Starring: Ben Affleck, Clark Heathcliffe Brolly, Steve Buscemi, Ken Hudson Campbell, Keith David Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Audience Rating: Unrated Binding: DVD Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Widescreen Label: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone Number of Items: 1 Picture Format: Letterbox Region Code: 1 Release Date: January 05, 1999 Running Time: 151 minutes Theatrical Release Date: July 01, 1998
Amazon.com essential video: The latest testosterone-saturated blow-'em-up from producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Michael Bay (The Rock, Bad Boys) continues Hollywood's millennium-fueled fascination with the destruction of our planet. There's no arguing that the successful duo understands what mainstream American audiences want in their blockbuster movies--loads of loud, eye-popping special effects, rapid- fire pacing, and patriotic flag waving. Bay's protagonists--the eight crude, lewd, oversexed (but lovable, of course) oil drillers summoned to save the world from a Texas-sized meteor hurling toward the earth--are not flawless heroes, but common men with whom all can relate. In this huge Western-in-space soap opera, they're American cowboys turned astronauts. Sci-fi buffs will appreciate Bay's fetishizing of technology, even though it's apparent he doesn't understand it as anything more than flashing lights and shiny gadgets. Smartly, the duo also tries to lure the art-house crowd, raiding the local indie acting stable and populating the film with guys like Steve Buscemi, Billy Bob Thornton, Owen Wilson, and Michael Duncan, all adding needed touches of humor and charisma. When Bay applies his sledgehammer aesthetics to the action portions of the film, it's mindless fun; it's only when Armageddon tackles humanity that it becomes truly offensive. Not since Mississippi Burning have racial and cultural stereotypes been substituted for characters so blatantly--African Americans, Japanese, Chinese, Scottish, Samoans, Muslims, French ... if it's not white and American, Bay simplifies it. Or, make that white male America; the film features only three notable females--four if you count the meteor, who's constantly referred to as a "bitch that needs drillin'," but she's a hell of a lot more developed and unpredictable than the other women characters combined. Sure, Bay's film creates some tension and contains some visceral moments, but if he can't create any redeemable characters outside of those in space, what's the point of saving the planet? --Dave McCoy
Product Description: When an asteroid the size of Texas is headed for Earth, a ragtag team of roughneck oil drillers are sent to drop a nuclear warhead into its core. Genre: Feature Film-Action/Adventure Rating: PG13 Release Date: 25-JAN-2005 Media Type: DVD
Great Movie! All I can say is if you're in doubt as to whether you wanna buy this or not--buy it. You will not be disappointed. And I say that as far as the movie goes. You may be disappointed, however, if you get stuck with a douche bag seller that mailes your product at the last minute. But don't worry, the wait is worth it.
A Leave Your Brain At The Door Movie Armageddon when first released and viewed by the mass media was slated for it's unrealistic setting but was praised for its entertainment value. It's one of those movies that if you're going into it looking for scientific inconsistencies then you could genuinely write a novel on them, but if you're going into the movie looking to be entertained for over 2 hours then it will certainly deliver what you want. Ben Affleck, Bruce Willis, Steve Buscemi, Owen Wilson, the list goes on and on for really big name actors that helped generate the high box office takings and give us one hell of a reason to come out of the movie theatres smiling from ear to ear. The chemistry between Bruce Willis and Liv Tyler who played his daughter in the film was something to enjoy in itself but the alternate chemistry between Affleck and Willis was also something to really enjoy as Willis would constantly insult and chase Affleck away from his daughter.
The plot outline is simple, an Asteroid is heading towards Earth and if it hits it will destroy mankind as we know it, so a team of oil drillers must be sent up to the Asteroid to drill a hole in the Asteroid and plant a Nuclear device in the middle to destroy the Asteroid. The sub-plot is also simple, Harry Stamper (Willis) is the worlds best oil driller and while working on an oil rig his daughter Grace (Tyler) is in a secret relationship with A.J. Tyler (Affleck) but even with the dangerous risk of Harry finding out the love is destined to survive whether Harry likes it or not. When being requested by the NASA Administrator Dan Truman Harry would only agree to take part in the mission if the only people in the world he trusted could come with him, they only happen to be some of Americas biggest misfits.
The side characters including Buscemi, Michael Clarke Duncan & Owen Wilson really give us the comic relief of this movie and along with come of the more saddening scenes they have the ability to lift us up with their antics. Billy Bob Thornton plays his role as Dan Truman, the tortured soul with a broken dream well and puts the stamp of this character in our minds.
The CGI and other huge settings are great and make it at times over the top and yet they come across as realistic and cool. This is a genuinely fun movie but is something that in order for you to enjoy it you need to leave your brain at the door and just enjoy the swearing and destruction.
