"Armageddon" Soars!!!

Rating: Null/10 (10 February 1999)

Bruckheimer and Bay's new actioner goes well beyond their previous films, "Bad Boys" and "The Rock".
Michael Bay's incredible use of the moving camera and his foresight of the edited product are phenomenal. He fully utilizes the medium of film and chooses to tell the story visually with tremendous success.
"Armageddon" reminds me of those rare breeds of action films which move their audience with a deep human element in the story which was not expected when you walk into the multiplex. Other action films like "T2" and "Face/Off" have had fantastic longevity at the box-office because they surprise their viewers with a great story at the core of the awesome eye candy.
Essentially "Armageddon" is about the power of the human spirit and its ability to triumph over all. The personal struggles between Harry, Grace and AJ are all symbolic of the perils of an imperfect world. But, bringing themselves together or having to deal with the heartache of being apart allows them to see deep within their conflicts and bring them to a resolve.
Bay's footage of people around the world preparing for their inevitable demise is so powerful that when I saw three young children running out of a bomb shelter holding toy space shuttles, tears came to my eyes.

When an action film can make a grown man cry, the movie is a success on so many levels. I loved "Armageddon" for reasons I would have never expected. Watch it without those thoughts of the hype surrounding the film and you will see what I mean.