A pleasant surprise, considering...

Rating: 8/10 (17 June 2001)

I went to see this film with low expectations. Critics had slammed it, for one, and Bay tends to make rather hollywood'ish movies. That said, there *were* some crappy lines in the script, but I am forced to disagree with most of what I've read from critics about it being too long and tedious. Character development was more than sufficient, acting was good, and the story was fine (ala Cameron's "add a romance to a real-life tragedy" scenario theory).
What made this movie work, though, was Bay's mind's eye. One thing that can't be disputed is the fact that he can make a damn good looking film. The movie is long, but didn't feel like it; it's quick-paced (mostly). And it's just plain beautiful. I gave an 8 out of 10. Armageddon was prettier but vastly stupid. This is a very well done film.