Fantastic and Moving

Author: MovieGuy2007 from United States
13 March 2007

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

J'aurai vraiment apprécié trouver toutes les images avec cette qualité...

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an excellent film. very emotional(1)

Author: Dan Grant (dan.grant@bell.ca) from Toronto, Ontario
26 July 1999

What would you do if the end of the world was near? How would you react if you knew that there was no way you were going to survive what was about to happen? Would you want to survive what was about to happen? Deep Impact is an excellent film that tells the story of a giant comet that is heading towards earth and unless it is stopped it will destroy everything. It contains many inter-personal relationships, and it examines how people would react if the end was near. It doesn't get as deep as "Last Night" at examining those issues, but what it does better than Last Night and even Armageddon ( another film that I loved ) is it shows a little more about relationships. It has a father and daughter trying to patch things up before the end is upon them. It shows young love, parental love and the love for a country and the world we live in. Deep Impact had a deeper impact on me and I really admire both Hollywood summer films that came out and dealt with this issue. But Deep Impact has more to say than Armageddon does.

One of the things that I admired so much about this film was how Tea Leoni was so hell bent on uncovering a story so that she could move up in the ranks of reporting, and in the process she uncovers something bigger than any political scandal could ever be. At first she is following a tip about some senator that has retired from office rather urgently. She has transcripts with him talking about a girl named Ellie. And she is determined to uncover who Ellie is so she can embarrass the senator and quicken her pursuit to greatness. She finally confronts the senator on the dock where he is laoding a boat with what looks to be enough supplies to last for a year. She tries to bully the senator into telling her the story but he refuses. She then does some research on the Internet and finds out that Ellie wasn't the name of a woman, but an acronym for the comet. E.L.E. Extinction Level Event. She is horrified.

an excellent film. very emotional(fin)

Author: Dan Grant (dan.grant@bell.ca) from Toronto, Ontario
26 July 1999

The beginning takes up a good half an hour of the movie and it is during that thirty mintues that I became hooked. My emotions were manipulated to the point where I felt like I should be at home with my family. The direness of the situation was very well executed. And the rest of the film is on the same level. It does a great job at making us ask questions about ourselves. And we examine our own lives and wonder if we would be prepared if something like this ever happened. I realize this may be getting a little sentimental and perhaps sappy, but this film really tapped into my emotions and I think it did that to a lot of people. I highly recommend htis film for all that it is.

The acting is top notch, especially from Morgan Freeman. He conveys the hurt, confusion and utter regret as the president of the United States. He knows that it is impossible to save everyone but he has to do what he can to save as many as possible. He truly is a great and gifted actor. The score is also a moving orchestra and the direction by Mimi Leder is swift and appropriatly crisp and dizzying in some ways. I have never heard of her before this, but I heard that Spielberg picked her himself for this project. And he was smart to pick her. She really does a wonderful job here.Deep Impact is more than just a movie, it is an experience, and one that should be had by all. A wonderful, wonderful film.

A great movie

Author: Mister_Anderson from King of Prussia, PA
30 January 2005

This is a great movie. I think the people who don't like it are (1) people expecting it to be a summer block buster popcorn movie with a million special effects, or (2) people upset because they think it's cheesy / has scientific errors. Let me address both points.

First of all, this is not a disaster movie in the style of Armageddon or Volcano or any of them. It's a movie about humanity's struggle to deal with an impending disaster. And in doing that, it succeeds. Most of the film is supported by strong talent, including Robert Duvall and Morgan Freeman. In smaller roles, Max Schell, Vanessa Redgrave, and Ron Eldard really shine. I was disappointed by Tea Leoni's acting. And Elijah Wood and Leelee Sobieski didn't really do much for me, although they weren't bad.

Second, while the movie is not standard Hollywood flair, it doesn't altogether escape the Hollywood curse. There are a few fairly ridiculous moments and plot points. HOWEVER, compared to disaster movies, I have to say this are extremely minor. To counter this, there are some very touching scenes. I don't want to give anything away here, but most of them occur near the end of the film.This is not the best movie ever by any means, but it comes as close as a mainstream Hollywood movie dealing with the end of the world is going to get. Also, James Horner's score was terrific.Definitely worth a watch.