657 reviews
I think a lot of viewers wanted to compare this movie to Armageddon, especially since they were released so closely together. However, while the main storyline is similar, that's were the similarities end.
Just because Deep Impact didn't have everything going "BOOM" like Armageddon did, doesn't make it a boring movie. I was caught up in the narrative, the characters and the "heart" in this movie. There was substance in the storytelling. Duvall excels in leading a group of young, hotshot astronauts into space.
"Deep Impact" was one of two collision-related movies released in summer, 1998 (the other was "Armageddon"). Whereas the latter had no other purpose than to have Bruce Willis kick ass, the former was actually quite good. More than just an action movie, this one shows the human aspect of everything. One of the most interesting aspects is Pres. Tom Beck (Morgan Freeman). Whereas we usually expect black men in movies to be macho, this guy talks about his belief in God. I guess that the only thing of which I would have liked to see more would have been the shelters, but I guess that such an aspect would probably occupy an entire movie on its own. All in all, a really good movie.
- lee_eisenberg
- Jan 11, 2006
- Permalink
Both Deep Impact and Armageddon were released in the same year 1998 and both had almost same story but I enjoyed Deep Impact more.
The cast played their characters nicely. The direction was good. The running time was proper 2 hour and not like Armageddon which sas unnecessarily stretched to 2hr 30min. The pacing was also proper, you will not get bored. The logic in the story was far better than Armageddon.
It's hard to believe how did this movie grossed less than Armageddon. It's box-office collection is proof that movie is underrated. Overall, give it a try. You eill enjoy it.
The cast played their characters nicely. The direction was good. The running time was proper 2 hour and not like Armageddon which sas unnecessarily stretched to 2hr 30min. The pacing was also proper, you will not get bored. The logic in the story was far better than Armageddon.
It's hard to believe how did this movie grossed less than Armageddon. It's box-office collection is proof that movie is underrated. Overall, give it a try. You eill enjoy it.
- akshatmahajan
- Jun 21, 2021
- Permalink
I found Deep Impact to be a very good "study" on how we has humans, may react to an E.L.E. (see this movie for details on that.) The special effects were good, but the best thing about this movie was the focus on the characters. This wasn't loud and stupid as "that other asteroid movie." This film will entertain you and mostly, touch your heart. You actually feel the doom that is about to reach these people, and to me, that is good film making.
About the only thing I could pick on would be the performance of Téa Leoni. To me, she was never convincing. She seemed down and depressed all of the time, even when she was doing the news. Very odd performance.
I give this film a B+
About the only thing I could pick on would be the performance of Téa Leoni. To me, she was never convincing. She seemed down and depressed all of the time, even when she was doing the news. Very odd performance.
I give this film a B+
Not entirely believable, but it's entertaining and has an intelligence to it. Somewhat over sentimental in places, and a few 'honestly, no one would do that' moments of implausibility. But a good cast keeps the action moving along, and it engages right through to the end. Possibly about 20 minutes too long.
"Deep Impact" certainly ranks as the better of the two comet/asteroid disaster movies this summer. Unlike in "Armageddon," here you actually care about the characters, and I didn't find myself looking at my watch to see when the movie would be over. If there was one way to improve this movie, it would have been to show more scenes of Morgan Freeman (the best movie president in a while) and focus less on the plotline of the reporter and her father. Overall, though, a very entertaining film, which cannot be said for "Armageddon."
Deep Impact is a well-done and thoughtful film that powerfully delivers the human touch in its pondering of the age-old question: What if extinction was just around the corner?
Deep Impact is most often compared to its death-comet partner from the summer of '98, Armageddon. Deep Impact is a drama; Armageddon is an action film, and delivers just what we would expect from an action film, namely, over-the-top characters, a simplistic storyline, and an abundance of special effects. Deep Impact presents just the opposite: Characters that are notably human, several dovetailed story lines, and it saves the special effects (which are very good) for the movie's climax.
Armageddon did better at the box office primarily because it was much more hyped, and because it featured an A-list star (Bruce Willis) while Deep Impact did not. Its enjoyability, though, is very limited: If you are not a fan of the action genre, you will not like Armageddon. Deep Impact is the substantially better film and reaches out to the viewer to a far deeper degree.
