Armageddon (1998) User Reviews

My Ultimate Guilty Pleasure- how do you assign a rating to that?

[madmaxmedia · 8/10 · 24 April 2006]

This movie is my ultimate guilty pleasure. It's inane, manipulative, has hyperactive cutting, a ton of glaring inaccuracies (pointless to even discuss or debate), and probably 29 other glaring faults. And why in every dramatic slow-mo emo shot are there 3 helicopters flying in unison overhead? What's the point of having 3 helicopters flying really close together? Who cares! It looks cool. If one day I am having a heartfelt talk with my daughter, I hope there are 3 helicopters flying overhead to really 'bring it home' (and Aerosmith performing in the background.)

Despite it all, I still love watching this movie. Anytime it is on TV I can watch it 'til the end. Bruce Willis does a great job doing his Bruce Willis 'thing' (smart alecky tough guy), and the supporting cast is really great. Steve Buschemi in particular gets the best lines. An awesome assortment of ragtag castoffs (spitting funny one-liners) must save the world- who would have thunk it?

I think Armageddon was actually conceived by suits in a studio office (no really, I read that in a magazine), which is I guess another strike against it. Yet only a bunch of suits could come up with a 'high concept' like this (so high it's basically a parody by itself.) And only a director like Michael Bay could make it. He's far more suited to these types of movies, rather than big historical epics like PEARL HARBOR (which I really, really disliked.)

I read somewhere once that this movie is as close as Hollywood gets to pure cinema, in that it is basically completely divorced from reality of any kind. Is that good or bad? I don't know. I do think if you're going to ditch convention and any semblance to reality, you may as well go all the way. It's better than having something that is a confused mess that tries to be different things (Pearl Harbor.) There will be no 'it could really happen!' here.

So after all this, believe it or not I am going to give this movie a big fat whopping 8. Why? Because IMO it unabashedly succeeds at what it tries to set out to be, whatever that is. That makes no sense, since I am basically saying by all logical accounts this movie may actually suck, yet I am giving it a 8. But hey I loved this movie.

I'm 38. Today I watched this movie first time

[leonidasoriginal · 8/10 · 23 February 2020]

With horrible movies coming out month after month I searched for a good movie. And I found Armageddon on HBO GO and remembered that I never watched this movie in full. So many years after release, I took the time, headphones, 50 inch tv and some popcorn. Let me tell you one thing - THIS IS ONE FANTASTIC MOVIE. They don't make movies like this anymore. We give oscars to crap today, this was pure pleasure and I'm glad I never wathched it before. I always caught part of it. But today, 22 years later hehe :) man, I miss the old movie making skill.

Incredibly unrealistic, but still a fun 2hrs20min

[0w0 · 7/10 · 24 September 2019]

Steam, wind, sound and gravity on an asteroid flying through space? Yeah the director didn't really think this whole 'space thing' through (or I think he simply didn't care... he was just like: "Meh, let's just make it fun"). And the movie is pretty fun, if you ignore the obvious inconsistencies and plot holes. Just take it like this: It's a movie of Bruce Willis and his team of misfits attempting to save the world by going to outer-space and blowing up a giant asteroid that's hurtling towards earth. PS. Liv Tyler at 21 y/o was unbelievably beautiful... she's distractingly gorgeous in the movie.

One of Those Guilty Pleasures

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 13 June 2017]

After discovering that an asteroid the size of Texas is going to impact Earth in less than a month, NASA recruits a misfit team of deep core drillers to save the planet.

The real mystery surrounding this film is how it got released by the Criterion Collection. Both this film and Michael Bay's "The Rock" received the Criterion treatment at one time. And while both are very enjoyable films, do they really belong with Criterion? I feel that by merely being released by them, there is an added importance stamped on the film.

But as far as guilty pleasures go, this is a fun and entertaining film. I could do without the romance angle, but the idea of blowing up an asteroid before it hits earth (which assumes a lot of questionable science) is just classic science fiction, here given more legitimacy and budget than ever before.

Has all the ingredients of a good action movie...

