Years ago, FILM COMMENT ran an amusing piece that manages to simultaneously serve as a taken down and a celebration of his "oeuvre." To wit: "Bay has bullied, hectored, and assaulted his way into something exciting: a singular, abstract mental image buried deep within all of those colliding images and sounds, some kind of digitally generated, platinum-lined gateway to nirvana."
To your point, I refer you to the third to last paragraph in my essay: "More, it spoke to young men who, regardless of how healthy their relationships are with their fathers, always seem to be suffering from some kind of intergenerational daddy issues."
Oh, one hundred percent. All Bruce has to say is, "You're gonna take care of my little girl, now. That's your job." And then, "We win, Gracie!" Oh man, epic manly tears coming out of these eyes.
I have a more nuanced take on the movie, but I'll just point out that Armageddon might be the most American move ever, but its take on country and patriotism isn't unique to America. For instance, there is an entire genre of recent Chinese science fiction films that are essentially Armageddon, but set in China. Humanity is threatened by aliens, a meteor, an exploding sun. And humanity is saved by a the brave and imaginative Chinese soldiers, scientists and workers who set up to get the job done.
I don't know if what happens in America necessarily is unique, but the approach to these films, which isn't just fun nationalism, but over the top flag-waving is very American whatever the case. There's a huge difference between APOLLO 13, for example, and ARMAGEDDON; both films support the idea of America's greatness, but only one of them shouts it at you. I'm less familiar with China's films like this, so I can't comment. But they're a super-power and I can't imagine their history of state propaganda wouldn't encourage this.
I've never seen Armageddon. Nor Top Gun. My parents understood the propaganda aspects to which you refer. I was eleven in 1986, and allowed to watch The Toxic Avenger and Calaigula, but not allowed to watch Top Gun for its militarism or Alf for its sexism. My gene donors were weird. Mostly I raised myself. By the time Armageddon came out, I was too well defended against the tropes it represented.
I jumped in to this convo to contrast Armageddon with a beloved movie from the same era dealing with essentially the same theme: Starship Troopers. I watched the shit out of that one. I caught the satire of fascism even if the mainstream didn't. I was always a big Heinlein fan, and had read the book. They actually changed the philosophy from the book to make the satire sharper. In the book, you just had to risk your life to benefit the collective good to earn citizenship. Before the war, they had asteroid mines and suchlike for that, but it's too reasonable a proposition and was left out of the film rather than contribute to the kind of propaganda Armageddon represents.
Oh, the reverence for the Flag, the mythology of American Workers building and being the backbone of America is a story that was emphasized in every year of 12 years of public school, by every teacher and coach, supplemented with reinforcement on Sunday. Technical and political elites were not held in the same regard. I think your point of this being such a "piece" of the American experience, that American's aren't any more aware of it than a fish is aware of water. You aren't living in the USA now, how do you friends in the UK and Europe view it?
I live in Australia now (my mum was Aussie). We've been here for three years, after spending four years in the UK. When I've discussed the film outside of America, the focus on it tends to stay on how loud and ridiculous it is. The US ra-ra-ra'ing of it is part of that. It's just...a lot. I should probably look up how the film did overseas. The interesting thing I've found, though, is that many non-Americans are very nostalgic for the same ideas about the "Greatest Country on Earth". The country's dramatic roll in World War I and II and its militarization of the globe, which brought American culture with it, did a number on many people. I understand why it happened, though.
Appreciate the piece. There's always some sort of re-appreciation of Bay, but with most of his stuff, I feel like I get two hours in and I'm like, "Yeah, okay, I get the point." I was in Denmark when the first movie came out, and I saw it with a Danish kid my age, because he wanted to know what was big in America (his family were not frequent moviegoers, but they loved Titanic). I remember, after it ended, he put a cigarette to his mouth and quietly said, "That sucked."
I think all of what you said is present in the movie. But then, there's also the rampant obnoxiousness. It's in no way a measured, thoughtful take on patriotic iconography or sensibilities. I suppose the obnoxiousness is the point? As a Latin American, I don't love that thought.
