Armageddon thrills with special effects

at 22,000 mph. NASA is predicting total destruction.

The only hope for our planet is Harry S. Stamper, played by Bruce Willis, the world's best deep core oil driller. The plan: blast Stamper and his crew into space, slingshot around the moon and land on the asteroid as it passes by on the other side. Then, they must drill 800 feet and plant a nuclear device in its belly. This is the Earth's only chance of escaping total annihilation.

A.J. Frost, played by Ben Affleck, is Stamper's protege but is also involved with Stamper's beautiful daughter Grace, who is played by Liv Tyler. The sparks between A.J. and Grace are an intriguing part of a full plot. Their chemistry is undeniable.

Tyler is the sexy, emotional beauty who has fallen in love with a roughneck against her father's wishes, and he was less than amused at the news.

The special effects were excellent, as asteroid particles the size of Volkswagens streamed across the Pacific sky ravaging villages in the unaware night. The destructive power of these fire balls from the sky was done with all the grandeur of big-budget Hollywood films.

The scenes on the surface of the asteroid portray the mood through a dark and ominous setting. The careening rock surface constantly emits gas explosions, the physical make up of the rock is sharp rock structures which jut from the shadows, and the temperature fluctuates from freezing to scorching. This creates a threatening antagonist out of a nonliving object. At times it seemed like the asteroid was giving our poor heroes trouble on purpose.

If you enjoy the new trend of mass destruction movies being produced, then Armageddon should be your next theater visit. It's fun, it's entertaining and it's Liv Tyler and Bruce Willis, who seem right at home in this mass destruction/action movie.