[NoArrow · 29 June 2003]

...that's exactly what this is: an ACTION movie. It's not supposed to sweep the Oscars, the acting isn't supposed to be perfect, and it's not supposed to make perfect sense.

The story follows a group of oil drillers sent by NASA to stop an asteroid that will strike the world in eighteen days. The drillers are taught and trained to become astronauts (in a very comedic scene) and then sent to the asteroid to drop the nukes and blow it up. After that, a whole lot goes wrong.

I loved this movie, and I hate how everyone's been calling it 'mindless action'. It's not mindless, it's actually very dramatic. The acting is great from pretty much all accounts, even Ben Affleck does a good job.

Bruce Willis captures the 'reluctant hero' role, and Liv Tyler does well as his daughter. Steve Buscemi delivers a great comedic performance as the genius who goes insane once they land on the asteroid.

Great, funny, intense, dramatic movie. 8/10.

Great cast with tons of energy

[HotToastyRag · 7/10 · 8 July 2019]

Believe it or not, I managed to escape the 1990s without sitting through Armageddon. I'm notoriously squeamish about "we're all going to die!" movies, so the only reason I did sit through it was because it was Bruce Willis's week on Hot Toasty Rag. Thankfully, my mom prepped me for it and told me everything that happened so I wouldn't be too scared or sad. So, if you're squeamish like me, and you want to watch it anyway, just ask your mom how it ends.

He must have been busy, or didn't want to seem old enough to have a twenty-year-old daughter, but the leading role Bruce Willis took on seemed tailor-made for Kevin Costner. Bruce held his own and wound up making a certain scene one of the most iconic scenes to come out of the '90s. He plays a gruff, tough oil driller with a soft spot for his daughter, Liv Tyler. Liv, raised around gruff, tough friends of her dad, has fallen in love with one of them, and her dad's not happy about it. Liv and Ben Affleck's romance seems a little unimportant when Bruce and his entire crew are called to NASA to save the world.

Sure, I'm not a fan of the premise of the movie-a giant asteroid heading for Earth isn't my idea of a good time-but the cast is so delightful it makes everything worth it. Everyone has tons of energy and brings their own presence to the screen. Bruce had his classic combination of machoism mixed with being a softie on the inside. His fellow drillers-turned-astronauts are an eclectic group impossible to dislike. Steve Buscemi has a weakness for women, and his antics are hilarious and remarkably charming. Will Patton has a broken homelife, and he's given a touching scene the night before the rescue mission to reconcile with his family. Michael Clarke Duncan, Owen Wilson, and Ken Campbell aren't really given anything to do besides rattle off one-liners, but the one-liners are funny, so I don't think anyone will complain. Back at NASA, the head of the program and mission is Billy Bob Thornton, and he always brings a little something special to his roles. Keith David, a head honcho from Washington, brings tension and severity to the plot, and Jason Isaacs plays a scientist with good intentions.

When Bruce's group is brought to NASA, they have to go through a mini-boot camp to make sure they're physically able to undergo the mission. It's a very funny sequence, started by William Fichtner, who plays the only certified astronaut on the mission, quipping, "Talk about the wrong stuff!" when he sees the odd lineup. Bill has a great, meaty role, and he's completely believable as a disciplined, intelligent patriot who's scared yet confident. Peter Stormare puts on yet another accent, Russian this time, and plays a quirky astronaut who's been stationed in space for too long at the expense of his social skills. There are plenty of comic reliefs in this movie, Peter included, to even out the immense tension of the plot. Even though you'll be worrying about the end of the world, you'll be laughing through your fear.

Since this is a Michael Bay movie, you can expect overactive camera angles and tons of special effects. The opening sequence is incredible, even when watching it twenty years later, as a meteor shower destroys New York City. There's a lot to appreciate in this movie, with the push and pull of the characters, everyone's special quirks and motivations, and the Oscar-nominated song, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing." The romance between Liv and Ben is really the only downside; it's supposed to be true love and more powerful than the end of the Earth, but it feels like a summer fling between two teenagers. Liv is given many tearjerker scenes throughout the movie, and since she was only twenty years old during the filming, I decided to cut her some slack. I remember the difficulties of being a young actress and how sometimes the emotions you think are being projected in front of the camera don't end up coming across very well. So, when you watch her scenes and she's supposed to be crying over the danger her boyfriend and father are in, keep her age in mind and be kind.

