Bad Science Fiction, Great Fiction

Rating: 9/10 (25 October 1998)

This is probably the most emotionally moving movie I've seen since Braveheart. My brother dragged me to it, and I went back the next night to see it again.
If you want to see *science* fiction, ignore this movie. They seem to have consulted not a single physicist, astronomer, or aerospace engineer in the making of it, so I spent half of my first viewing laughing at the sheer ridiculousity of it. The rest of the time I cried, making this only the second movie ever to bring tears to my eyes.
Liv Tyler and Ben Affleck make an amazing couple. Bruce Willis is heroic, but not superheroic; his character is more human than most of his action movie characters. Add in Steve Buscemi and the others, and you have an amazing cast. The story, and especially the love story between Tyler and Affleck, is well written (once you get past the scientific absurdity of it), and is well played out by the actors.
The special effects go without saying, being one of the primary draws of this film. The score is incredibly well-done, and manipulates the audience's emotions with superb artistry. The soundtrack, featuring Aerosmith both old and new, seems a bit strange in places, but still contributes to the film's intensity.
If you are blessed with the ability of suspension of disbelief, then this will be one of the best movies you see in years. If, on the other hand, you cannot let yourself sit back and enjoy, you will find this a waste of time and money.