie Foster’s character, Meg Altman, and her daughter are forced to hide in their home’s panic room when burglar’s break in to steal bearer bonds. The panic room consisted of not only a concrete and steel box but also a complex CCTV surveillance system, a dedicated phone line (which is unfortunately not connected) and a PA system.
Entrapment
This movie, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Sean Connery, is maybe best known for its elaborate security system of trip lasers, through which Zeta-Jones must somewhat acrobatically contort her way through. The plot revolves around a plan to “entrap” Connery’s character, an art thief named Robert “Mac” MacDougal. Zeta-Jones, an insurance investigator, poses as a thief who is trying to get Mac’s help with a heist. This movie of secret identities and betrayals features a number of complex security systems and lots of suspenseful escapes.
Ant Man
Near the beginning of Ant Man, Paul Rudd must penetrate the home of Hank Pym to break into his “super legit” safe. The burglars assume the contents must be incredibly valuable due to the strength and impenetrability of the safe.
Before the robbers break into the home, they first cut the land lines and jam the cell signals to prevent the alarm from warning the monitoring company and law enforcement. Rudd jumps the fence, climbs up the wall and bypasses the security system before entering the home and reaching a door for the room with the safe. Unfortunately for him, the door has a biometric fingerprint lock. Rudd uses tape to lift a fingerprint from a door handle to trick the biometric lock, which in reality is unlikely to work due to modern anti-spoofing features built into fingerprint locks.
When he gets to the safe, a “1910 Carbondale” made of steel, Rudd uses chemistry to blow the door off. He is disappointed to discover there’s nothing inside except what looks like a leather suit for riding motorcycles, which turns out to be the Ant Man suit.
Whether or not it’s actually possible to break a safe like that is hard to say, mainly because it’s highly unlikely any thief would ever actually try to do. Most safe testing doesn’t include an Ant Man-style freeze-water-inside-a-door-to-blow-it-off test.
Ocean’s Eleven
Oceans Eleven stuck very close to the standard heist movie formula in what is essentially an homage to this well-worn genre of filmmaking. Casinos are renowned for their security systems – and for good reason. They have a lot of cash on the premises and a lot to lose if a successful heist ever does occur.
In the film, the casino’s vault is 200 feet below ground and has a security door with a 6-digit code that changes every 12 hours. Anyone seeking access to the vault must ride an elevator that requires a fingerprint and voice confirmation to operate. The elevator shaft is protected by motion detectors, two guards with submachine guns and a vault door that’s described as being the most elaborate ever conceived by man.
Needless to say, the star-studded cast’s heist plan is quite complex and entertainingly convoluted.
Your Security System Probably Doesn’t Need to be Movie-Level Good
Not every
home
or
business
needs a panic room, complex laser grid of motion sensors or a massive vault door for protection, but most do need a well designed and properly installed security system of some kind. Houston-area homes and businesses can rely on Dixie Safe & Lock Service Inc. for effective, cutting-edge security systems and safes that cover all the necessary bases.