DVD REVIEW
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When I first heard that Armageddon was being released in a mega-special edition by The Criterion Collection, I was rather taken aback. I was not the only one, it seems. After visiting a few DVD, LD, and film newsgroups and bulletin boards, I found many other videophiles that shared the same sentiment: Why Armageddon? Fans of Criterion´s past releases are used to the classic, foreign, and independent films which make up the bulk of their LD--and now DVD-- library. Many, including myself, felt that releasing Armageddon on the Criterion label was a waste of their resources, talents, and time, especially since it was already available in a movie-only DVD version from Buena Vista. I mean, sure, Armageddon was a fun movie, and certainly did well at the box office, but at the same time, it is instantly forgettable and does not offer much in the way of intellectual content or revolutionary story-telling. Is this film really Criterion-worthy?
Believe it or not, the answer is a resounding yes. On the back of the package, as on all Criterion releases, is a phrase which sums up the company´s mission statement: "...a continuing series of classic and important contemporary films." I don´t think even the most avid fan of Armageddon would admit that this film is a classic, but there is no denying that it does indeed qualify as an "important contemporary film." The publicity it has enjoyed, the money it has brought into the theaters, the four Oscar nominations, and the flurry of "asteroid-mania" that accompanied its release all point to Armageddon´s undeniable cultural significance.
Even so, I was still unsure. Does Armageddon really belong in the ranks of Brazil, Citizen Kane, Dr. Strangelove, and Sling Blade? The answer to that lies on Disc Two of this DVD set. But first, Disc One.
Disc One features the director´s cut of the film, in widescreen (natch), with a Dolby Digital soundtrack and two commentary tracks. The story revolves around an asteroid that´s heading for the Earth, a "global killer," that is the size of Texas. NASA sends up an oil-drilling team, led by Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck, to place a nuclear warhead into the center of the asteroid to blow it to kingdom-come. There is a LOT of padding stuffed around this minimal plot, and there is even the obligatory romance. The real stars of this film are not Ben and Bruce, though; that honor goes to the asteroid and the effects, which get top billing on Disc Two.
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