As you certainly know, the plot revolves around the fact that a seven-mile-wide comet is on a collision course with earth, and if it makes impact it will represent an Extinction Level Event (i.e., the death of all life on the planet). Having about a year and a half's notice of this, the U.S. and Russian governments send a spacecraft, the Messiah, to destroy the comet by drilling nuclear warheads into its core and then detonating. The movie focuses on three primary story lines: 1. The young reporter Jenny Lerner (Tea Leoni) and her struggles with her career and her parents; 2. The high-school couple of Leo Biederman (who discovered the comet; Elijah Wood) and Sarah (Leelee Sobieski); 3. The crew of the Messiah.
All three story lines are done in such a way that the viewer easily sympathizes with the very believable characters. The best done of the three is the spaceship's crew, although the most time is spent with Jenny. They all suffer from the film's only notable problem: The story lines seem somewhat rushed. Considering its broad scope, Deep Impact clearly would benefit from an extra 30 minutes to develop, especially with the underdone angle with Leo and Sarah, but the directors evidently decided two hours was all they could use.
Deep Impact, as I mentioned, lacks an A-list star, but it does feature superb performances from two of the best supporting actors of our generation: Robert Duvall (Spurgeon Tanner, captain of the spaceship) and Morgan Freeman (Tom Beck, the U.S. President). Duvall is definitely the standout of the film with an A+ performance as Tanner.
As for the other actors/actresses: Tea Leoni (playing Jenny Lerner) gets the most face time in the film and delivers a believably good performance. Maximillian Schell as Jenny's father is the one notable casting mistake; I'm not sure what they were going for with him, but they could have done better. Venessa Redgrave does well as Jenny's divorcée mother.
Elijah Wood (now a star but at the time just an up-and-comer) works very well as the teenage Leo Biederman, and Leelee Sobieski as his girlfriend Sarah gives us as good a performance as we can expect, considering how woefully underdeveloped her character is. The film arguably devotes a bit too much time to Jenny and her father and not enough to Leo and Sarah.
If you haven't seen this movie yet, it should be at the top of your must-see list. The film moves at a good pace (if a bit fast), grabs your attention at the beginning and holds it throughout, and it features a truly exceptional final 20-25 minutes. What stands out most about this movie is its human touch and sensitivity. It manages to probe an impressive array of human emotions in two hours' time, and it will leave you with plenty to think about -- although it probably will not leave you with dry eyes. There are precisely three movies I have seen that caused the room to get dusty around me (if you get my drift), and this is one of them.
In conclusion: See this movie.
Deep Impact is most often compared to its death-comet partner from the summer of '98, Armageddon. Deep Impact is a drama; Armageddon is an action film, and delivers just what we would expect from an action film, namely, over-the-top characters, a simplistic storyline, and an abundance of special effects. Deep Impact presents just the opposite: Characters that are notably human, several dovetailed story lines, and it saves the special effects (which are very good) for the movie's climax.
Armageddon did better at the box office primarily because it was much more hyped, and because it featured an A-list star (Bruce Willis) while Deep Impact did not. Its enjoyability, though, is very limited: If you are not a fan of the action genre, you will not like Armageddon. Deep Impact is the substantially better film and reaches out to the viewer to a far deeper degree.
As you certainly know, the plot revolves around the fact that a seven-mile-wide comet is on a collision course with earth, and if it makes impact it will represent an Extinction Level Event (i.e., the death of all life on the planet). Having about a year and a half's notice of this, the U.S. and Russian governments send a spacecraft, the Messiah, to destroy the comet by drilling nuclear warheads into its core and then detonating. The movie focuses on three primary story lines: 1. The young reporter Jenny Lerner (Tea Leoni) and her struggles with her career and her parents; 2. The high-school couple of Leo Biederman (who discovered the comet; Elijah Wood) and Sarah (Leelee Sobieski); 3. The crew of the Messiah.
