Armageddon (Blu-ray)

When NASA has a shuttle destroyed by a meteor shower, they discover that it is only the initial phase of a much larger problem. An asteroid the size of Texas is heading straight for earth and when it hits in eighteen days nothing will survive. In a desperate attempt to save the planet NASA scrambles to recruit a team of misfit, deep-core drillers for a mission that hopes to land a shuttle on the asteroid, drill a hole to the fault line and nuke it to tiny pieces before it reaches Earth and kills us all.

You know that you have an odd one on your hands when a Michael Bay disaster film with a 41% review average at Rotten Tomatoes is chosen for a DVD release as part of The Criterion Collection – a prestigious honor where selection is based on meeting the criteria of being either an important classic or an example of innovative, contemporary cinema at its finest. Who directed this again?

As it stands, Armageddon is one of the most polarizing films of recent times nominated for both the Saturn award for best science fiction film and the Raspberry award for worst picture of the year. Star Bruce Willis called it a very serious and important film; co-star Billy Bob Thornton called it the worst film he has ever been involved with, citing it as nothing more than a creatively empty paycheck. Love it or loathe it though, Michael Bay’s assault on your eyes, ears and gag reflex is very hard to ignore if for no other reason than because its so damn loud and pumped-up.

If ever there was the cinematic embodiment of testosterone, then this is it. Quite possibly the most manly film of all time, it might also be the most preposterous. A bunch of affable, blue-collar slobs make the ultimate sacrifice and risk everything to save the world? Of course they do. They’re American and this is a Michael Bay film. Essentially a brave, very expensive, very misguided attempt to make the workingman noble again, Bay lacks the discipline to simply stop there and be content with that. Instead he covers everything in sight with a syrupy “Hooray for America” topping, which sees the world stand idly by whilst the bravery, heart and courage that God gifted only Americans (and one token, mad as a bicycle, Ruskie), saves the day for us all.

Blu-ray Special Features:

The music video for the Aerosmith theme "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" and the theatrical trailer.

Starring: Bruce Willis. Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, Billy Bob Thornton, Steven Buscemi, Michael Clark Duncan, Owen Wilson, Will Patton
Director: Michael Bay
Runtime: 159 Minutes
Rating: PG-13

Article by Neil Pedley