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Here it is at last, the first 150-minute trailer. Armageddon is cut together like its own highlights. Take almost any 30 seconds at random, and you'd have a TV ad. The movie is an assault on the eyes, the ears, the brain, common sense, and the human desire to be entertained. No matter what they're charging to get in, it's worth more to get out.

Roger Ebert#34

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About this quote

What does it mean?
The film feels like a long trailer and is an assault on the senses, not worth the price to see.
In plain terms
The movie is like a long ad and is not worth watching.
What can you take from it?
If it feels like an ad, it is not a movie.

Where it applies

  • movie reviews
  • film analysis

Putting it to work

  • prioritize story over spectacle
  • avoid ad-like pacing

Questions to consider

  • What makes a movie watchable?
  • Is spectacle enough?

Another view

It relies on personal taste.

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