Review of Armageddon (1998) by Spangle — 07 Sep 2016

For a long time, I put off watching Armageddon because I always anticipated it being an overlong, dumb, explosion fest courtesy of Michael Bay. However, the fact that it is a part of the Criterion Collection gave me significant cognitive dissonance. After watching it, Armageddon is unabashedly stupid and if films such as Top Gun, Days of Thunder, and Independence Day, did not exist, I would call it the stupidest film of all-time. Yet, just as with those films, I am unashamed supporter of Armageddon. It may be dumb, but it is a film about human perseverance in times of turmoil and has a heart that is proudly wears on its sleeve.

Though I would be hard pressed to call the acting good, it is never anything worse than average, which is just fine for the perfect example of when the Hollywood machine can churn out a film with a strong directorial vision courtesy of Michael Bay that showcases all that he does right. While it is dumb and loud, Bay's ability to create emotion, thrills, and tension never shines through better than in this film and he, unlike in other endeavors, gets overly side tracked by bad jokes or dumb plots. Instead, he stays honed in on what matters and, even better, the jokes delivered by Steve Buscemi from beginning to end all hit. In fact, they may be one of the best parts of the film.

As with Independence Day, it is hard not be in awe of this film at times. A glorious piece of 1990s cheesy action, Armageddon is filled with impactful one liners that give you chills, action set pieces that thrill, and an uncanny ability to make me fight back tears while watching a film about exploding an asteroid by drilling a hole into it. The tender scenes between Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler, the interactions between Tyler and Bruce Willis, as well as those between Willis and Affleck are all heart breaking put together. Beautifully shot, orchestrated, and written, these particular character interactions stand out in a film that knows how to write camaraderie between its character, especially the drillers.

While its action is obvious, the writing is really what elevates this. The plot may be dumb, but what is not dumb about Armageddon is its ability to create human characters with heart, passion, fears, and shortcomings. The development of their relationships and backgrounds is very impressive for a film of this type. This writing is what got it included in the Criterion Collection and it is not undeserved. The plot may be silly, but those behind the script knew what they were doing and knew how to write an action film. Plot be damned, Armageddon packs an emotional punch while Bay manages to expertly give weight and balance the romance, passion, and action in one deliciously put together spectacle.

Armageddon may be one of the dumbest movies ever in terms of plot, but its writing and willingness to explore the bonds between father-daughter and grown men is an impressive feat for a blockbuster of this type. Color me surprised that this Michael Bay-led disaster was anything but a misguided attempt to entertain teenage boys. Instead stark contrast to initial expectations, Armageddon has a soul where its brain should be, which is more than satisfying enough.