All three story lines are done in such a way that the viewer easily sympathizes with the very believable characters. The best done of the three is the spaceship's crew, although the most time is spent with Jenny. They all suffer from the film's only notable problem: The story lines seem somewhat rushed. Considering its broad scope, Deep Impact clearly would benefit from an extra 30 minutes to develop, especially with the underdone angle with Leo and Sarah, but the directors evidently decided two hours was all they could use.
Deep Impact, as I mentioned, lacks an A-list star, but it does feature superb performances from two of the best supporting actors of our generation: Robert Duvall (Spurgeon Tanner, captain of the spaceship) and Morgan Freeman (Tom Beck, the U.S. President). Duvall is definitely the standout of the film with an A+ performance as Tanner.
As for the other actors/actresses: Tea Leoni (playing Jenny Lerner) gets the most face time in the film and delivers a believably good performance. Maximillian Schell as Jenny's father is the one notable casting mistake; I'm not sure what they were going for with him, but they could have done better. Venessa Redgrave does well as Jenny's divorcée mother.
Elijah Wood (now a star but at the time just an up-and-comer) works very well as the teenage Leo Biederman, and Leelee Sobieski as his girlfriend Sarah gives us as good a performance as we can expect, considering how woefully underdeveloped her character is. The film arguably devotes a bit too much time to Jenny and her father and not enough to Leo and Sarah.
If you haven't seen this movie yet, it should be at the top of your must-see list. The film moves at a good pace (if a bit fast), grabs your attention at the beginning and holds it throughout, and it features a truly exceptional final 20-25 minutes. What stands out most about this movie is its human touch and sensitivity. It manages to probe an impressive array of human emotions in two hours' time, and it will leave you with plenty to think about -- although it probably will not leave you with dry eyes. There are precisely three movies I have seen that caused the room to get dusty around me (if you get my drift), and this is one of them.
In conclusion: See this movie.
Oddly enough, I always saw the 1998 movie "Deep Impact" as being somewhat of a subpar natural disaster movie, but each time I watched the movie since 1998, making it about four or five times now, I must admit that the movie had been steadily growing on me.
Why? Well, because the storyline in "Deep Impact" is more than just your run-of-the-mill action-packed natural disaster movie. Writers Bruce Joel Rubin and Michael Tolkin managed to put together a script that provides entertainment well beyond the mindless destruction of meteors crashing into Earth. This is also very much the storyline of hope, love, forgiveness and renewal, and that is what has grown on me over the years.
The acting performances in "Deep Impact" are good, and the cast ensemble is equally good. I mean, with the likes of Robert Duvall, Morgan Freeman, Téa Leoni, Elijah Wood, James Cromwell, Ron Eldard, Jon Favreau, Blair Underwood, Leelee Sobieski and Richard Schiff, then you are in quite capable hands.
The special effects in "Deep Impact" are still actually fairly good today, 26 years after it was initially made. Sure, the CGI looks a bit outdated, but it still serves its intent and purpose.
My rating of "Deep Impact", from director Mimi Leder, lands on a six out of ten stars. And it is a movie well worth watching if you enjoy natural disaster movies.
Why? Well, because the storyline in "Deep Impact" is more than just your run-of-the-mill action-packed natural disaster movie. Writers Bruce Joel Rubin and Michael Tolkin managed to put together a script that provides entertainment well beyond the mindless destruction of meteors crashing into Earth. This is also very much the storyline of hope, love, forgiveness and renewal, and that is what has grown on me over the years.
The acting performances in "Deep Impact" are good, and the cast ensemble is equally good. I mean, with the likes of Robert Duvall, Morgan Freeman, Téa Leoni, Elijah Wood, James Cromwell, Ron Eldard, Jon Favreau, Blair Underwood, Leelee Sobieski and Richard Schiff, then you are in quite capable hands.
The special effects in "Deep Impact" are still actually fairly good today, 26 years after it was initially made. Sure, the CGI looks a bit outdated, but it still serves its intent and purpose.
My rating of "Deep Impact", from director Mimi Leder, lands on a six out of ten stars. And it is a movie well worth watching if you enjoy natural disaster movies.
