For ‘Earth Day’ week, we at The Movie Buff are covering a few disaster-related films. And why not? Respecting the Earth and life on it are hallmarks of the holiday. Is there anything more saintly than films saving the planet from total annihilation, even if plausibility often goes out the window? I think the answer is a resounding yes. So, for the first film on our list, we take a look at the 1998 actioner “Armageddon,” which won no Oscars (nominated for 4 though), but presents action and emotion aplenty.
What’s weird is that “Armageddon” came out the same year as Mimi Leder’s “Deep Impact,” a decision I still question. “Armageddon” boasted a $140M budget and recouped $201M from US and Canada, while “Deep Impact” did better with a budget of $75M and a gross from the same countries of $140M. “Deep Impact” is more character-heavy and introspective, while “Armageddon” is in my opinion more powerful and fun. But I digress.
To enjoy “Armageddon” requires a suspension of disbelief. I mean, not totally: an extinction-level asteroid HAS happened, and is certainly possible to happen again. But no, the other element of the plot—a group of dysfunctional oil drillers become astronauts in roughly two weeks to mount a deadly asteroid in space—is beyond insane. But somehow this movie works in presenting decent, and at times great emotion and action.
The film works in part because of its immense cast. We see Billy Bob Thornton, Bruce Willis, Steve Buscemi, Owen Wilson, Ben Affleck, William Fichtner, Will Patton, Michael Clarke Duncan, Keith David, and entertaining character actor Peter Stormare. What works about these players is their dysfunction, and how they are forced to come together to save the day.
Willis and Tyler play well of each other as father/daughter. Photo: Touchstone Pictures, 1998.
Thornton is honestly great here. He’s toned down from other zany films he’s been in, and effectively portrays a NASA Mission Control director that is dutiful and believable. He’s challenged by Keith David’s Gen. Kimsey (aka “The Thing’s” ‘Childs’) in several humorous scenes. Fichtner and other of the NASA astronauts and pilots are brave and irritated by the rough-neck oil crew. It sets up some dramatic sequences that work better than they should have.
You can’t say anything special about Bruce Willis and the rest of his drill crew, but they make up most of the dramatic parts of the film. Willis plays Harry Stamper, owner of his oil company, and comes to odds with Affleck’s A.J., his employee who has been secretly dating his daughter (Liv Tyler). The rest of the crew are varieties of caricatures: Chick (Patton), who is estranged from his wife and child; Rockhound (Bescemi), who is a brilliant scientist but likes to drill because he ‘gets to blow things up;’ Oscar (Wilson) and Bear (Clarke Duncan) who are eager to please and hard-working.
Liv Tyler is additionally pleasing as his daughter and colleague, and the scenes between her and Willis make up the angst of the first half and the drama of the last. The film also adds an additional crew member, ‘Noonan’ (Clark Heathcliff Brolly), who has little to no scenes. The cynical nature in me makes me think this isn’t a script problem, but that Bay ran out of money for big names. But he’s still fun.
Affleck and the late Michael Clarke Duncan. Photo: Touchstone Pictures, 1998.
The biggest strengths of the movie are its interplay between characters and its special effects, which are top-notch. Some scenes are goofy, such as POV follow shots of the asteroid like it’s an actual villain, but when smaller asteroids and space junk pummel Earth’s cities, it’s cataclysmic and believable. The space training—and ultimate mission—is also full of intensity and makes the scenes stick. The recurring instrumental score from Trevor Rabin is emotional and charged, and highlights the film’s keystone scenes.
And, oddly, “Armageddon” is more emotional than it ought to be. The ending is fraught with the right stuff, even if clichéd; it balances its comic action and tearjerking scenes with ease. But the film is even soulful at times (yes, I said it). A scene between Tyler and Affleck as they discuss love and why Earth is worth saving is sweet, and another scene as Chick’s ex-wife sees him on TV and finally tells her son he’s his dad chokes me up every time. The group’s mission in space to blow up an asteroid from the inside via drilling is also filled with danger, and Bay oddly never overdoes it. Given how cartoonish his films can sometimes become, it shows great restraint on the part of the director.
Of course, “Armageddon” isn’t without issues. The main culprits are some clichéd drama and that ‘too many things to go wrong’ suspense that often threatens to bog down some fo the film’s more dramatic moments. The script is thin and predictable; it’s hard to believe anybody watches the first 15 minutes of this film and doesn’t know how it will end. Its comedy sometimes takes away from its seriousness, and its characterization is confined to only this small group of people.
But all its faults don’t do a tremendous amount to dent the film’s enjoyability. I always preferred this movie to “Deep Impact” because of Bay’s treatment. “Deep Impact” incorporates the whole Earth, while “Armageddon” focuses on a small group. What they have to lose we all have to lose. And while filled with clichéd elements and thin plotting, it still gives viewers what they want. A massive asteroid threatens to wipe out Earth and a group of everymen we can relate to saves the day. It’s a fun disaster movie and great way to appreciate Earth Day 2021.
