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Amazon.co.uk Review
This 1998 testosterone-saturated blow-'em-up from producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Michael Bay (The Rock, Bad Boys) continued Hollywood's millennium-fuelled fascination with the destruction of our planet. There's no arguing that the successful duo understand what mainstream audiences want in their blockbuster movies--loads of loud, eye-popping special effects, rapid-fire pacing, and patriotic flag waving. Bay's protagonists--the eight crude, lewd, oversexed (but, of course, lovable) oil drillers summoned to save the world from a Texas-sized meteor hurling toward the earth--are not flawless heroes, but common men with whom all can relate. In this huge Western-in-space soap opera, they're American cowboys turned astronauts. Sci-fi buffs will appreciate Bay's fetishising of technology, even though it's apparent he doesn't understand it as anything more than flashing lights and shiny gadgets. Smartly, the duo also try to lure the art-house crowd, raiding the local indie acting stable to populate the film with guys like Steve Buscemi, Billy Bob Thornton, Owen Wilson, and Michael Duncan, all adding needed touches of humour and charisma.
When Bay applies his sledgehammer aesthetics to the action portions of the film, it's mindless fun; it's only when Armageddon tackles humanity that it becomes truly offensive. Not since Mississippi Burning have racial and cultural stereotypes been substituted for characters so blatantly--African Americans, Japanese, Chinese, Scottish, Samoans, Muslims, French ... if it's not white and American, Bay simplifies it. Or, make that white male America; the film features only three notable female characters--four if you count the meteor, who's constantly referred to as a "bitch that needs drillin'". Sadly, she's a hell of a lot more developed and unpredictable than all the other women characters combined. Sure, Bay's film creates some tension and contains some visceral moments, but if he can't create any redeemable characters outside of those in space, what's the point of saving the planet? --Dave McCoy
Amazon.co.uk Review
This 1998 testosterone-saturated blow-'em-up from producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Michael Bay (The Rock, Bad Boys) continued Hollywood's millennium-fuelled fascination with the destruction of our planet. There's no arguing that the successful duo understand what mainstream audiences want in their blockbuster movies--loads of loud, eye-popping special effects, rapid-fire pacing, and patriotic flag waving. Bay's protagonists--the eight crude, lewd, oversexed (but, of course, lovable) oil drillers summoned to save the world from a Texas-sized meteor hurling toward the earth--are not flawless heroes, but common men with whom all can relate. In this huge Western-in-space soap opera, they're American cowboys turned astronauts. Sci-fi buffs will appreciate Bay's fetishising of technology, even though it's apparent he doesn't understand it as anything more than flashing lights and shiny gadgets. Smartly, the duo also try to lure the art-house crowd, raiding the local indie acting stable to populate the film with guys like Steve Buscemi, Billy Bob Thornton, Owen Wilson, and Michael Duncan, all adding needed touches of humour and charisma.
When Bay applies his sledgehammer aesthetics to the action portions of the film, it's mindless fun; it's only when Armageddon tackles humanity that it becomes truly offensive. Not since Mississippi Burning have racial and cultural stereotypes been substituted for characters so blatantly--African Americans, Japanese, Chinese, Scottish, Samoans, Muslims, French ... if it's not white and American, Bay simplifies it. Or, make that white male America; the film features only three notable female characters--four if you count the meteor, who's constantly referred to as a "bitch that needs drillin'". Sadly, she's a hell of a lot more developed and unpredictable than all the other women characters combined. Sure, Bay's film creates some tension and contains some visceral moments, but if he can't create any redeemable characters outside of those in space, what's the point of saving the planet? --Dave McCoy
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This DVD is a msut for all fan of Willis who have not yet purchased these four films, but it also offers a lot to just movie-fans in general. All four films are worth getting on DVD and are neatly and handily packaged in a DVD box set. All four are arguably some of Willis' best films, and a re certainly the four that have been box office hits with the paying public.
The Sixth Sense was simply a cinema master-piece and really revieved Willis from a grey patch in his career. The plot, the storyline and the introduction of a young Hayley Joel Osmon make a movie which delivers so much and leaves you on the edge of your seat right till the end. The twist was spectacular and really was a brilliant film from start to finish. Unbreakable was from the same director and in a subtle way, the same kind of film with a 'big and shocking twist' as the finale. Even though it was still an exciting thriller it lost the edge that sixth sense had via losing the originality. For me Armaggedon is a great film, even though it rates high on the cheese factor it's a powerful tear-jerker that has the pulse racing as Willis and his team are sent to drill a hole into an astroid to save all of mankind. Not only that but there is able support from Ben Affleck and Billy Bob Thorton, plus a great sound-track from Aerosmith. Finally a true cinema classic with Die Hard...Bruce Willis fights crime with a white vest and gets down and dirty to save lives and look out for himself at the same time.
All in all, for just over twenty pounds, this is a great bargain and a great chance to own some cinema classics.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
The summer of 1998 was mostly unremarkable, with the majority of films failing to impress. The overblown Godzilla was a humongous letdown, as was Armageddon's rival Deep Impact. Armageddon came out champ of the summer season (along with Saving Private Ryan, Lethal Weapon 4, and There's Something About Mary). But none of these films managed to push past $217 million, which would be absolutely unthinkable now, inflation or not.
Despite the relatively low box office returns (just a smidgen over $200 million), the marketing machine for Armageddon was in our faces everywhere, and I feared it might burn-out audiences before release. I know I felt a little cynical when I went into the cinema that day, my expectations very low.
