Deep Impact (DVD, 2004, Collector's Edition)

So one of many world-is-coming-to-an-end epic movies that came out in the late 90's, Deep Impact features a younger Elijiah Wood, a presidential Morgan Freeman, Téa Leoni, Robert Duvall, Vanessa Redgrave, and Leelee Sobieski to name a few. The plot revolves around a comet coming to hit the earth and destroy all life as we know it in an Extinction Level Event or E.L.E.

First we have Elijiah Wood who discovers the comet and all the kids at school say he'll get laid a lot more now. He was getting laid before?? Come on, he's a science geek in high school. We all know better. Also he has the poor judgement to save Leelee Sobieski by marrying her. And tries to take her family too but when that doesn't work out, she wants to stay with them. Great idea, sweetie. So you can die too. Then he even risks his life and comes BACK to save her! Is she thrilled to see him? Yes. Does she want to go? No. Her parents basically have say they'll see her soon just to get her on the back of his motorbike and they throw a baby at her to raise too.

Then we have Robert Duvall playing the aging astronaut that the youngins' don't have any faith in but who shows his true colors and comes up with an idea that sacrifices them, but saves most of the planet and gives them a chance. I can't believe they even considered saying no. After all, they'd have to jump off the rocket when they got home and attempt to hide in a cave? And possibly have all their family members killed off? Part of the comet hits the earth anyway and causes some really fun damage. I always love disaster movies, especially when it happens to recognizable monuments like the Statue of Liberty underwater. This stuff is what you wait the whole movie to watch. However, if you are a sympathetic crier, the astronauts saying goodbye to their families will get you.

Which brings up another character that gets to you. Téa Leoni was really fun to watch in Fun With Dick and Jane...a not very highly reviewed movie but great for what it was. She was not fun to watch in this movie. She was a reporter hungry for an anchor position and when she comes into the knowledge of planetary destruction, she mostly uses it for gain in her career. She has a few emotional moments about it. Particularly when her mother decides to end things on her terms before she gets washed away. Which brings up my other question -- Why didn't more people TRY? So many people just stood and took it and didn't even try to get away. Anyway when reporting these crazy big stories, she is the slowest talking person I've ever heard on T.V. I feel like I'm...waiting...for her to finish her sentences. Maybe it's being respectful, but no, she does it all the time. Only when she's reporting the news. She gives up her spot on a getaway chopper to a friend and her child which is very nice and decides to go spend time with her estranged father and kill herself with him. On the one hand, it makes sense. She's created so many problems and her mom is dead and her relationship with her dad up to this point has been dead so she doesn't have much left except for her job. On the other hand, they could have made a good run for it. This again is a teary moment when she curls up to him and says, "Daddy" and I cried even though I was ticked off at her.

This movie, plotwise, is not awesome. I haven't talked about Morgan Freeman much here because he doesn't do much besides make speeches and occasionally be grouchy.

I purchased thid DVD as a gift for my movie-loving older teenaged son. It was on his "wish list" and he had seen it prior to receiving. Deep Impact is a perfect "disaster" movie. A movie needs more than special effects for it to work. The audience has to care about the characters. This film has it all -- great storylines, wonderful actors, dazzling special effects (but not over done) and the dialogue rings true instead of playing everything for unrealistic laughs. My son, husband and I give this movie our highest rating. It's a movie that can be enjoyed again and again.

I enjoyed the heroine, Tea Leone, very much. She is a great actress. I like to watch movies that are not too realistic. I mean, the last meteor that hit the earth was millions of years ago, so I don't think my life will end that way. Every time now and then a "disaster" is nice to watch. The plot starts in a funny way, that Jenny thinks she found a juicy story about a mistress in the White House, Ellie. The movie also has a message for mankind, that Russians and Americans should combine their power in order to nuke the comet in stead of nuking each other.
I enjoyed the movie very much!

The movie has a realizum about it that alot of other movies have tried to capture,and I believe couldn't.The fact that a meteor big enough can destroy our belove it earth is not unheard of.It keeps the viewer thinking on how we would spend our last moments on earth,who we want to be with,the phone calls we have to make etc..Most importantly how the "GOVERMENT" decides who lives or dies.That just blew my mind!!!!!!!! They knew a for a whole year,and they waited till the last minute like ALWAYS!!!!!Anyway TWO THUMBS UP!!!!!!
I bought this to add to my great collection of Action,Drama & Suspence
Better than Day After Tomorrow........

If you like action or secial effects movies this is an absolute must have. There is also a very good story line and Tia Leoni [sp?] gives a stellar perfornamce. Even if you only mildly like special effects overall this is a great flick and a cornerstone for anyone's movie collecction.