To call yourself a true '90s kid, you'll probably want to rent this movie. You'll probably have a good cry during the credits, but if you like these "we're all going to die!" movies, you'll probably enjoy yourself during the process. Go ahead and bring your Kleenexes, and enjoy what this very large cast brings to the screen.

DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie will not be your friend. Since I counted 66 spinning camera shots and 13 canted angles, as well as 4 scenes with strobelights and 6 scenes with a severe shaky camera, you should be aware that this movie could make you seriously sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"

Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, since this is an "end of the world" movie, I'd wait until my kids were a little older until they watch it.

Shut your brain off and enjoy the ride

[ercfunk-445-950046 · 8/10 · 4 December 2018]

Typical Michael Bay movie, lots of action and things explode really for no reason. It's still a fun flick. So many actors in it.

Fun, Action-packed movie.

[XJoey · 8/10 · 15 May 2003]

This movie seems to be a movie that many people love to hate. I don't see why it has such a bad reputation. It is meant to be an Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi movie, and it definitely lives up to this. It is what it is. Many people have tried to compare it to Apollo 13, but that's like comparing apples and oranges. They are entirely different fruit. Apollo 13 is based on a true historical event (Docu-drama), while Armageddon is an Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi movie. It has plenty of action and adventure, a lot of humor, and a bit of romance. Is the story realistic? Not hardly, but name ANY Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi movie that is. That's why they call it Science FICTION... For those who criticize this movie, nothing will change their minds. However, if you HAVEN'T seen Armageddon, take a chance, watch with an open mind and try not to let all these negative reviews spoil your enjoyment of a really fun movie. Remember, a movie is meant to ENTERTAIN, and Armageddon does just that, if you let it!

I agree that this film is stupid but I was entertained

[preppy-3 · 7/10 · 22 July 2009]

After some silly opening narration by Charlton Heston the story starts. According to this an asteroid the size of Texas is going to hit the Earth in 13 days. If it hits it will destroy the entire planet. (I know I know--just go with it) So NASA (led by a slumming Bily Bob Thornton) hires a group of oil drillers (led by Bruce Willis), trains them how to work in outer space, sets them off to drill a hole in the asteroid, set explosives and get the hell out of there...all in 11 days. Also, before the asteroid hits, meteors are coming down and virtually wiping out major cities like New York and Shanghai.

As you can see logic disappears pretty quick in this one. Director Michael Bay has said he makes movies for teenage boys. That's no surprise. There's LOTS of explosions here, lots of masculine men fighting each other and a plot dumbed down so anyone can understand it. There's also a hysterically funny "love" story between Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler (their goodbye scene using Animal Crackers has become a classic of bad cinema). Despite all this the movie WAS a huge hit. I saw it in a theatre back in 1998. It was a ridiculously stupid movie but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't entertained. It pounds you into submission with some incredible widescreen imagery, LOUD stereo sound and some truly unbelievable special effects. After a while you ignore the stupid story and just sort of go with it. As for characterizations--well who needs that? All of the actors are playing walking, talking clichés. There's not one person that acts like a normal human being. Liv Tyler tries but the script is stacked against her. Also I LOVE how she's allowed to casually stroll around the top secret NASA facility while her father and boyfriend are on the mission! The acting is as good as it can be. Willis delivers his regular one note performance; Thornton doesn't take this seriously for a moment; Tyler tries; Affleck looks lost and Steve Buscemi, Owen Wilson, Will Patton and Michael Clarke Duncan basically hit their marks and say their lines. So this movie is big, loud, stupid and far too long but it WAS entertaining. Just turn off your mind, sit back and watch things blow up. I give it a 7.

the biggest waste of my dad's money i spent in a long time

[alfkev · 1/10 · 17 September 1999]

Even though my father treated me to Armageddon I felt as if I'd wasted my own money. I felt so bad, I apologized to him as we walked out. This movie was so bad I wouldn't recommend anyone to watch it if the could see it for FREE. It was long, stupid, non-entertaining, and horrible. This and GODZILLA were two of the worst movies made in recent years. Why cant more of these "blockbusters" have the same thrills, heart, and wit as the STAR WARS series. Hollywood should realize that there's a reason these movies are so popular.