BEST MOVIE EVER!!!! This movie is absolutely my FAVORITE!!! it's great! It may seem like it's for space nerds but I hate that kind of stuff and still love this movie. It has the best characters, its dramatic but also soooo very funny. Has Bruce Willis, Ben affleck, Liv Tyler, Billy Bob Thorton, Owen Wilson and many other excellent characters. The soundtrack is great too, done mostly by Arrow Smith
This is what Norman Rockwell would hang on the wall! If Norman Rockwell and Orson Scott Card had a child, in a bizarre new world, they would have written the screenplay for "Armageddon". An uncompromising look at what goes into the word Americana, Michael Bay has crafted a story that is pumped full of so many clichés that it becomes an entertaining, full-throttle action film that can be watched again and again. With a surprising cast and superb special effects, Bay uses the camera to create powerful artistic images coupled with the staples of what makes films of this nature unique. In this reviewer's eyes, "Armageddon" is one of those films where Bay has tricked the common audience. It is a typical summer blockbuster in every sense of the word, there are explosions, there are great lines, there are out-of-this world scenes, but he does this while incorporating hidden messages throughout. Perhaps I am looking a bit too deep into just another science fiction action film, but when "Armageddon" came through the DVD player, I wasn't ready. I was a nay-sayer to Criterion for adding this film to their collection, but now - in 2008 - it makes perfect sense. Michael Bay has created a picture-perfect image of America. He has taken our desire for the inanimate, our non-perfect hero, slices of us through images of the Midwest (or of a time that we may have forgotten), and our religion to be the best and transformed it into a film. Yes, this is a science fiction film, yes this is the film about the big asteroid that only Bruce Willis can stop, and yes - Ben Affleck does attempt to act - but it is perfection. If our country was eliminated, and we needed a film for our history books - I wouldn't argue with "Armageddon". Now, let's let the argument begin.
The acting, come on, it's "Armageddon" people, but Bay is notorious for at least creating enjoyable characters. Buscemi is always worth the screen time, while Will Patton rounds out the voice of reason. The looming voiceover by Charlton Heston seemed to suck me into the story, while Willis and Affleck's banter seemed over the top, and at times annoying. They played their parts perfectly, yet it still had me on the edge of my seat. Liv Tyler gave it her all, and the way Bay filmed her (less words more emotion) was perfect. She carried the weight of her father and soon-to-be fiancé well into the asteroid. Compliments should be handed to Mr. Thornton as well, the man has a pair of chops on him, and if he could avoid the angry comedian films, he could remember that he has the talent. He was the epitome of NASA, the genius that had to work on the worst budget to save the world. Rewinding back to the notion that this is America in all of it's glory, these characters work perfectly. Willis' character reminded me of a mortal superhero. His ability to drill anywhere was his power, and his sense of nationalism, his idea of patriotism, bled from the screen. "Armageddon" played like a comic, with your muscling characters, cheap jokes, picture-esque landscapes, and simple fix to a big problem. Again, it was cliché - all of these characters can be seen in any other film close to the same nature or entitled "summer blockbuster", but with Bay, he seemed to be saying more. Affleck was the only downfall on the character side. He was Ben playing Ben; there wasn't that sense of anything outside of comic timing and love interest needed. He wasn't Bruce, he wasn't anyone except filler. Yet again, for this film, it worked.
The story was simple. Bay simply used the K.I.S.S. method to compile the script (the Keep It Simple Stupid), asteroid headed to Earth, nobody saw it, and it is up to Bruce to surrender to the beast. It is Mr. Michael Bay that must be complimented for this film. While other critics will argue that this isn't anything but drivel, I found it to be symbolic, surreal, and honest all at the same time. While other films will show America in a way that only the educated will see it, Bay throws it right in our face and we are unable to stop it. Golf on a cruise liner, Willis portraying this "everyman", the types of cars that our characters drive, the fact that upon completion of this task everyone want inanimate objects (power, sex, money), one cannot help but wonder what Bay is attempting to say about our culture. Michael Bay is the director of gluttony. I can attest that I couldn't stand this film upon viewing it the first time. I was horrified to see it in the Criterion gambit, but watching it again - older and wiser with film - I am happy to see it in the collection. "Armageddon" is America. It is the birth of the superhero, it is the cliché Americana that we face everyday; it is exactly what makes American cinema - well - American. Bay, in this film, has captured the truth. What makes this summer blockbuster even more enticing is that there is just a sprinkling of explosions, and most don't happen until the final third of the film. He has tricked us, made us believe that this is a no-brainer of a film, when it is in fact chalk full of symbolism that the faintest of film aficionados can smile under their breath.
Overall, as I begin to sound more and more repetitive, "Armageddon" [the Criterion release] blew my mind for the first time although it was my second viewing. A new found respect for Mr. Bay's work has been discovered, and while "Transformers" will never live up the hype, the early work of Bay remain pivotal instruments in American cinema. I am eager to re-watch again Bay's "The Rock" which also found a Criterion release, with skeptics on both sides. The Norman Rockwell vision, the lack of any real science fiction until the third act, and the detail of the characters without devoting hours upon hours to them, made for strong - unparalleled cinema. Students could study this film, they could ask themselves if this is the vision of America, if this is the Americana we all love - work hard, play harder and maybe, just maybe, you too could play animal cracker safari on some girl next to the latest BMW model. Who doesn't believe this is the American dream?
Grade: ***** out of *****
A Predictable Movie, But Fun This movie starts off with some great effects and some good scenes featuring the drilling crew. It sets up a very predictable plot and is not that exciting by the end. But for a good price it is worth getting.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
