"Moonfall" Dethrones "Armageddon" as Most Scientifically Inaccurate Film, Says Tyson

After a reign of a solid quarter-century, the Hollywood movie Armageddon has been dethroned for possessing the most physics flaws in its storyline. This revelation comes from none other than astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson during his recent interview on SiriusXM's The Jess Cagle Show. The show was a platform for promoting Tyson's latest book "To Infinity and Beyond", but instead ended up highlighting glaring scientific inaccuracies in another film: Moonfall, featuring Halle Berry, released in 2022.

Cagle initiated the conversation on the topic, stating, "Armageddon, you say, violates more laws of physics per minute than any other film ever made." To which, Tyson confirmed and went on to mention how his viewpoint changed after experiencing Moonfall. The astrophysicist shared that this film, centered around a pandemic, had the moon approaching Earth. Which then led to the discovery that it was hollow with a “moon being” made out of rocks living inside it. The depiction of the Apollo missions as ventures to feed this moon entity bewildered him.

This astounding information surpasses the inaccuracies in the 1998 film Armageddon. Tyson quite colorfully described how the entire plot of the movie, where astronauts fly to an asteroid on its way to collide with Earth and detonate a nuclear bomb to deviate it, was unnecessary. According to him, nudging the asteroid just one centimeter per second to the side, early enough due to space's lack of friction, could prevent the disaster. He further made an analogy with the Terminator movie to get his point across.

The controversial movie in question, Moonfall, was written, directed, and produced by Roland Emmerich. Halle Berry and Patrick Wilson starred as two former astronauts, alongside a conspiracy theorist played by John Bradley. The film caught attention for its unexpected plot twist that the Moon, which suddenly leaves its orbit, was hiding some deep dark secrets. Released in January 2022, however, the film didn't make much of a stir at the box office.

Now that we have the straight-laced facts, let's dip into some witticism.

Nothing spices up a space drama like throwing physics out of the nearest airlock. It's almost as if Hollywood has an astray coin jar labelled "violate laws of physics" that they diligently fill up with every movie production. A scientific hat-tip to Mr. Emmerich for leading us into a universe where the moon can be tackled as a nesting Russian doll: fun fact, it's hollow and there's a pet moon being inside!

While our beloved Armageddon continues to occupy a distinct space in our "whopper" annals: Moonfall certainly shines (or rather, flops?) in its own unique shade of absurdity. From feeding the moon like a space Tamagotchi to Earth’s favorite satellite suddenly catching wanderlust, it seems the movie ticks all the boxes for a ludicrously entertaining space journey.

Tyson, in his inimitable style, puts into perspective, not only movie plots but also a fair approach to dealing with Terminator-esque problems. Why go large when you can go smart? It almost sounds like the perfect metaphor for dramatic Hollywood scripts versus real-life solutions. So, dear filmmakers, before you orchestrate an elaborate mission to nudge deadly asteroids, wouldn't it be simpler to just...give it a slight push a tad bit earlier?

As the credits roll (and the absurdity sinks), it’s clearer than the emptiness of space that accurate scientific representation isn't Hollywood's cup of tea. Perhaps, future screenwriters could use a Physics 101 course or, better yet, have Neil deGrasse Tyson on speed dial! For now, let's revel in the fact that, in the skies of cinematic exaggerations, we have a new constellation named Moonfall. It takes us all, actors and viewers alike, to a place where laws of physics fall much like its box office numbers: a beautifully impossible spectacle!