Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is back with another loud, preposterous action extravaganza--only this time he's made a film that's a little more audience-friendly than past efforts including, Con Air and The Rock. Tell me if this scenario sounds familiar. A gigantic asteroid is barreling towards Earth at break neck speed.
Time is ticking and the government has to figure out a way to stop it.

In this outing, Bruce Willis heads a team of mischievous oil drillers, who must land on the asteroid and blow it up. If the story sounds like Deep Impact, it's probably because it has virtually the same plot. However, Bruckheimer, and director Michael Bay (Bad Boys and The Rock) have opted to make a lighthearted, in-your-face action picture, that doesnÕt evoke the feeling of doom that the title suggests. All Armageddon aspires to be is a thrill ride. The film is thrilling, even exhausting at times. What Armageddon is lacking, is the element of surprise. This stuff is predictable from beginning to end.

Bruckheimer and Bay have assembled a nifty cast including: Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Tyler, Steve Buscemi, (who has most of the film's best lines), and a great break-out performance by Ben Affleck who, along with Willis, put too much heart into a film that isn't worthy of it.

Armageddon is a better film than the dull, soap opera-like Deep Impact, but I'm still in search of that perfect summer movie.