Well, that's part of what makes it so American, I think. It's so loud, over the top, and in your face, right? Without all that, it would be a much less "American" film.
Thank you for what was a thought provoking piece for me, as I hadn’t really considered what you make obvious (and at least consciously missed) in the film. Now I understand why I never really liked Armageddon!
Some of these things aren't obvious until years later; some of what I describe only became true as the culture changed. Art and how we understand it is very fluid. But as for the film, I love it myself. But as I also say, I love a lot of problematic things. We're complicated people with complicated identities we can't help.
Great piece! Many pertinent questions about the systems we’re all born into. Seems like you could do a broader series, a book even — art as social control. 👍🏻
I experienced the movie 'Armageddon' as an emotional roller coaster ride and a visual fireworks display. But looking back at it many years later, I realize its underlying weakness. The saviours in the movie are mainly white, strong men, while the women in the film are left behind, 'on the ground' waiting to be saved.
Of course these days it will most likely be strong, brave women who will be humanity's saviours... Not from a meteor threatening to obliterate earth, but from a dangerous psychopath threatening to mess up the world.
The film is narratively a mess, driven entirely by that emotional roller coaster. I'll give you one example. Willis's character fires Affleck's character during the opening oil rig scene. Then, Willis is picked up and flown to Texas to meet about saving the world. It's about 20 hours later at this point. When he says he'll save the day, but he needs his own crew, it's maybe 24 hours later. At that point, we watch all the crew being rounded up from around America -- even though they're still on the rig. More, Willis goes to Affleck, who in 24 hours has bought and started operating his own oil field somewhere else in America. None of it makes a lick of sense...but it looks cool and the emotional effect lands.
Having read this, as someone who has never lived in the US, I am trying to evaluate my own response to it. I absolutely love this film. I find watching it both a joyful and exhilarating experience. I see it as a classic tale of individuals rising above their limitations to defy expectations. I think we love to watch people overcome adversity and oil riggers heading into space to save the world does that in spades in a way that training astronauts to use a drill could not. It’s an underdog tale and who doesn’t love one of those? I actually see it as similar to Apollo 13 in that respect. Although in that film NASA is the underdog battling against fate, I guess.
The absurdity of Armageddon’s premise also serves to remove it from reality to a point where it is possible to view the Earth’s impending doom as fun. Of course these guys will save the world. We know what we are getting right from the offing.
The MAGA parallels are absolutely there and I think you have clearly demonstrated why that movement has so much appeal for some. How much do you think that is just a by-product, or does it actually make this type of film dangerously jingoistic?
I absolutely love this film, like you. As I mention a couple of times, I can love a thing and find it problematic. I don't write these pieces to condemn (most of the time). I want people to spend more time interrogating art, and I do that to something like ARMAGEDDON because I do think it's art. The same skills work for it as do a painting in a museum. It's embarrassing how many times I've seen ARMAGEDDON, in fact. As for do I think the MAGA parallels are a by-product, yes, I do. I think Bay brought just made a movie for who he, at the time, believed were the ticketbuying heart of America. I can't say what's in his heart or even if that's how he sees the heart of America. But he's great at making films for this demographic. As for the dangerously jingoistic part of your question...I'm not sure I'm qualified to answer that question. I'm not sure it would be fair to target a specific film like this, either, since the vast majority of America's action films -- including war films -- in the 20th century are exactly that. What makes ARMAGEDDON special? If you're an innocent victim of American bombs somewhere in the world, can you distinguish between the impact of ARMAGEDDON, TOP GUN, DELTA FORCE, and THE GREEN BERETS on your suffering? The consequences of this militaristic obsession with American badassness in Hollywood cinema isn't something I feel can be properly quantified. All this said, you cite APOLLO 13...a film soundtrack I list to and get emotionally charged up by as much as ARMAGEDDON's.
I’m not casting judgment either, I was just wondering if perhaps it is short-sighted not to. Hell, so much of art is problematic in some way that it would be impossible to enjoy pretty much everything. It’s part of my issue with the very black and white way that some people view culture now. Lack of nuance in both production and interpretation is a very real problem.
