Armageddon (1998): Saving the World Was Completely Illegal | Let's Ruin It

The rescue mission in Armageddon (1998) breaks so many treaties we lost count, and counting is kind of our job. NASA spots an asteroid the size of Texas with 18 days left, tells no other country on the planet, and sends up a crew of oil drillers who just failed their psych exams. We're three real attorneys from New Jersey, and we have questions. From the Outer Space Treaty's duty to warn (Paris finds out the hard way) to the outright ban on nuclear weapons in space, from NASA helping itself to Harry's drill patent to Bruce Willis turning the rig into a shooting range when he catches Ben Affleck with his daughter, this is one long international incident with an Aerosmith soundtrack. We map out exactly how France sues the US, whether any court on Earth even has jurisdiction over saving the planet, and why the crew's families would still be buried in red tape years after the parade. And yes, NASA really does show this movie to recruits as a spot-the-mistake exercise. The running count is 168. Our legal believability rating: negative 7 asteroids. Let's Ruin It, where your favorite movies go to get cross-examined. Chapters 00:00 – Introduction and the Recap: A Nuke, Some Drillers, and 18 Days 08:35 – Did the US Violate the Outer Space Treaty? (Ask Paris) 17:05 – Who Sues America for This, and in What Court? 22:49 – Ben Affleck Was Right: Why Not Train Astronauts to Drill? 26:38 – Failed Psych Exams, Zero Taxes, and NASA's Hiring Problem 32:48 – The US Defense: Chaos, Causation, and Evacuating Paris 39:49 – NASA's Training Tool: 168 Mistakes and One Impossible Bomb 46:03 – Shotguns on the Rig, a Stolen Patent, and Negative 7 Asteroids 🎙️ ABOUT LET'S RUIN IT: We're three New Jersey attorneys who love destroying your favorite movies and TV shows with our legal analysis. New episodes every other week! 👩‍⚖️ YOUR HOSTS: Jenny (@birzlaw), Liz (@lizcalandrillo), Diana (@mrsladydiana) 📱 FOLLOW US: Podcast Instagram: @letsruinitpodcast Subscribe for full episodes and legal hot takes! 💼 DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you need legal representation, please consult a qualified attorney in your jurisdiction.