Armageddon 1998 American science fiction disaster thriller film

Armageddon is a 1998 American science fiction disaster thriller film 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 byNASA to stop a gigantic asteroid on a collision course with Earth. It features an ensemble cast including Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Tyler, Owen Wilson, Will Patton, Peter Stormare, William Fichtner, Michael Clarke Duncan, Keith David, and Steve Buscemi.

Armageddon opened in theaters only 2-1/2 months after the similar asteroid impact-based film Deep Impact, which starred Robert Duvall and Morgan Freeman. Armageddon fared better at the box office, while astronomers described Deep Impact as being more scientifically accurate.Armageddon was an international box-office success despite generally mixed reviews from critics, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1998 worldwide, surpassing the Steven Spielberg war epic Saving Private Ryan.

A massive meteor shower destroys the orbiting Space Shuttle Atlantis and bombards a swath of land from America's East Coast from South Carolinathrough Finland. NASA discovers that a rogue asteroid the size of Texas passed through the asteroid belt and pushed forward a large amount of space debris. The asteroid will collide with Earth in 18 days, causing anextinction event that will even wipe out bacteria. NASA scientists, led by Dan Truman, plan to trigger a nuclear detonation 800 feet (240 m) inside the asteroid to split it in two, driving the pieces apart so both will fly past the Earth. NASA contacts Harry Stamper, considered the best deep-sea oil driller in the world, for assistance. Harry travels to NASA with his daughter Grace, to keep her away from her new boyfriend and one of Harry's drillers, A. J. Frost. Harry explains he will need his team, including A. J., to carry out the mission. They agree to help, but only after their list of unusual rewards and demands are met.

NASA plans to launch two shuttles, Freedom and Independence, to increase the chances of success; the shuttles will refill with liquid oxygen from the Russian space station Mir before making aslingshot maneuver around the Moon to approach the asteroid from behind. NASA puts Harry and his crew through a short and rigorous astronaut training program, while Harry and his team re-outfit the mobile drillers, "Armadillos", for the job.

The destruction of Shanghai by an asteroid fragment forces NASA to reveal the asteroid's existence, as well as their plan. The shuttles are launched and arrive at Mir, where its sole cosmonaut Lev helps with refueling. A major fire breaks out during the fueling process, forcing the crews, including Lev, to evacuate in the shuttles before Mir explodes. The shuttles perform the slingshot around the moon, but approaching the asteroid, the Independence's engines are destroyed by trailing debris, and it crashes on the asteroid. Grace, aware A.J. was aboard the Independence, is traumatized by this news. Unknown to the others, A.J., Lev, and "Bear" (another of Harry's crew) survive the impact and head towards the Freedomtarget site in their Armadillo.

Meanwhile, Freedom safely lands on the asteroid, but overshoots the target zone, landing on a much harder metallic field than planned. Their drilling quickly falls behind schedule. The military initiates "Secondary Protocol" to remotely detonate the nuclear weapon on the asteroid's surface, despite Truman and Harry's insistence that it would be ineffective. Truman delays the military, while Harry convinces the shuttle commander to disarm the remote trigger. Harry's crew continues to work, but in their haste, they accidentally hit a gas pocket, blowing their Armadillo into space. As the world learns of the mission's apparent failure, another asteroid fragment devastates Paris.

All seems lost until the arrival of the Independence's Armadillo. With A.J. at the controls, they reach the required depth for the bomb. However, flying debris from the asteroid damages the triggering device, requiring someone to stay behind to manually detonate the bomb. The crew draw straws, and 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 was the son Harry never had, and he would be proud that A.J. marry Grace. Harry prepares to detonate the bomb and contacts Grace to bid his final farewell. After some last minute difficulties involving the shuttle engines and the detonator, the Freedom moves to a safe distance and Harry manages to press the button at the last moment, while experiencing flashbacks of happy times in his last moments as the bomb successfully splits the asteroid, avoiding the collision with Earth. Freedom lands, and the surviving crew are treated as heroes. A.J. and Grace get married, with photos of Harry and the other lost crew members present.

Cast
Bruce Willis as Harry Stamper
Ben Affleck as A. J. Frost
Billy Bob Thorntonas Dan Truman
Liv Tyler as Grace Stamper.
Will Patton as Charles "Chick" Chapple
Steve Buscemi as "Rockhound"
Michael Clarke Duncan as J. Otis "Bear" Kurleen Bear
Owen Wilson as Oscar Choice
Clark Brolly as Fred Noonan
Peter Stormare as Lev Andropov
William Fichtner as Colonel Willie Sharp
Ken Hudson Campbell as Max Lennert
Keith David as General Kimsey
Jessica Steen as Co-Pilot Jennifer Watts
Grayson McCouchas Gruber
Jason Isaacs as Dr. Ronald Quincy
Chris Ellis as Walter Clark
Grace Zabriskie as Dottie
Judith Hoag as Denise
Udo Kier as Psychologist
Shawnee Smith as Redhead
Charlton Heston as the Narrator
Michael Bay(uncredited) as NASA scientist
Lawrence Tierney(uncredited) as Hollis Vernon Grap Stamper
Gedde Watanabe(uncredited) as Asian tourist