Deep Impact (1998)

Unless a comet can be destroyed before colliding with Earth, only those allowed into shelters will survive. Which people will survive?

Director:

Mimi Leder

Writers:

Bruce Joel Rubin, Michael Tolkin

Stars:

Robert Duvall, Téa Leoni, Elijah Wood

5 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Duvall	...	Spurgeon Tanner
Téa Leoni	...	Jenny Lerner
Elijah Wood	...	Leo Biederman
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Robin Lerner
Morgan Freeman	...	President Beck
Maximilian Schell	...	Jason Lerner
James Cromwell	...	Alan Rittenhouse
Ron Eldard	...	Oren Monash
Jon Favreau	...	Gus Partenza
Laura Innes	...	Beth Stanley
Mary McCormack	...	Andrea Baker
Richard Schiff	...	Don Biederman
Leelee Sobieski	...	Sarah Hotchner
Blair Underwood	...	Mark Simon
Dougray Scott	...	Eric Vennekor

Storyline

Journalist Jenny Lerner is assigned to look into the background of Secretary Alan Rittenhouse who abruptly resigned from government citing his wife's ill health. She learns from his secretary that Rittenhouse was having an affair with someone named Ellie but when she confronts him, his strange reaction leads her to reconsider her story. In fact, a meteor, discovered the previous year by high school student Leo Biederman and astronomer Dr. Marcus Wolf, is on a collision course with the Earth, an Extinction Level Event. A joint US-Russian team is sent to destroy the meteor but should it fail, special measures are to be put in place to secure the future of mankind. As the space mission progresses, many individuals deal with their fears and ponder their future.

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Plot Keywords:

comet | mission | astronomer | secretary | reporter | 

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Taglines:

Heaven and Earth are about to collide.

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense disaster related elements and brief language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 May 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Impacto Profundo

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$75,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

DEM 8,332,899 (Germany) (22 May 1998)

Gross:

$140,459,099 (USA) (18 September 1998)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks SKG, Zanuck/Brown Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

At the beginning of the movie when Dr. Wolf is using his computer the screen reads May 10, 1998, the date of the film's release.

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Goofs

There is no possible way that Jenny Lerner could make it from Washington, DC to the family house on Cape Cod in the 2 or so hours she had after she let the helicopter go. It's a 500 mile drive, and there are 4 or 5 major metropolitan areas between, first getting out of DC, then Baltimore and the Tunnel, Philadelphia, all of NJ and NY, then the CT, RI and MA stretch. She'd have had to drive 300 mph on totally empty roads in order to make it in time...Talk about creative license!

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Quotes

Morten Entrekin: People knew about the Manhattan Project, you know, and they kept it a secret.
Jenny Lerner: That was just the creation of the atom bomb.
[uncomfortable chuckle]

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Connections

Spoofed in Chappelle's Show: Episode #1.10 (2003)

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Soundtracks

"It Must Be Angel Day"
Written by Larry Dean & Larry Weiss
Performed by Larry Dean & the Shooters

User Reviews

Superior to 'Armageddon'

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.