DO NOT GO SEE ARMAGEDDON!!!!!

I don't care if it is shallow, i love it

[mjw2305 · 8/10 · 15 January 2005]

What did everyone expect when this film was released, i expected exactly what i got, stunning visual effects, good surround sound and plenty of action (and yes i expected the traditional dose of sentiment too)

This movie is pure escapism fun, which has its place in my collection, movies like Independence Day and Armageddon are great fun to watch and as a bonus the characters weren't bad the script was reasonable and action was indeed plentiful. There were a great deal of laughs too (mostly intentional) anyone who hasn't seen this but just wants relax and enjoy a good (yet Shallow) action flick then this certainly fits the bill.

For pure entertainment value i score it 8/10

If this is for you then check out The Core and Independence Day, avoid the Day after Tomorrow and Deep Impact, there not really for action fans.

Suspension of disbelief

[markokhoward-854-530441 · 7/10 · 13 April 2020]

This film is unashamedly corny. Unrealistic with a cheesy end but it's entertaining. And when the people giving this 2's, 3's & 4's should politely remove their heads from their asses if their problem was lack of realism. It's pure cheesy entertainment so just enjoy it and don't over think it.

One good thing....

[BruceC · 1/10 · 16 August 1999]

There is a glimmer of hope in the event of a real-life Armageddon of an asteroid striking the earth. Certainly, all life will end on this planet, but it will also TAKE THIS MOVIE WITH IT!!! This ranks (pun intended) as one of the worst movies I have ever seen (1950's monster movies not withstanding). The acting is sooooo bad in this movie (Who the hell told Liv Tyler she could act???), and Bruce Willis should be completely embarrassed by this flick. Movies such as these are the reason I save my $7 at the theater, and wait til it comes on HBO. Of course, a lot of people will say that you can't get the full effect of the movie without seeing it on the big screen. While that may be true, it's pretty sad that you have to judge a movie simply by special effects and only when they're seen on the big screen.

One final note: When I watch a movie about the "end of the earth", I really would like to actually SEE the end of the earth, and not some hokey story about 1 person saving the day at the last minute. Does EVERY movie HAVE to have a happy ending? In the case of Armageddon, the happy ending was the ending itself!

The Good & Bad Of 'Armageddon'

[ccthemovieman-1 · 28 November 2006]

This could have been super but, as with the case of most modern action films, the action is way overdone. Still, it had its moments.....

THE BAD -One word describes a lot of scenes in here: chaos. Things are blown up all over the place, people are shouting everywhere. It gets to be too much, especially in the last hour which gets ludicrous. You practically have a headache when you're finished watching the 150 minutes of mayhem.

Half of the disasters that happen to the astronauts were not needed, and many of them come one after the other. It wound up muddling the story. Do today's filmmakers think you have to have something dramatic and loud every two minutes to keep their audiences? And talk about loud.....holy eardrums, Bataman, you could be deaf listening to this movie which includes a lot of loud heavy-metal "music." It's too noisy.

There are touches of "Independence Day" mentality with very unrealistic with a veteran astronaut smuggling a gun on board a ship; the daughter of the one of the astronauts barging into the command center and shoving the center's leader in the middle of a crisis (in reality, she wouldn't be allowed in the room to begin with); and the usual last-second impossible heroics. I mean, sometimes I swear I was watching a movie made specifically for morons. Speaking of stupid, what was that goofy cosmonaut character (Peter Stormare) all about. That's just another example of what I was just talking about - totally unrealistic people. Why does Hollywood like to portray astronauts - some of the classiest, most educated and reserved people in the world - in such a negative light? Just another of its sicknesses, I guess where good is bad and bad is good.

