“Armageddon” as a must watch movie? Have we lost our minds, we hear you ask. Do we really mean the science fiction disaster movie from 1998 directed by Michael Bay?
Yes, we do.
Is it really the worst movie of all time? No, definitely not.
Let’s pick out a few things. There’s a big cast of famous names… Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler…
It’s one of many films about giant rocks hitting the Earth and destroying all mankind, unless something can be done. So NASA enlist a group of oil drillers to go into space and blow the rock up.
Does it make sense? Not one jot, the science is pretty bad and we wouldn’t even begin to list the errors.
What about the acting? Well, the film is bigger than any of the actors and they all do what they have to do. Peter Stormare is great as the Russian cosmonaut, and Steve Buscemi is just annoying but the rest cope and Thornton is really rather good.
So, why did we pick it?
One of the purposes of a film can be to entertain, and, as long as you don’t think about it too hard, then it certainly does that. OK, the first part on the oil rig is dull, the scenes in training are pretty funny and the space bits are genuinely thrilling.
What about the effects? Well, there is some cgi, but not a lot. Most of the effects are models and practical effects, and they are to be admired and enjoyed. On a huge screen they look fine.
But the absolute highlight of this film is the music. Written by Trevor Rabin, who at one point was in the band Yes, it’s big, tuneful and really makes the film.
Despite all its faults, and an excessively weepy ending, it’s just great entertainment that does not take itself too seriously. The music just takes you through it and even Aerosmith can’t spoil it.