Independence Day is very similar to Armageddon in its themes, I think and a lot of the same critique can be levelled at it. It doesn’t make me enjoy it any less. I do think it is important to be aware of those underlying messages though.
Exactly. I don't fault people who feel angry about US imperialism calling films like these propaganda. I do, too. But I've watched probably close to 100 Soviet films at this point, most of which were produced to serve, in part, as propaganda. Unlike Hollywood, there was conscious, systemic effort. And yet...I love those films. One of the most frustrating aspects of adulthood for many people seems to be that two contradictory things can be simultaneously true.
Propaganda is interesting because it really depends on your political standpoint whether or not you find it problematic. I wonder how easy it is to separate artistic merit from purpose and whether indeed it actually matters. Again, I am brought back to your discussion of Norman Rockwell. It feels pertinent.
The "Only Americans who can fix shit can save the world" trope isn't so far off the mark. In World War Two, American young men raised on farms fixing tractors and in small towns building jalopies kept the tanks rolling, the bombers flying, and the destroyers afloat. That was a major tactical advantage. It was driven home to me during my years in the Navy when I ran across sailors from other nations. The British were particularly inept at mechanical things; most of them couldn't even drive.
I hate this kind of film. The ego soaked, celebratory circle jerk of American "superiority" makes me want to vomit. With films or any other media I actively avoid anything that has this "America, fuck yeah!" attitude.
At least the film co-stats Liv Tyler, who I have an unashamedly huge crush on 😅
Truthfully, I liked “Deep Impact” better.
They're both excellent films. It's always been a shame that DEEP IMPACT was so overshadowed by ARMAGEDDON's success.
But there’s a lot I find deeply offensive about a lot of pieces of art that nonetheless also deeply move me because I carry multitudes inside me.
Thank you for this.
I think you need to do The Rock and the first Transformers sometime.
Years ago, FILM COMMENT ran an amusing piece that manages to simultaneously serve as a taken down and a celebration of his "oeuvre." To wit: "Bay has bullied, hectored, and assaulted his way into something exciting: a singular, abstract mental image buried deep within all of those colliding images and sounds, some kind of digitally generated, platinum-lined gateway to nirvana."
https://www.filmcomment.com/article/bay-watch/
I think this is a very accurate description of, at least, THE ROCK and ARMAGGEDON.
Listen, we don't go into Armageddon with expectations of narrative coherence. We watch Armageddon to pretend Bruce Willis is our step dad.
To your point, I refer you to the third to last paragraph in my essay: "More, it spoke to young men who, regardless of how healthy their relationships are with their fathers, always seem to be suffering from some kind of intergenerational daddy issues."
Oh, one hundred percent. All Bruce has to say is, "You're gonna take care of my little girl, now. That's your job." And then, "We win, Gracie!" Oh man, epic manly tears coming out of these eyes.
I have a more nuanced take on the movie, but I'll just point out that Armageddon might be the most American move ever, but its take on country and patriotism isn't unique to America. For instance, there is an entire genre of recent Chinese science fiction films that are essentially Armageddon, but set in China. Humanity is threatened by aliens, a meteor, an exploding sun. And humanity is saved by a the brave and imaginative Chinese soldiers, scientists and workers who set up to get the job done.
I don't know if what happens in America necessarily is unique, but the approach to these films, which isn't just fun nationalism, but over the top flag-waving is very American whatever the case. There's a huge difference between APOLLO 13, for example, and ARMAGEDDON; both films support the idea of America's greatness, but only one of them shouts it at you. I'm less familiar with China's films like this, so I can't comment. But they're a super-power and I can't imagine their history of state propaganda wouldn't encourage this.
I've never seen Armageddon. Nor Top Gun. My parents understood the propaganda aspects to which you refer. I was eleven in 1986, and allowed to watch The Toxic Avenger and Calaigula, but not allowed to watch Top Gun for its militarism or Alf for its sexism. My gene donors were weird. Mostly I raised myself. By the time Armageddon came out, I was too well defended against the tropes it represented.
