**_First, there was "2001: A Space Odyssey," and then..._**
..."Armageddon."
Lol, okay maybe it suffers from too much modern blockbuster syndrome, but I couldn't help thinking that 1998's "Armageddon" was the 1990's "2001: A Space Odyssey." I visualize the sci-fi progression something like this:
1968: "2001: A Space Odyssey"
1979: "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" (which towers alone in the Trek franchise -- a profoundly spiritual TRIUMPH)
1986: "Aliens"
1998: "Armageddon"
Some might object that I omitted "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope" (1977), but it really doesn't fit the list. Don't get me wrong, it's good for what it is, a space fantasy, but it's just too kid-oriented to be relevant to adult-oriented sci-fi.
In any case, I hated "Armageddon" when I first saw it and never cared to see it again. My dislike was a combination of the whole "blockbuster" syndrome with its fast-editing to please those with ADHD approach and, believe it or not, Roger Ebert's scathing denouncement, which illustrates the power of words.
Well I decided to give it another chance. Wow, was I entertained! Despite my dislike of fast-editing techniques, the story pulled me in right away and held me to the end. Yeah, some of the melodrama is too much, like Willis' scene with his daughter (Liv Tyler) near the end (rolling my eyes), but the filmmakers actually put some depth into the story and it mixes well with the action and humor. Their best move was to focus on character so that we knew and identified (with) the many individuals before the last hour's non-stop suspense & action kicked-in.
Speaking of the humor, there are some laugh-out-loud lines, like the one on not paying taxes, ever.
Furthermore, the star-studded cast is great and I especially appreciated the inclusion of Keith David and Michael Clarke Duncan (RIP).
The film is rather long at 2 hours and 31 minutes (the DC adds two additional minutes), but the story maintains your attention and the suspense, action and F/X are literally senses-shattering.
So, yeah, it's a shameless, over-the-top "blockbuster," but it tries so hard to entertain that you can't help but respect it. Besides, in addition to the disasters, action and humor, there's some actual depth to the characters and story. Take, for instance, Willis' character stumbling upon Affleck and Tyler during an intimate moment where Affleck literally covers her with kisses while she just eats it up. Willis stops, looks, and reconsiders his stubborn position. Then you know why he does what he does at the end.
GRADE: B+/A-