- paul_haakonsen
- Jan 10, 2024
- Permalink
How do you make the apocalypse boring? Have a bunch of dull characters do dull things. You have a tv reporter who looks bored all the time, you have a bunch of astronauts led by a sedated Robert Duvall, you have a non-existing romance between Frodo and some girl, and you have Morgan Freeman saying stupid things and not looking one bit convincing about anything he does. The screenplay is moronic and it's organized in a way that shatters what little there is in terms of the audience's investment. There is no point to this film, it fails even as brainless entertainment.
- harryplinkett14
- Aug 19, 2018
- Permalink
It seems 1998 was the year Hollywood turned to the idea of the world being decimated by objects from outer space to fuel their disaster films. Both 'Deep Impact' and 'Armageddon' were released in that year but while I did enjoy the thrill and special effects of the latter film, I find 'Deep Impact' the superior of the two.
The film begins when a teenage amateur astronomer discover a comet on a direct collision course for the Earth. The world is then thrown into turmoil has humanity has to accept their possible extinction. While NASA sends a shuttle up with the intention to try to blow the comet to bits, the US government selects people to be saved in a cave they are building to withstand the event. Focusing on various unrelated characters, the film shows how people react differently to the destruction of all that they know.
The brilliant cast, including Morgan Freeman, Vanessa Redgrave, Robert Devall, Elijah Wood, Ron Eldard and many others, all given great depictions of their characters. It is because of their ability to bring their respective characters to life that 'Deep Impact' stands up so well as it is a very emotional and character driven story, as opposed to 'Armageddon', which relied much more on humour and special effects to sell it. Téa Leoni is the only one who doesn't shine through like her co-stars as her performance is quite bland and doesn't capture her character's turbulent emotions. However, as the rest of the cast give great performances, it's easy to overlook her. And even though there is much attention given to establishing the characters doesn't mean the film skimps when it comes to the special effects. Both the scenes in space and those on Earth when the comet hits the planet are well-handled visually. It features some of the best special effects of planetary annihilation that I've ever seen (and I'm a big fan of these disaster flicks).
What makes 'Deep Impact' rather unique in terms of disaster films is that it gives a very human side to tragedy and devastation by showing how ordinary people cope in times of crisis but it avoids the trap of being trite and overly-sentimental. It's a shame the film is so underrated then as it is a film that would appeal to sci-fi fans and those seeking an interesting story with strong characters.
The film begins when a teenage amateur astronomer discover a comet on a direct collision course for the Earth. The world is then thrown into turmoil has humanity has to accept their possible extinction. While NASA sends a shuttle up with the intention to try to blow the comet to bits, the US government selects people to be saved in a cave they are building to withstand the event. Focusing on various unrelated characters, the film shows how people react differently to the destruction of all that they know.
The brilliant cast, including Morgan Freeman, Vanessa Redgrave, Robert Devall, Elijah Wood, Ron Eldard and many others, all given great depictions of their characters. It is because of their ability to bring their respective characters to life that 'Deep Impact' stands up so well as it is a very emotional and character driven story, as opposed to 'Armageddon', which relied much more on humour and special effects to sell it. Téa Leoni is the only one who doesn't shine through like her co-stars as her performance is quite bland and doesn't capture her character's turbulent emotions. However, as the rest of the cast give great performances, it's easy to overlook her. And even though there is much attention given to establishing the characters doesn't mean the film skimps when it comes to the special effects. Both the scenes in space and those on Earth when the comet hits the planet are well-handled visually. It features some of the best special effects of planetary annihilation that I've ever seen (and I'm a big fan of these disaster flicks).
What makes 'Deep Impact' rather unique in terms of disaster films is that it gives a very human side to tragedy and devastation by showing how ordinary people cope in times of crisis but it avoids the trap of being trite and overly-sentimental. It's a shame the film is so underrated then as it is a film that would appeal to sci-fi fans and those seeking an interesting story with strong characters.