THE GOOD - What was great to watch in this film were the special-effects, especially the disaster scenes with the meteors hitting the earth. They were spectacular. A few of the panoramic scenes in here were beautiful, too. (This is a must for widescreen DVD.)

There is a good mix of humor in this adventure thriller. That humor makes some of the characters likable, even though they are still unrealistically sleazy heroes. Steve Buscemi had most of the good comedic lines. I liked Billy Bob Thornton as the NASA boss. He's very interesting to watch. Bruce Willis plays his normal macho-hero role. His heroic effort in the end is nicely sentimental. The special-effects, as mentioned earlier, were perhaps the best right in the first 5-10 minutes of the film - a real attention-grabber right off the bat. Actually, the first half of this film is far better than the second half.

HIGHLY entertaining

[FeastMode · 7/10 · 25 June 2019]

Beastly movie on so many different levels. action, intensity, suspense, creativity, acting (mostly), likable characters, comedy, music, emotional parts, love story, getting you emotionally invested. never once bored on a 2.5 hour movie. you definitely have to turn your brain off, but if you do, you'll have a great time. and this movie gives me the feels. hard core. numerous times. (about 5 viewings, 6/30/2020)

Are you kidding me?

[somodikrisztian · 10/10 · 18 July 2020]

This is my all time favourite movie. So American, so stupid, so spectacular. A fast paced masterpiece by Michael Bay, the music is top notch, and there are many great moments. I've seen it countless times and I just LOVE it!

Not a masterpiece, but good fun besides

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 6 June 2010]

There are things wrong with Armageddon, but I don't think it is a bad movie. In fact I think it more as a guilty pleasure. It is shallow in the character development, the film is much too long by twenty minutes not helped by the sappy love-story subplot and Ben Affleck got on my nerves. With its faults it is entertaining, and I do think it is better than Pearl Harbor, which had amazing spectacle but was bloated and had an awful script. So what makes Armageddon entertaining? Well, the visuals are incredible, and the music is great. I liked the script, clichéd it may be but there was enough tongue-in-cheek for me to be entertained by, and the film realises it's a parody and that it is politically incorrect something those talentless hacks Friedberg and Seltzer should have already learnt by now. The direction is decent, and the acting was good, Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Will Patton and Steve Buschemi coming off best. Overall, no masterpiece by all means, but it is not Michael Bay's worst movie and definitely not the worst movie ever. 7/10 for the entertainment value and the visuals alone. Bethany Cox

Underrated even in the year 2019

[Exsosus2 · 10/10 · 17 May 2019]

Sometimes IMDB group rating is wrong. And that is OK. I have learned my life that being wrong teachs me lessons in life.

However, in this film, my girl whispered to me that it was perfect, and I have to admit I agree. I have also spoken to many many friends and family members about this film and they all call it a ten.

So there you have it. Sorry the critics couldn't do their job well enough for us on this title. Even they make mistakes, from time to time. Its OK to be wrong.

Be sure to enjoy this with a glass of wine, or tea if that is your choice because it is so intense I nearly recieved a heart attack twice.

Great simply a great movie

[swordfish-1 · 6/10 · 11 April 2002]

I don't know what's wrong with those people who don't like ARMAGEDDON.They must have some kind of disease.Anyway everybody has his own opinion.And my opinion is that this is the best movie I ever saw. It's the first movie that made me cry. The scenario is perfect.It couldn't been better.The cast is simply terrific.During all the movie you have emotions that make your heart jump from its place. You can't miss this movie. You'll enjoy this movie more than having fun with your friends at a seven star hotel.

Underrated

[bah_cacatule · 10/10 · 19 June 2010]

this movie is arguably one of the best movies i have ever seen and to be honest i can NOT understand its current IMDb rating... it has everything in needs to be a movie worth remembering after tens of years! it can put a large smile on your face in its funny moments, and it WILL bring tears in your eyes in its most emotional moments... this movie is a reminder of why human life is worth cherishing, worth fighting for, worth DYING for... it features great human valors such as love, forgiveness, heroism, sacrifice, sturdiness.. i must have seen it at least 8 times by now and it never, NEVER ceases to impress me to the point of tears.. to conclude with, i am very disappointed in the viewers that voted on this movie here.. honestly it deserves 10/10

The film is ok, but could have been better...

