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Think more 'Deep Impact' than 'Armageddon'. I've only watched it once, and plan to watch it again. No, you're not going to see the ending most of you want, but you will see how people react to a situation, a grave one, that pops up in the middle of everyday life in the United States with about 20 minutes to make decisions that will end everything we know. Do you trust the people in positions of power will do the right thing, can they shut off their personal lives like a switch, who knows? The real scary part is this probably will happen someday. Our current government can't even function nor work together to solve domestic issues, now imagine a missle headed towards a city. The current state of the US government makes this even more terrifying. It's something you can't throw paper towels at or build a ballroom. That said, the film kind of meanders from being plot driven to character driven, but doesn't pick either one to fully stick to....think the abrupt change of 'The West Wing' from season 4 to season 5. However, TWW had 2 more seasons to correct that. I felt the film should have been longer actually to flush out the chatacters a bit more, but I also liked the procedural approach. Less can be more....but this fell a tad short. Still worth a watch. I'd check out 'Civil War' and 'By Dawn's Early Light' to explore these issues a bit more. No matter the various possibilities as to what caused to happen in the film to occur, the end result pretty much seems obviously grim for the planet regardless. I thought it interesting to juxtapose what was happening by placing one character in Africa where life began. If anything, the film is successful in having us talk about it.

The tension keeps building and it comes off as a really expensive Twilight Zone episode. There's no real pay off or clarification as to what is happening and the audience is meant to be just as in the dark as the characters. I agree with some of this starting happening, especially the beach scene at the beginning, I'd probably head home quickly. Oddly placed long dialogue scenes muddle the pace. Interesting soundtrack and camera shots, good cast, but keeping the audience tense for over 2 hours with little payoff seems like a cop-out. Worth watching, but I doubt rewatching ever again.

Great everything except the actual story. We're to believe a pill addict (since 5...I think) and heavy drinker....can suddenly toss both aside without every showing any withdrawal??? That's was the most unbelievable part of the story. Oh, I've taken pills all my life and then I flush them down the toilet right before the greatest match of (her) life.. and she's fine???? 10 for style....1 for character development.....and her friend randomly showing up at the end to give her money....this is just very plot driven without logical reasoning or consequences about any one's actions. I watched it all because of its technical merits and the lead is good....but how many times can you place your hands under your chin and look at an opponent? It's as if they needed the actor's beauty to make you simply go along.