One of the Biggest Sci-Fi Blockbuster of the 90s Is Headed Straight For Tubi

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We’re talking, of course, about 1998’s Armageddon. Directed by the king of cinematic explosions Michael Bay, the movie follows a group of blue-collar, deep-core drillers recruited by NASA when a massive asteroid is found to be on a collision course with Earth. NASA’s plan to save the world? Get these guys to dig a deep enough hole in the object so that they can insert and detonate a nuclear bomb before the asteroid collides with the planet. The film has a solid ensemble cast, including Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Tyler, Ben Affleck, Will Patton, Peter Stomare, Keith David, Owen Wilson, William Fichtner, and Steve Buscemi.

Armageddon Doesn’t Really Hold Up But It’s Still a Great Nostalgic Watch

When it was released, Armageddon was a massive hit. While critical reviews were mixed, fans turned out for the movie, making it the highest-grossing film of the year with $553.7 million and Touchstone Pictures’ highest grossing film of all time. The movie also has a pretty great soundtrack with Aerosmith’s single “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” even debuting at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 making it the band’s biggest hit.

However, 28 years later, Armageddon is definitely a little dated. The film never actually was particularly great. The science of the movie never actually held up at the time — the credits even had a disclaimer noting that “The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s cooperation and assistance does not reflect an endorsement of the contents of the film or the treatment or the characters depicted therein.” There’s also the absolutely bonkers idea that oil drillers could spend a mere 12 days undergoing some training to do this sort of mission, but somehow the improbability of it all and its ridiculousness is part of the movie’s charm. It’s over the top, there’s lots of explosions, it feels like everyone is always shouting at each other for some reason, but there are core elements of Armageddon that simply work. The idea of human survival and the willingness to go to great lengths for it is a pretty universal thing. There’s also the emotional stakes. At its heart, Armageddon is a movie about family and sacrifice. It isn’t hard to find yourself emotionally invested in these blue-collar heroes, chaos and unrealistic story and all.

Armageddon streams free on Tubi starting March 1st.

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