- cosmic_quest
- Aug 25, 2006
- Permalink
Why is it that everytime someone had an idea for a movie in the late 1990s someone at another studio decided to bring out a similar movie ? DANTE'S PEAK and VOLCANO both came out at the same and both featured volcanoes suddenly exploding into life , and there's several other examples of this unimaginative " let's makes a movie similar to a studio rival " movie pitch from the 1990s . Perhaps the best example is DEEP IMPACT and Armageddon which feature a giant comet going to collide with planet Earth . I should point out though that both movies were pitched to different audiences . Armageddon is marketed to the unthinking macho American audience . It stars Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck , is directed by Michael Bay and is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer so unsurprisingly it's a pile of expensive effects laden bubblegum . DEEP IMPACT came out a couple of months previously and is by far the better movie . However it is flawed
I think the problem with DEEP IMPACT is that it's probably produced to appeal to women . The main protagonist is female and there's several sub plots involving family issues ( " Gee Mom I hope the end of the world doesn't ruin my weekend " ) , oh and a bit of romance too . This doesn't ruin the movie but I did find the heroine's trembling lip and tears in her eyes in every emotional scene grating and the movie does lapse into terrible mawkishness several times . I also found the concept of a " lottery draw " to send people into deep bunkers where they have a chance of surviving the apocalypse unconvincing . Yeah right I sure the American president is going to give trailer trash and red necks to chance to come live with him . America might be a classless society but it's not that classless and considering Bill Clinton ( Often described as " America's first black president ) was in the White House at the time do we think that either men or ugly women would have a chance of being selected ? About as much chance as Bill inviting Hilary into the bunker I imagine
There are a few good points about the movie that stops it becoming an overproduced disease of the week movie . One thing is the cast , Armageddon had Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck while DEEP IMPACT has Morgan Freeman and Robert Duvall . Do I have to spell out what movie has the better cast ? Okay DEEP IMPACT isn't a career highpoint for either actor but they do bring serious class to the production and there's lots of familiar faces on screen like Frodo Baggins and the bad guy from MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2 . The special effects are very good and there is one absolutely superb scene on a highway where thousands of bickering people are in gridlock , they slowly stop arguing and fighting amongst themselves as they look up and see the meteor pass overhead . On paper this scene might have seemed ineffective but on screen it's breath taking with a deep emotional impact
So in my humble opinion DEEP IMPACT is the better of the two movies and is probably the best comet/meteor movie ever made . It is flawed and could have been better especially if the producers cut out of the chick flick stuff but a good cast and some good scenes stop it from being worse than it could have been
I think the problem with DEEP IMPACT is that it's probably produced to appeal to women . The main protagonist is female and there's several sub plots involving family issues ( " Gee Mom I hope the end of the world doesn't ruin my weekend " ) , oh and a bit of romance too . This doesn't ruin the movie but I did find the heroine's trembling lip and tears in her eyes in every emotional scene grating and the movie does lapse into terrible mawkishness several times . I also found the concept of a " lottery draw " to send people into deep bunkers where they have a chance of surviving the apocalypse unconvincing . Yeah right I sure the American president is going to give trailer trash and red necks to chance to come live with him . America might be a classless society but it's not that classless and considering Bill Clinton ( Often described as " America's first black president ) was in the White House at the time do we think that either men or ugly women would have a chance of being selected ? About as much chance as Bill inviting Hilary into the bunker I imagine
There are a few good points about the movie that stops it becoming an overproduced disease of the week movie . One thing is the cast , Armageddon had Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck while DEEP IMPACT has Morgan Freeman and Robert Duvall . Do I have to spell out what movie has the better cast ? Okay DEEP IMPACT isn't a career highpoint for either actor but they do bring serious class to the production and there's lots of familiar faces on screen like Frodo Baggins and the bad guy from MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2 . The special effects are very good and there is one absolutely superb scene on a highway where thousands of bickering people are in gridlock , they slowly stop arguing and fighting amongst themselves as they look up and see the meteor pass overhead . On paper this scene might have seemed ineffective but on screen it's breath taking with a deep emotional impact
So in my humble opinion DEEP IMPACT is the better of the two movies and is probably the best comet/meteor movie ever made . It is flawed and could have been better especially if the producers cut out of the chick flick stuff but a good cast and some good scenes stop it from being worse than it could have been
- Theo Robertson
- May 28, 2004
- Permalink
- Leofwine_draca
- Jun 11, 2016
- Permalink
I like these kinds of movies, whether they're bad or silly. I wish I had watched this movie when I was a kid. I would have liked this movie more if i whached when i was a kid. This movie was released in the same year as the movie called "Armegeddon", but I think it's better both in terms of science and in terms of operation. Acting was good. The script is average. As usual, USA is on duty to save the world, it's disturbing, but it doesn't bother anymore :)
The effects of the movie are actually bad, but it's bad compared to now, it must be good for the period. I didn't mind the effects. Overall, the movie is an average movie.
