Armageddon VS Deep Impact

TALE OF THE TAPE

                 Title: Armageddon                                                    Title: Deep Impact

                 Tomato Meter: 40%                                                  Tomato Meter: 47%

                  IMDB Rating: 6.2                                                      IMDB Rating: 6.0

                 Starring: Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck                            Starring: Tea Leoni, Robert Duvall

                 Director: Michael Bay                                                Director: Mimi Leder

                 Box Office: $201.5 million                                         Box Office: $140.4 million

                 Academy: 4 Nominations                                          Academy: N/A

                 Year: 1998                                                                 Year: 1998

It seems the real disaster in these disaster films lies with their reception. Given the cold shoulder from critics and only a luke-warm embrace by movie fans, it's surprising that these movies did so well at the box office, and are regularly showed on cable.

Both films came out in the same year, and deal with the idea of an asteroid collision with the Earth. Armageddon is a more fast-paced action thriller where Deep Impact offers a more dramatic perspective. Both films have a high running time, and are enjoyable to watch for their own reasons.

Michael Bay directs Armageddon, boasting an incredible roster including Ben Affleck, Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Tyler, Will Patton, Steve Buscemi, William Fitchner, Owan Wilson, Michael Clark Duncan, and Kieth David. With big budget action and effects, Armageddon comes off like a summer popcorn film, but it does have a heart. The idea behind Armageddon seems to be a global disaster, and a crew of everyday-men are sent to stop it. Definitely a character driven film, you're sure to fall in love with one of them. Each character is given due screen time, character flaws, and unique qualities making them admirable, sympathetic, and down right fun to watch. Michael Bay's dramatic effects looks to transport audiences to a more innocent era where space exploration fascinated us. Where Armageddon fails in how it handles its premise. Not since Face/Off has audiences been required to give a herculean effort in suspending disbelief to enjoy the escapism fun offered. We're led to believe 18 days can embody the discovery of a collision asteroid, formulate a plan, recruit deep oil drillers, train them to be astronauts, prepare a launch and confront the asteroid.

Deep Impact has an impressive line up as well, including Tea Leoni, Robert Duvall, Elijah Woods, Morgan Freeman, Vanessa Redgrave, and James Cromwell. Unlike Armageddon's premise that there will be a collision in 18 days, Deep Impact has less urgency as the comet will arrive in about two years. The film is divided between characters over three sub plots. Elijah Woods is in high school and part of the Astronomy Club. He is credited with co-discovering the comet, and as a result, popularity and fame is thrust upon him. Tea Leoni is a junior reporter for MSNBC, and comes across a phony cover story from the white house. Unsure of what they are covering up, she uses this information to help advance her stagnant career with the help of the President, played by Morgan Freeman. She is also going through personal issues as her Father is marrying a woman close to her own age. Finally, there's Robert Duvall, who plays a retired astronaut, and the last person to walk on the moon, who will go up with a younger crew to intercept and hopefully destroy the comet. The movie spans the two years and shows how the characters, and indeed the rest of the world deals with the event as it draws closer.

Armageddon clearly takes advantage early and is unrelenting, while Deep Impact really doesn't hit back till about the fourth round. Both continue with Armageddon's street style fighting vs Deep Impact's well trained sweet science approach. However, Deep Impact goes down by round 7, as the less seasoned Armageddon clearly just wanted it more.


Winner: Armageddon