Deep Impact (1998)

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. 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.