I jumped in to this convo to contrast Armageddon with a beloved movie from the same era dealing with essentially the same theme: Starship Troopers. I watched the shit out of that one. I caught the satire of fascism even if the mainstream didn't. I was always a big Heinlein fan, and had read the book. They actually changed the philosophy from the book to make the satire sharper. In the book, you just had to risk your life to benefit the collective good to earn citizenship. Before the war, they had asteroid mines and suchlike for that, but it's too reasonable a proposition and was left out of the film rather than contribute to the kind of propaganda Armageddon represents.
I don't mind propaganda, to be honest. I mind that stupid people fall for it.
Oh, the reverence for the Flag, the mythology of American Workers building and being the backbone of America is a story that was emphasized in every year of 12 years of public school, by every teacher and coach, supplemented with reinforcement on Sunday. Technical and political elites were not held in the same regard. I think your point of this being such a "piece" of the American experience, that American's aren't any more aware of it than a fish is aware of water. You aren't living in the USA now, how do you friends in the UK and Europe view it?
I live in Australia now (my mum was Aussie). We've been here for three years, after spending four years in the UK. When I've discussed the film outside of America, the focus on it tends to stay on how loud and ridiculous it is. The US ra-ra-ra'ing of it is part of that. It's just...a lot. I should probably look up how the film did overseas. The interesting thing I've found, though, is that many non-Americans are very nostalgic for the same ideas about the "Greatest Country on Earth". The country's dramatic roll in World War I and II and its militarization of the globe, which brought American culture with it, did a number on many people. I understand why it happened, though.
Appreciate the piece. There's always some sort of re-appreciation of Bay, but with most of his stuff, I feel like I get two hours in and I'm like, "Yeah, okay, I get the point." I was in Denmark when the first movie came out, and I saw it with a Danish kid my age, because he wanted to know what was big in America (his family were not frequent moviegoers, but they loved Titanic). I remember, after it ended, he put a cigarette to his mouth and quietly said, "That sucked."
I think all of what you said is present in the movie. But then, there's also the rampant obnoxiousness. It's in no way a measured, thoughtful take on patriotic iconography or sensibilities. I suppose the obnoxiousness is the point? As a Latin American, I don't love that thought.
Fromtheyardtothearthouse.substack.com
Well, that's part of what makes it so American, I think. It's so loud, over the top, and in your face, right? Without all that, it would be a much less "American" film.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
Well, okay.
Fromtheyardtothearthouse.substack.com
Thank you for what was a thought provoking piece for me, as I hadn’t really considered what you make obvious (and at least consciously missed) in the film. Now I understand why I never really liked Armageddon!
Some of these things aren't obvious until years later; some of what I describe only became true as the culture changed. Art and how we understand it is very fluid. But as for the film, I love it myself. But as I also say, I love a lot of problematic things. We're complicated people with complicated identities we can't help.
It certainly nailed an often used motif. I thought I saw it originally in The Magnificent Seven, the pose of the warriors facing grave odds.
https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx3zeo03jab86AF14WvpNSN9I6UfupC4db?feature=shared
Yep.
Great piece! Many pertinent questions about the systems we’re all born into. Seems like you could do a broader series, a book even — art as social control. 👍🏻
One day, perhaps. One day...
I experienced the movie 'Armageddon' as an emotional roller coaster ride and a visual fireworks display. But looking back at it many years later, I realize its underlying weakness. The saviours in the movie are mainly white, strong men, while the women in the film are left behind, 'on the ground' waiting to be saved.
Of course these days it will most likely be strong, brave women who will be humanity's saviours... Not from a meteor threatening to obliterate earth, but from a dangerous psychopath threatening to mess up the world.
The film is narratively a mess, driven entirely by that emotional roller coaster. I'll give you one example. Willis's character fires Affleck's character during the opening oil rig scene. Then, Willis is picked up and flown to Texas to meet about saving the world. It's about 20 hours later at this point. When he says he'll save the day, but he needs his own crew, it's maybe 24 hours later. At that point, we watch all the crew being rounded up from around America -- even though they're still on the rig. More, Willis goes to Affleck, who in 24 hours has bought and started operating his own oil field somewhere else in America. None of it makes a lick of sense...but it looks cool and the emotional effect lands.
