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List Price: $39.99 | | Label: Touchstone / Disney
Salesrank: 19181
Released: April 20, 1999 |
| Our Price: $54.73 |
| Used Price: $3.28 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Bruce Willis and and an all-star cast of roughneck oil drillers blast off on a mission to save the planet in Michael Bay's doomsday space epic.
Description of Armageddon: The Criterion Collection:
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
Armageddon: The Criterion Collection Reviews:
More Junk-Food Cinema From Michael Bay 
2009-11-30 - Filmmaking for incredibly short attention spans. The Veg-O-Matic style of director Michael Bay guarantees that no shot lasts longer than 10 seconds. This editing technique may work on a three-minute music video, but it's excruciating for a theatrical feature. Meanwhile, a good cast is hopelessly lost in space. "Armageddon" gives new meaning to the term "headache inducing" - even worse than 1998's other science-fiction disaster, "Deep Impact."
No other Words than GREAT 
2009-11-14 - Great Story line -- amazing movie -- holds you in your seat -- amazing music. There isn't a negative thing to say about this movie. Great movie to see during hard times in life.
Why? Why did Criterion do this?
2009-11-09 - Criterion says that they do "important" films. This film is about as important as speck of dirt. If they're going for "worst movie ever" importance, then why not do Plan 9 instead?
Arrmageddon on with the film!
2009-10-10 - This is one of my all time favorite films!
I only had the VHS and, because I watch it so often I'm certain the tape was wearing thin! I finally broke down and made the DVD purchase when I got a new player for the bedroom....How great to see this in a format that is so much better!
Yeah for the digital world...and Bruce Willis (with a great cast)!!!
A global killer - nothing survives 
2009-10-10 - 4 of 5 stars for this sci-fi movie. A global killer--nothing survives, not even bacteria. An asteroid the size of Texas is en route to the Earth. With only 18 days before impact what do you do? Some early arriving asteroids (basketball size) rake NYC doing extreme damage. The only choice? Nuke it. How do you do that? Send a crew to drill a hole into the asteroid, implant the nuke, blast-it to break the asteroid into little bits. OK, who do you get to drill the hole? How about a crew of rough-necks (lead by Bruce Willis)? Things get complex when it turns out the asteroid is solid metal and it breaks drill bits.
Very strong acting and characters. Willis really hits a home run with his character. Great special effects. The concept is a bit old, but, this is a fresh version. I do recommend this movie!
