Armageddon (1998 film)

Armageddon is a 1998 American science fiction disaster film produced and directed by Michael Bay, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and released by Touchstone Pictures. The film follows a group of blue-collar deep-core drillers sent by NASA to stop a gigantic asteroid on a collision course with Earth. It stars Bruce Willis and an ensemble cast comprising Ben Affleck, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Tyler, Owen Wilson, Will Patton, Peter Stormare, William Fichtner, Michael Clarke Duncan, Keith David, and Steve Buscemi.

Though the film was released to mostly negative reviews, it was an international box-office success, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1998 worldwide, although astronomers noted that the similar disaster film Deep Impact was more scientifically accurate.

Plot
A massive meteor shower destroys the orbiting Space Shuttle Atlantis, before entering the atmosphere and bombarding New York City. NASA discovers that the meteors were pushed out of the asteroid belt by a Texas-sized asteroid that will impact the Earth in 18 days, causing an extinction level event that will wipe out all life on the planet. NASA scientists plan to drill a deep shaft into the asteroid and plant a nuclear weapon into it that, when detonated, will split the asteroid into two halves that will fly safely past Earth. NASA contacts Harry Stamper, considered the best deep sea oil driller in the world, for assistance. Harry departs for Houston with his daughter Grace, where they are told about the asteroid and Harry agrees to participate in the mission, but explains that he will need his team as well, including Chick, Rockhound, Max, Oscar, Bear, Noonan and Grace's lover A.J. They also agree to help, but only after their unusual list of demands are met.

As NASA puts Harry and his crew through 12 days of rigorous astronaut training at the Johnson Space Center, Harry and his team re-outfit the mobile drillers, named "Armadillos", they will use on the asteroid. When a piece of the asteroid wipes out part of Shanghai, NASA is forced to reveal their plans to the world. Two advanced Space Shuttles, called Freedom and Independence, are launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Once in orbit, the shuttles dock with the Russian space station Mir manned by Lev Andropov to refuel. A fire breaks out during the fuel transfer and the station is evacuated before it explodes, with Lev and A. J. making a narrow escape. 60 hours later the shuttles slingshot around the far side of the Moon to land on the rear of the asteroid. As they travel through the asteroid's debris field, Independence's hull is punctured and crashes, with most of its crew killed. Grace, watching from Mission Control, is distraught by A.J.'s apparent death.

Freedom lands safely, but misses the target area, meaning the team must now drill through a thicker crust of compressed iron ferrite. When they fall behind schedule and communications threaten to fail, the military initiates "Secondary Protocol"; to remotely detonate the weapon on the asteroid's surface. As this would be ineffective, NASA executive Dan Truman and his team delays the military at Mission Control, while Harry persuades the shuttle commander Colonel Sharp and bomb specialist Gruber to disarm the bomb so they can complete the drilling. After the mission is resumed, the Freedom Armadillo strikes a methane gas pocket and is blown into space, killing Max. With the mission presumed lost, worldwide panic ensues and martial law is declared in many countries, just before another meteorite destroys Paris. However, A.J., Lev, and Bear, having survived the Independence crash, arrive in Independence's Armadillo in time to complete the drilling.

As the asteroid approaches Earth, the surviving crew is struck by a rock storm, which kills Gruber and damages the bomb's remote trigger, meaning someone must stay behind to detonate it manually. After the non-flight crew draw straws, A.J. is selected. As he and Harry exit the airlock, Harry rips off A.J.'s air hose and shoves him back inside, telling him he is the son he never had and would be proud to have him marry Grace. Before preparing to detonate the bomb, Harry contacts Grace to say his last goodbyes. After the Freedom moves to a safe distance, Harry successfully pushes the button at the last second, detonating the nuclear weapon and splitting the asteroid in two at the cost of his own life. Both halves safely fly past Earth. Freedom lands, and the surviving crew return as heroes. Sometime later A.J. and Grace are married, with portraits of Harry and the other lost crew members present in memoriam.

Cast

 * Bruce Willis as Harry S. Stamper
 * Billy Bob Thornton as Dan Truman
 * Ben Affleck as A.J. Frost
 * Liv Tyler as Grace Stamper
 * Will Patton as Chick
 * Steve Buscemi as Rockhound
 * William Fichtner as Colonel Willie Sharp
 * Owen Wilson as Oscar
 * Michael Clarke Duncan as Bear
 * Peter Stormare as Lev Andropov
 * Ken Campbell as Max
 * Jessica Steen as Co-Pilot Jennifer Watts
 * Keith David as General Kimsey
 * Chris Ellis as Flight Director Clark
 * Jason Isaacs as Ronald Quincy
 * Grayson McCouch as Gruber
 * Clark Brolly as Noonan
 * Marshall Teague as Colonel Davis
 * Anthony Guidera as Co-Pilot Tucker
 * Greg Collins as Halsey
 * John Mahon as Karl
 * Grace Zabriskie as Dottie
 * Eddie Griffin as bike messenger
 * Narration by Charlton Heston