Armageddon

Name: Armageddon
Genre: Action, Science Fiction, Adventure
Released: 1998-07-01
Cast: Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, Will Patton

1998 | 151 min | Action, Science Fiction, Adventure

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

It collected a shelf of major awards and people are still talking about it, though it had middling reviews (43% on Rotten Tomatoes). A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for sci-fi fans and action fans. If you loved Independence Day or Guardians of the Galaxy, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
The mood: Exciting.
The pace: Epic and sweeping, at 2 hr 31 min.
What might put you off: It's long: 2 hr 31 min.
Critics were cooler on it than audiences.

When an asteroid threatens to collide with Earth, NASA honcho Dan Truman determines the only way to stop it is to drill into its surface and detonate a nuclear bomb. This leads him to renowned driller Harry Stamper, who agrees to helm the dangerous space mission provided he can bring along his own hotshot crew. Among them is the cocksure A.J. who Harry thinks isn't good enough for his daughter, until the mission proves otherwise.

How it earned its rating

CriticsBelow par
43% on Rotten Tomatoes
AudiencesSolid
6.8 out of 10
AwardsVery strong
Nominated for 4 Oscars.
Box office & staying powerStrong
$554 million worldwide on a $140 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactVery strong
About 776K people sought it out in the past year