One to Add to Your Collection - "Armageddon"

When it was first released as a summer blockbuster in 1998, USA Today gave it the distinction of naming "Armageddon" one of the worst movies of the year.  Apparently, that was also the year that they were giving away crack as free side dishes in the USA Today cafeteria.  That had to be the case because "Blade" made that same list.

Contrary to what they ranked it, "Armageddon" holds the honor of being one of my favorite action movies of all-time.  It was one of the the very first flicks that made the short list of films I had to get on dvd when I finally got my first dvd player.  Even with the various cable options, I made it a point to watch it at least a few times a week.

This film was Michael Bay at his very best.  It was the ultimate popcorn movie.  He found a way to tap into every emotion at one point or another.  It wasn't good enough to stick with explosions and special effects, he had to try to make a brotha well up.  My favorite scene as top contender for an "almost make you cry" moment was when Chick's (Will Patton) son realizes that Chick is his father.  At the same time, the you can see in the mother's faces that she realizes she made a big mistake keeping his son away from him.

Another classic moment was Bear (Michael Clarke Duncan) riding the hog down the desert highway with the FBI on his tail.  He has no idea that they are only after him to get his help as you can hear him yell "Come get Papa Bear!"  Til this day, I still use that line anytime someone's trying to catch up with me.  They never hear me say it since I'm usually the only one close enough to hear it audibly spoken, but that's not the point.

"Armageddon" was the movie that etched Duncan a permanent spot on my must-see list.  Just as I thought he would do, he goes up and follows up his role as Bear with his most memorable portrayal to date in "The Green Mile".

It turns out  "Armageddon" was blessed with a plethora of talent.  Something else that seems to be a Bay trademark.  Bruce Willis continued to prove in this one that he hasn't seen an action film he doesn't like.  Billy Bob Thornton breaks out of his "Sling Blade" mode to show some of his versatility.  Then there was Ben Affleck who even if he may never have the film quality that is cohort Matt Damon does, at least he came thru here.

It was a shame that within just a few months of its release, someone else tried to capitalize on the whole deadly meteor concept.  "Deep Impact" didn't steal any of "Armageddon"'s thunder like the producer of "Deep" probably hoped.  Instead, it makes you appreciate "Armageddon" even more as the classic piece of action cinema that it is.