- jack_o_hasanov_imdb
- Jan 9, 2022
- Permalink
Deep Impact(1998) was a 1998 movie, which I watched in late 2022, I liked the movie as it was created then, the movie held me till the end.
All the characters were act average, no one did too much or too little, and those who have acted well, are already great actors.
Nothing to say about the story. Many minor characters are beautifully fleshed out just to capture the emotion of the movie which is a part of this type of movie
But the animation was pretty good as of 1998, which is still used in many videos,
I enjoy disaster-type movies with science fictionmove I like watching a this, there's not much to learn here, but it's understandable.
All the characters were act average, no one did too much or too little, and those who have acted well, are already great actors.
Nothing to say about the story. Many minor characters are beautifully fleshed out just to capture the emotion of the movie which is a part of this type of movie
But the animation was pretty good as of 1998, which is still used in many videos,
I enjoy disaster-type movies with science fictionmove I like watching a this, there's not much to learn here, but it's understandable.
- ParagFerdus
- Oct 20, 2022
- Permalink
U.S. President (Morgan Freeman) announces that a 7-mile-long hunk of rock is on a collision course with Earth, and much of the last-act destruction we see is based in New York City. A great wave not only takes down the Statue of Liberty, it decapitates her! Director Mimi Leder and screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin are very big on tearful goodbyes: that "let's keep a stiff upper-lip" mentality which allows couples (married or otherwise) to stare lovingly into each other's eyes, whispering dedications as death looms above. LeeLee Sobieski's entire role is based on a series of these teary farewells; she's so dead-set on staying with her doomed parents that her character takes on a suicidal edge. Yes, she's in denial, but her suffering seems to go on forever, and by the end a frustrated viewer could possibly be excused for screaming, "Stop whimpering and move!" How are the effects? Very good when they finally arrive (about four minutes before the film wraps up). Some of the incidentals during the final devastation are suspect, such as a two-second shot of an elderly man getting hit with the wave from behind while he's sitting outside reading the paper (is he in denial too?). I would think that the lottery-aspect of the plot (wherein people are picked at random to live underground for 2 years) would be more exciting than reporter Tea Leoni sniffing out a juicy story. The movie seems to start at much too early a point, with introductions to the characters and to an asteroid exploration team that just chews up time on the clock. There's also the time-worn idea about what books should survive (not "Huckleberry Finn" and "Moby Dick" again! Hasn't Rubin's thought process matured beyond 1960?). Naturally, it's we Americans who suffer on the screen. There's a tidbit late in the film wherein Freeman talks about Europe and Africa suffering from the meteor's destruction, but it's shucked off as basic info. The filmmakers don't care about the lost lives and homeless injured of other continents, they have their own agenda. By letting the Americans scream and cry and crawl through the debris, they can also let them triumph over all this tragedy--enough for a feel-good finish. But if Bruce Rubin thinks these stock characters are the most powerful representation of America's suffering own, then it is he who has been hit with a 7-mile-long hunk of rock. *1/2 from ****
- moonspinner55
- Aug 26, 2007
- Permalink
Having seen such films as Armageddon and The Day After Tomorrow, I really expected this film to be basically an effects demo reel. Most disaster films fit into this category: their plot is loosely tied together with some major event; humanity is threatened, a group of heroes is sent to try to save the world, and mankind prevails over nature. The rest of the film is essentially nifty visual effects that don't do much to enhance the plot.