I've said before that Michael Bay does himself no favors. The man knows how to make a blockbuster, but he's utterly clueless when it comes to making a good film. Armageddon is the only film in his entire resume that I find watchable and entertaining, though he still should have held back some scenes (the notorious animal cracker love scene really should have been dropped).
A big boulder of iron ferite hurtles through space, knocking smaller meteors toward Earth (thinking of breaking a frame on a pool table). NASA recruits immature oil driller Harry Tasker and his band of roughnecks to go into space and nuke the comet before it ends all life our little blue planet. With an 18-day countdown it's going to be very, very close.
Although it took a total of 18 writers to staple the screenplay together, Armageddon succeeds in almost every area where Deep Impact failed, plus more. The soap opera is kept to a minimum while the action is ramped up, delivering one hair's-breadth escape after another, all to the sound of Trevor Rabin's amazing score, which the life blood of the movie. The huge cast of fine actors, the SFX, and the action would all be significantly inferior without Rabin's soaring tunes, which turn many of the key scenes into wordless music videos of visual storytelling.
That's not to say that the acting isn't notable. As a matter of fact, Bruce Willis is surprisingly effective, as is Will Patton, who rarely gets a decent role in mainstream movies. Though, as with Con Air a year before, Steve Buscemi owns every scene he's in (tying with Peter Stormare). Just ignore the horribly miscast Ben Affleck whenever he appears. He's the only real weak link of the movie, to the point where you ought to switch off during his screen-time.
As the only truly exciting blockbuster of the 1998 summer season, Armageddon defines a lackluster year, and elevates Michael Bay's classless resume. It's exciting, colorful entertainment, and none-the-worse for it.
Despite the relatively low box office returns (just a smidgen over $200 million), the marketing machine for Armageddon was in our faces everywhere, and I feared it might burn-out audiences before release. I know I felt a little cynical when I went into the cinema that day, my expectations very low.
I've said before that Michael Bay does himself no favors. The man knows how to make a blockbuster, but he's utterly clueless when it comes to making a good film. Armageddon is the only film in his entire resume that I find watchable and entertaining, though he still should have held back some scenes (the notorious animal cracker love scene really should have been dropped).
A big boulder of iron ferite hurtles through space, knocking smaller meteors toward Earth (thinking of breaking a frame on a pool table). NASA recruits immature oil driller Harry Tasker and his band of roughnecks to go into space and nuke the comet before it ends all life our little blue planet. With an 18-day countdown it's going to be very, very close.
Although it took a total of 18 writers to staple the screenplay together, Armageddon succeeds in almost every area where Deep Impact failed, plus more. The soap opera is kept to a minimum while the action is ramped up, delivering one hair's-breadth escape after another, all to the sound of Trevor Rabin's amazing score, which the life blood of the movie. The huge cast of fine actors, the SFX, and the action would all be significantly inferior without Rabin's soaring tunes, which turn many of the key scenes into wordless music videos of visual storytelling.
That's not to say that the acting isn't notable. As a matter of fact, Bruce Willis is surprisingly effective, as is Will Patton, who rarely gets a decent role in mainstream movies. Though, as with Con Air a year before, Steve Buscemi owns every scene he's in (tying with Peter Stormare). Just ignore the horribly miscast Ben Affleck whenever he appears. He's the only real weak link of the movie, to the point where you ought to switch off during his screen-time.
As the only truly exciting blockbuster of the 1998 summer season, Armageddon defines a lackluster year, and elevates Michael Bay's classless resume. It's exciting, colorful entertainment, and none-the-worse for it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
i think the explosions get in the way of things
Exactly what you'd expect from action extravaganzas, this gargantuan asteroid-hitting-Earth tale is a perfect example of what happens when you throw an awful lot of money at a... Read more
Published 1 month ago by bizmandan
value for money
This was a used DVD and was the 1st time that I had not bought new. I thought that if it was no good then I had only wasted a small amount of money. Read more
Published 2 months ago by STARWOMAN 58
Critics who slammed it need to lighten up, it's a great film!
Yes it might be pretty unrealistic, but if you love end of the world films, and Bruce Willis then your love this film. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Peter T. Andrew
Outstanding quality
I'm recently new to blu-ray and since I purchased my new TV can never see myself going back to DVDs. Read more
Published 3 months ago by JFlo
Woo
So pleased to have Armageddon on dvd, one of the most amazing films ever, always makes me cry. So happy to have it on DVD, was delivered rather quickly and is in excellent quality... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Jade<3
movie classic
Seen this film quite a few times but never gets boring. It is such a classic film with some big movie stars in it, touching and possibly will need the tissues handy.
Published 4 months ago by lhexport
tearjerker
i have watched this film so many times but it still reduces me to tears! excellent viewing a must if you havent seen it.
Published 4 months ago by justme
TIENE AUDIO Y SUBTITULOS EN CASTELLANO
ESTE BLURAY TIENE AUDIO Y SUBTITULOS EN CASTELLANO,COMPROBADO DE PRIMERA MANO Y LOS SUBTITULOS EN INGLES NO ESTAN QUEMADOS EN EL DISCO.PODEIS COMPRARLO SIN PROBLEMAS.SALUDOS
Published 5 months ago by Pirujo
It's Bayhem time again.
An asteroid the size of Texas is heading towards Earth, the consequence if it hits is a global killer, the end of mankind. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Spike Owen
Awesome
I really find it hard to understand how anyone could rate this film below 3 stars, it's an amazing film, i've seen it loads of times!
Published 7 months ago by Mr. C. J. Davies
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