Search - Armageddon [Widescreen] [Criterion Collection] on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Violence, Adult Situations, Profanity Movie Release: 1998 DVD Release: 04/20/1999 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Edition: Director's Cut,Dual Layered Audio Tracks: English SwapaDVD Credits: 2 Number of Discs: 2 Run Time: 2 hrs 33 mins Studio: Criterion Members Wishing: 18 Genres: Action, Sci-Fi Action, Sci-Fi Disaster Film See Also: Armageddon [Widescreen], Armageddon [UMD for PSP]

Michael Bay (The Rock) directed this science fiction action thriller in the When Worlds Collide tradition. After astronomy students discover a comet-asteroid collision, an asteroid fragment "the size of the Super Dome" threatens. It's destroyed by a secret USA defense in space, but a large chunk veers off toward Singapore. With another asteroid "the size of Texas" en route, a plan is devised to send oil drillers to land on the asteroid and drop a nuclear device down a 1000-foot shaft, a scheme calculated to crack the asteroid into two halves, saving Earth. NASA begins a crash program to train beer-besotted oil roughnecks for the mission. During a stopover to refuel at the Mir Station, the space station is accidentally destroyed, so a Russian cosmonaut also joins the team. Produced by Bay, Jerry Bruckheimer (Con Air), and Gale Anne Hurd (The Relic, The Abyss). ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Bruce Willis - Harry S. Stamper
Billy Bob Thornton - Dan Truman
Liv Tyler - Grace Stamper
Ben Affleck - A.J. Frost
Will Patton - Charles (Chick) Chapple

The first disc of Criterion's Armageddon DVD features Michael Bay's director's cut of the film, which adds about ten minutes of character development. The 2.35:1 non-anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital soundtrack are equally impressive, the 5.1 channel Dolby track an ideal test for any surround system. The two commentary tracks on the disc complement each other nicely and together provide a balanced analysis of the film. Bay's insistence on his film's factual authenticity on the first track is offset by asteroid consultant Ivan Bekey and NASA consultant Dr. Joe Allen's more scientific insight on the second track. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Bruce Willis, and Ben Affleck are also on the first track, Affleck's joking and questioning of the film's logic on the track making it immensely more entertaining. The second track also features cinematographer Joe Schwartzman. The second disc is entirely made up of supplements for the film. Michael Bay's personally edited gag reel is funny and the compilation of additional deleted scenes not included in the director's cut solves at least one gap in the film's logic. Visual effects supervisors Richard Hoover, Pat McClung, and Hoyt Yeatman and production designer Michael White have individual featurettes focusing on their work for the film, ranging from compiled effects footage with commentary to on-set interviews. Storyboards, trailers, television spots, and an Aerosmith music video are also included. =Armageddon can be exhausting, but the incredibly balanced look inside the film is well worth it. ~ Oliver Thornton, All Movie Guide