Producer
Jerry Bruckheimer is back with another loud, preposterous action extravaganza--only
this time he's made a film that's a little more audience-friendly than past efforts
including, Con Air and The Rock. Tell me if this scenario sounds familiar. A gigantic
asteroid is barreling towards Earth at break neck speed.
Time is ticking
and the government has to figure out a way to stop it.
In
this outing, Bruce Willis heads a team of mischievous oil drillers, who must land
on the asteroid and blow it up. If the story sounds like Deep Impact, it's probably
because it has virtually the same plot. However, Bruckheimer, and director Michael
Bay (Bad Boys and The Rock) have opted to make a lighthearted, in-your-face action
picture, that doesnÕt evoke the feeling of doom that the title suggests.
All Armageddon aspires to be is a thrill ride. The film is thrilling, even exhausting
at times. What Armageddon is lacking, is the element of surprise. This stuff is
predictable from beginning to end.
Bruckheimer
and Bay have assembled a nifty cast including: Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv
Tyler, Steve Buscemi, (who has most of the film's best lines), and a great break-out
performance by Ben Affleck who, along with Willis, put too much heart into a film
that isn't worthy of it.
Armageddon
is a better film than the dull, soap opera-like Deep Impact, but I'm still in
search of that perfect summer movie.