Having read this, as someone who has never lived in the US, I am trying to evaluate my own response to it. I absolutely love this film. I find watching it both a joyful and exhilarating experience. I see it as a classic tale of individuals rising above their limitations to defy expectations. I think we love to watch people overcome adversity and oil riggers heading into space to save the world does that in spades in a way that training astronauts to use a drill could not. It’s an underdog tale and who doesn’t love one of those? I actually see it as similar to Apollo 13 in that respect. Although in that film NASA is the underdog battling against fate, I guess.
The absurdity of Armageddon’s premise also serves to remove it from reality to a point where it is possible to view the Earth’s impending doom as fun. Of course these guys will save the world. We know what we are getting right from the offing.
The MAGA parallels are absolutely there and I think you have clearly demonstrated why that movement has so much appeal for some. How much do you think that is just a by-product, or does it actually make this type of film dangerously jingoistic?
👀👀👀
I absolutely love this film, like you. As I mention a couple of times, I can love a thing and find it problematic. I don't write these pieces to condemn (most of the time). I want people to spend more time interrogating art, and I do that to something like ARMAGEDDON because I do think it's art. The same skills work for it as do a painting in a museum. It's embarrassing how many times I've seen ARMAGEDDON, in fact. As for do I think the MAGA parallels are a by-product, yes, I do. I think Bay brought just made a movie for who he, at the time, believed were the ticketbuying heart of America. I can't say what's in his heart or even if that's how he sees the heart of America. But he's great at making films for this demographic. As for the dangerously jingoistic part of your question...I'm not sure I'm qualified to answer that question. I'm not sure it would be fair to target a specific film like this, either, since the vast majority of America's action films -- including war films -- in the 20th century are exactly that. What makes ARMAGEDDON special? If you're an innocent victim of American bombs somewhere in the world, can you distinguish between the impact of ARMAGEDDON, TOP GUN, DELTA FORCE, and THE GREEN BERETS on your suffering? The consequences of this militaristic obsession with American badassness in Hollywood cinema isn't something I feel can be properly quantified. All this said, you cite APOLLO 13...a film soundtrack I list to and get emotionally charged up by as much as ARMAGEDDON's.
I’m not casting judgment either, I was just wondering if perhaps it is short-sighted not to. Hell, so much of art is problematic in some way that it would be impossible to enjoy pretty much everything. It’s part of my issue with the very black and white way that some people view culture now. Lack of nuance in both production and interpretation is a very real problem.
Independence Day is very similar to Armageddon in its themes, I think and a lot of the same critique can be levelled at it. It doesn’t make me enjoy it any less. I do think it is important to be aware of those underlying messages though.
Exactly. I don't fault people who feel angry about US imperialism calling films like these propaganda. I do, too. But I've watched probably close to 100 Soviet films at this point, most of which were produced to serve, in part, as propaganda. Unlike Hollywood, there was conscious, systemic effort. And yet...I love those films. One of the most frustrating aspects of adulthood for many people seems to be that two contradictory things can be simultaneously true.
Propaganda is interesting because it really depends on your political standpoint whether or not you find it problematic. I wonder how easy it is to separate artistic merit from purpose and whether indeed it actually matters. Again, I am brought back to your discussion of Norman Rockwell. It feels pertinent.
The "Only Americans who can fix shit can save the world" trope isn't so far off the mark. In World War Two, American young men raised on farms fixing tractors and in small towns building jalopies kept the tanks rolling, the bombers flying, and the destroyers afloat. That was a major tactical advantage. It was driven home to me during my years in the Navy when I ran across sailors from other nations. The British were particularly inept at mechanical things; most of them couldn't even drive.
I hate this kind of film. The ego soaked, celebratory circle jerk of American "superiority" makes me want to vomit. With films or any other media I actively avoid anything that has this "America, fuck yeah!" attitude.
At least the film co-stats Liv Tyler, who I have an unashamedly huge crush on 😅