Though flawed, an emotional and exciting thrill ride!!

Rating: Null/10 (1 February 2003)

I don't get all of the critisms on this movie at all. Apparently, this is one of those movies that some people really love and some people really hate. I've encountered my fair share of both types of people over the years, which even though I liked it, I have to respect, in a way, that if an overwhelming amount of people didn't like it, then obviously it is not a movie for everyone's taste. That's perfectly fine by me, I know there are movies out there that others love that I really disdain as well...but in this case, to call this movie a 'gold polished turd' is really stretching it. Sure you have your stereotype characters...this IS a Jerry Bruckheimer production afterall...he is by no means a genius director or producer, but he has a formula that works about 2/3 of the time which is to make loud, fast paced, action packed movies with huge budgets that are thrown at our faces at a million miles an hour. Movies like The Rock, Gone in 60 Seconds, and Enemy of the State all have this fast-paced, testosterone feel to them...but since most of them succeed in entertaining us, what is the big deal? My question is this, were the people who truly hated this movie totally bored with it? If the answer to that question is claimed to be 100% true with said person, I find it incredibly hard to believe. But anyways, that's enough on that subject.
I really like this movie, though by no means is it one of my personal favorites, it is still one of those that I love to watch every now and then. I saw it with my girlfriend at the time, twice in the theaters and we loved it each time (it was the first movie I had ever seen more than once in the theater). I swear though, most movies (except maybe Glory, Saving Private Ryan and Shindler's List) can't make me feel the emotional extremes that I love/hate to feel in a movie, but this one always does. There are several scenes in particular that get me every time, ***POSSIBLE SPOILERS*** one of which was when Will Patton's character, 'Chick', is walking off of the shuttle and there is his ex wife and child waiting for him. The look on his face gets me every time. Also, the moment of reckoning when Colonel Sharp realizes that Stamper can drill to the maximum depth and decides not to ignite the nuke. Both scenes always give me a cold shiver, which to me is welcome. You have a good script, good characters and wonderful special effects in addition to that feeling of humanity that looms around the impending doom that is headed towards Earth. They truly did an incredible job making space feel almost as claustrophobic as it really is.
My major complaints, of course, are with the direction, mostly. It seems choppy and uneven in places, and a few scenes seem like they were cut too short. Also, the characters are often given stupid lines and there is a slight air of cheesiness throughout the whole movie...but other than that (which are actually most of the complaints you will hear from those who simply hate this movie) I really like this movie and think honestly that it got a really bad rep by the sanctimonious critics. I can't believe that 'Deep Impact' another movie with basically the same plot that was out at almost the same time as Armageddon, got better reviews than this one. Deep Impact was a horribly acted, boring and sophomorish attempt at trying make the audience cry...it was all sappy and not exciting at all. Armageddon, though sappy at parts, does in fact succeed in many scenes, especially the end which made most people cry in the theater when I saw it. Also, the movie tries not to take itself too seriously and it, most importantly, is fun!
So anyways, if you haven't seen it already, I encourage you to forget the rather harsh negative reviews on this one, check your brain at the door, and enjoy this emotional thrill ride. 8/10 stars. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.