Deep Impact Review
by "Yen, Homer" (YenHo AT cof DOT org)May 15th, 1998
"Deep Impact" - A Little Hail Bop
When I walked out of the theater, I couldn't help but feel that I was somehow cheated out of a grander movie. There were lots of nice touches that wanted me to embrace it and declare it as a terrific adventure that would pave the way for the upcoming summer blockbusters. But don't be fooled. If you look close enough, you'll see only a comet without a tale.
The main focus of the film centers around a terrifying discovery that a comet is hurtling towards the earth. It is the size of Mt. Everest. It is characterized as an Extinction Level Event. And if it hits, life as we know it may end. Morgan Freeman, an eloquent and believable President, tells the public of the Messiah Project, which is a desperate plan to save Earth. A newly created spaceship manned by a young, ambitious crew and venerable Spurgeon Tanner (Robert DuVall), will fly to and intercept the comet. They will land on it and plant nuclear devices with the hopes of either destroying it or altering its course. Meanwhile, back on Earth, the President prepares for the worst. A network of underground tunnels, called the Ark, is built. However, it can only support 1 million people. A national lottery will be held, and all of America can only hope that they'll be picked, knowing that most of Earth's population will perish.
The Messiah team land on the comet and work frenetically to plant the bombs. Landing on the dark side of the comet, they have only hours to complete their mission. Once daylight bridges the horizon, the temperature will soar to a scorching 350 degrees, and gases will spew out from the surface making the still rock seem like a minefield. This sequence is by far the most exciting part of the film, but the rest of the movie gets bogged down by burdensome sub-plots. News correspondent Jenny Lerner (Tea Leoni) is an up and coming reporter looking for her chance to sit in the anchor seat. The film devotes a little time to the competitive atmosphere and her big break when she is the first to uncover the story of the oncoming comet. Leoni has good timing and carries herself well. Unfortunately, her story shifts abruptly, and now we're introduced to her divorced parents (Venessa Redgrave and Maximilian Schell) and the deep amount of hatred that she has for her Dad because he walked out and married a much younger women. We know that they'll make up because when the end of the world is near, reconciliation is not far behind. There is also the story of young Leo Beiderman (Elijah Wood) who discovers the comet. He is guaranteed entrance into the Ark and wants to save his junior high sweetheart who was not selected.
Overall, "Deep Impact" is better than other movies of the disaster genre such as "Volcano" or "Twister". This movie has an understated courage and I liked many of the performances. I also liked the idea (though underdeveloped) that this kind of event forced the characters, in the face of imminent demise, to reveal their true colors. This film could have captured my imagination, but the reality is that it only deserves a marginal recommendation. It starts off great, but then leaves a disappointing taste in your mouth. Like many formulaic disaster flicks, the focus of the movie moves too much from one silly story to another and the only thing that manages to stay on course is the comet.
Grade: B-
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