So when I saw the first half of Deep Impact, I was amazed. Apart from a brief montage of special effects in the opening sequence (a car crash that simply screams "big budget"), the movie is one of the first disaster movies I've seen that actually focuses more on the human side of the drama rather than the awesome visual effects that computers can accomplish.
Many times during the film, especially during the latter half, I felt myself touched by the realism that the actors and actresses convey. There are moments when you realize how fragile and precious life is, and that's saying something for a film of this budget.
While the visual effects are indeed impressive, there are other features that make Deep Impact a necessary film to watch. James Horner's music is strikingly similar to his previous "Titanic" and "Apollo 13" scores, but it is still hauntingly beautiful and fits the tone of the movie perfectly. Tea Leoni does a good job of portraying a newscaster attempting to cover the events surrounding her while dealing with her own personal emotions, which is undoubtedly a hard act to pull off. Elijah Wood shows his skill years before "Lord of the Rings" hit theaters. The other actors and actresses are very realistic and emotional, and the movie flows smoothly with their presence.
All in all, this movie is not one to be missed. Keep an open mind while watching this movie: don't watch it with the misconception that it's just going to be another one of those big-budget dull blockbuster films that gets churned out every summer. This one dares to avoid the seemingly standard clichés set by other films of the genre, which makes it a truly unique film to experience.
Score: 9/10
So when I saw the first half of Deep Impact, I was amazed. Apart from a brief montage of special effects in the opening sequence (a car crash that simply screams "big budget"), the movie is one of the first disaster movies I've seen that actually focuses more on the human side of the drama rather than the awesome visual effects that computers can accomplish.
Many times during the film, especially during the latter half, I felt myself touched by the realism that the actors and actresses convey. There are moments when you realize how fragile and precious life is, and that's saying something for a film of this budget.
While the visual effects are indeed impressive, there are other features that make Deep Impact a necessary film to watch. James Horner's music is strikingly similar to his previous "Titanic" and "Apollo 13" scores, but it is still hauntingly beautiful and fits the tone of the movie perfectly. Tea Leoni does a good job of portraying a newscaster attempting to cover the events surrounding her while dealing with her own personal emotions, which is undoubtedly a hard act to pull off. Elijah Wood shows his skill years before "Lord of the Rings" hit theaters. The other actors and actresses are very realistic and emotional, and the movie flows smoothly with their presence.
All in all, this movie is not one to be missed. Keep an open mind while watching this movie: don't watch it with the misconception that it's just going to be another one of those big-budget dull blockbuster films that gets churned out every summer. This one dares to avoid the seemingly standard clichés set by other films of the genre, which makes it a truly unique film to experience.
Score: 9/10
- MovieGuy2007
- Mar 12, 2007
- Permalink
Deep Impact is one of the horde of movies about catastrophic events that were released just before the Millennium (Armageddon, etc.).
That said, for the budget that was available, for the cast they had, this is not a great movie. Morgan Freeman, Vanessa Redgrave, Maximilian Schell, Blair Underwood, Ron Eldard, etc. can't make a wallet out of a pig's ear, even with their talent. Leelee Sobiesky looks like a teenaged Helen Hunt, but the subplot she's in is just silly (puppy love with fellow teenaged geek stargazer Elijah Wood).
It doesn't help either that Téa Leoni doesn't look like either of her parents.
Plot wise, improbability is heaped upon impossibility. What's the chance that the guy who actually discovers the comet is immediately killed in a fiery car accident? And after he was killed, how did they find out about the comet? Yes, he stored it on his computer, but talk about an unnecessary subplot. The writers could have just moved the arrival of the comet forward a little. Then, there is the entire subplot of Téa and her divorced parents. At one point, she even shouts to her dad: "I feel like an orphan!". Well baby, at 32, you must be the oldest orphan in the world.
And lastly, there is the "arc" for survivors. And what happened to the nuclear winter?
However, the special effects of the Tsunami like wave are cool.