[Keyser-11 · 7/10 · 29 July 1998]

I think it was all a matter of "time", because I saw the script cut to pieces with the apparent intention of shortening the film to about 2 1/2 hours. With that exception it is a film that keeps you interested 99.9% of its length in it, thanks to the performances of the cast (I think that is the best part of the film!!!). Keep a good look in what Steve Buscemi says, and in Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler characters; the tree of them save the movie.

Thrilling action movie

[briancham1994 · 7/10 · 4 August 2020]

This is the epitome of a trashy action movie, yet it's still great to watch anyway. It's so bonkers that it just becomes pure fun. This is Michael Bay at his most entertaining. It's dramatic to the point of bombastic but that's what we love about him.

Enjoyable back then and enjoyable now...

[paul_haakonsen · 8/10 · 31 March 2022]

Having sat down in 2022 to watch the 1998 action sci-fi movie "Armageddon" for the fifth time or so since it was released, I have to say that director Michael Bay's movie continues to be as enjoyable and entertaining today as it was 24 years ago.

The storyline in "Armageddon", as written by J. J. Abrams, Jonathan Hensleigh and Robert Roy Pool, is rather enjoyable. Sure, it is pretty straight forward stuff, generic and predictable to the core, as it usually is with these end-of-the-world-by-celestrial-bodies-hurling-towards-Earth kind of disaster movies. So you know what you are in for and what you are getting, and the movie's ending is every bit as predictable as you would expect. But it works. Oh yeah, it works.

Aside from having a good and enjoyable, albeit a somewhat cheesy and generic, storyline then "Armageddon" has a really, really impressive cast ensemble. There are so many great talents and names on the cast list here that it is bordering on being overwhelming. With the likes of Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Ben Affleck, Will Patton, Steve Buscemi, William Fichtner, Owen Wilson, Michael Clarke Duncan, Peter Stormare, Jason Isaacs and Keith David, among many others, then you truly are in for a spectacular cast ensemble. I am not a fan of Ben Affleck in any ways, but I will say that "Armageddon" is by far one of his more memorable and better movie performances. It was Peter Stomare that stole the show here for me, with his performance as the aloof Russian astronaut Lev Andropov.

Visually "Armageddon" is quite good, even 24 years after it was released. And an action sci-fi such as "Armageddon" would have failed catastrophically if it didn't have proper special effects. And believe you me, the special effects hold up even today. So thumbs up to the CGI and special effects teams for this achievement.

"Armageddon" is a timeless movie, a classic in its genre, no doubt about it. Campy and cheesy, for sure, but this is entertainment done right.

My rating of "Armageddon" lands on a well-deserved eight out of ten stars.

A Pure Adrenaline Rush !

[Panterken · 7/10 · 9 December 2007]

Armageddon was my number one favorite film with a bullet, when I was a little boy. It was the most spectacular film I'd ever seen and it still is one of the most spectacular to ever come out. Is it a masterpiece? Yes and no. You can't compare it with mind-enriching pieces of cinematic art like Fight Club or Requiem For A Dream but it does stand out in the, relatively mindless, action genre. It does everything what an action film is required to do and more. And therefore it's an action masterpiece. It's also Michael Bay's best, though Bad Boy is my favorite Bay movie.

Armageddon gives you the two-hour adrenaline rush that you wanted when walking into the theater to go see an action flick. The acting and script is definitely extraordinary for an action movie. Okay, it's not excellent but it's better than 75% of all action movies that come out, even to this day. Billy Bob Thornton and Steve Buscemi in particular did a great job and this movie wouldn't have been the same without them.

I'm not going to reveal anything about the plot since I don't want to include any spoilers in my comment. I think the film truly deserves the 8 that I'm giving it, even though it's hard to compare action films with films of an other genre.

Forever Classic

[AngelLiloLopez · 10/10 · 15 August 2019]

I will always watch this movie, regardless of how many times I've seen it or what time of day it comes on.

Absolute Classic.