Armageddon Time, James Gray’s (Ad Astra, The Lost City of Z) 1980 take on the pursuit of the American Dream, is a film with good intentions but one that feels plagued by a plot we’ve seen hundreds of times in cinema. Even more detrimental to its predictable story was its attempt to impart wisdom to its audience, which we were already keenly aware of, especially given its release year of 2022. Unfortunately, the United States of America has been notorious for its class privileges, inequalities, and injustices. While we all have the opportunity to pursue the American Dream, some paths present far more obstacles than others. Gray successfully showcases this, but it’s hardly a discovery, and its overarching story has become quite a cliche.