That said, for the budget that was available, for the cast they had, this is not a great movie. Morgan Freeman, Vanessa Redgrave, Maximilian Schell, Blair Underwood, Ron Eldard, etc. can't make a wallet out of a pig's ear, even with their talent. Leelee Sobiesky looks like a teenaged Helen Hunt, but the subplot she's in is just silly (puppy love with fellow teenaged geek stargazer Elijah Wood).
It doesn't help either that Téa Leoni doesn't look like either of her parents.
Plot wise, improbability is heaped upon impossibility. What's the chance that the guy who actually discovers the comet is immediately killed in a fiery car accident? And after he was killed, how did they find out about the comet? Yes, he stored it on his computer, but talk about an unnecessary subplot. The writers could have just moved the arrival of the comet forward a little. Then, there is the entire subplot of Téa and her divorced parents. At one point, she even shouts to her dad: "I feel like an orphan!". Well baby, at 32, you must be the oldest orphan in the world.
And lastly, there is the "arc" for survivors. And what happened to the nuclear winter?
However, the special effects of the Tsunami like wave are cool.
- DogePelis2015
- Jan 29, 2021
- Permalink
- devincrim25
- Jan 17, 2015
- Permalink
5.9!? I can't believe that. I know disaster movies are usually crap such as The Day After Tomorrow, Armageddon, Godzilla, Independence Day, etc. This however was not crap. It boasted a fine cast that did great work the standout being Morgan Freeman and Robert Duvall. The rest of the cast though also did quite well. The story was handled in a fairly realistic manner and didn't require me to roll my eyes at the many plot contrivances the way the others I listed did. The only major flaw for me was the casting of tea Leoni. The usually dependable actress was extremely bland in this film. She has done much better work in her career. Despite that flaw this is another fine movie that for some reason is really under rated.
- manonfire_jer209
- Mar 25, 2005
- Permalink
It's not a semi-comedy like Armageddon but with actors like Robert Duvall, Morgan Freeman and Elijah Woods as well as superior directoring and scoring, Deep Impact is hard to beat.
I wasn't crazy about Tea leoni's performance but with other fine supporting cast members like Vanessa Redgrave and Maximilian Schell, it's really a pretty darn good disaster movie.
It's also very well paced with minimal slow scenes. Of course it's farcical and yes there are holes in the plot and Leoni's character is really annoying, but it's still very watchable. In addition , the script isn't nearly as corny as Armageddon.
I wasn't crazy about Tea leoni's performance but with other fine supporting cast members like Vanessa Redgrave and Maximilian Schell, it's really a pretty darn good disaster movie.
It's also very well paced with minimal slow scenes. Of course it's farcical and yes there are holes in the plot and Leoni's character is really annoying, but it's still very watchable. In addition , the script isn't nearly as corny as Armageddon.
- take_the_cannolis
- Aug 27, 2022
- Permalink
This "disaster" flick was just that: a disaster. It features too much talk and not enough actual "disaster" footage and too much profanity for a family to watch an action film. This reminded me of the old "Airport" films in which the life stories of the people took up most of the movie, not the airplane crash or near-crash. In this movie, it takes an hour and 45 minutes before the dreaded comet hits Earth. When it does, however, there are some awesome sights. The sound was great on the DVD and the picture very sharp.
Tea Leoni, the main character, an MSNBC reporter (this network must have funded the movie with all the publicity it got in here), is flat in her delivery. She speaks in a monotone most of the time. Pretty pathetic to have her in the lead when you also have actors the caliber of Morgan Freeman and Robert Duvall. Both of them are fine, as always. Also in the cast worth noting are pre-Lord Of The Rings star Elijah Wood and veterans Maximlian Schell and Vanessa Redgrave.
Tea Leoni, the main character, an MSNBC reporter (this network must have funded the movie with all the publicity it got in here), is flat in her delivery. She speaks in a monotone most of the time. Pretty pathetic to have her in the lead when you also have actors the caliber of Morgan Freeman and Robert Duvall. Both of them are fine, as always. Also in the cast worth noting are pre-Lord Of The Rings star Elijah Wood and veterans Maximlian Schell and Vanessa Redgrave.
- ccthemovieman-1
- May 1, 2006
- Permalink