Forgettable Hollywood blockbuster.

Armageddon is the second of 1998's "end of the world" films - after Deep Impact - that comes from notorious hack director Michael Bay. I remember being mildly entertained when I saw this movie several years ago. I guess with age and maturity we can finally see the flaws and pointlessness of mindless Hollywood rubbish like this film. Now I like action films because for the most part they are entertaining guilty pleasures. I expected to at least be entertained by this film...but I was bored stiff due to all the clichés, cheesy dialogue and predictable moments.

NASA scientists discover that a large meteorite the size of Texas is heading towards Earth. If the meteorite hits Earth, it will wipe out all life including bacteria. Okay, I will admit that the premise isn't too bad. The disaster genre is renowned for some entertainment despite some average plotting. But I digress...

After much negotiation, it is concluded that a team of experts must plant a nuclear warhead in the core of the meteorite to destroy it and save the world. NASA recruits the best deep core driller in the world - Harry Stamper (Willis) - and his crew to fly into space, drill a hole in the meteorite and plant the warhead.

The script is corny and predictable beyond all comprehension! Not to mention the atrocious dialogue! Come on, the dialogue is just characters yelling "It's gonna blow", "The clock is ticking" and other such things every few minutes.

The film is loaded with stupendous events. Every scene is guaranteed to make you embarrassed because of how conventional everything is. I mean of course, there just has to be a love affair between two characters with a father not approving. This is set up within the first few minutes. Who would've thought?! And it's impossible to forget the traditional series of events that unfold when the team land on the meteorite! Nothing goes to plan and this ends in a suspenseful countdown. Then when you think things can't get any worse the screenwriter inserts the obligatory manufactured tear-jerker. Not only is it predictable but it's also highly clichéd. And come on - an American colonel not knowing how to defuse one of his own bombs? That's just plain illogical!

I've never exactly been a fan or a hater of infamous hack director Michael Bay, and it's only recently after a plethora of mediocre and appalling films that I've realised where all the hatred lies. The man cannot direct his way from the kitchen to the lounge room! He only made his actors make the script sound even worse.

Kudos to Bruce Willis and some of his co-stars who make some of the one-liners sound half-decent. I did have a bit of a giggle thanks to a few clever lines. This is the only saving grace (I say this very loosely). And as for Affleck, he can't act.

The cinematography was the last nail in the coffin of this uneven disaster epic. Jerky camera shots, ultra fast cutting - it's impossible to keep up with what is going on, and why! The film is also a breeding ground for clichés. And here's more - it's 150 minutes long! Just by choosing Affleck to fill one of the starring roles was a recipe for disaster.

But wait - there's more! Gravity on a meteorite? Able to use a firearm in space? Nuff said! Armageddon is loud, ugly and unbelievably cheesy - it's about as disastrous as the meteorite promised to be.