Deep Impact

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3:31

Deep Impact

PG-13

1998

1h 55m

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

45%

Tomatometer

98 Reviews

43%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

A comet is hurtling toward Earth and could mean the end of all human life. The U.S. government keeps the crisis under wraps, but crack reporter Jenny Lerner (Tea Leoni) uncovers the truth -- forcing U.S. President Beck (Morgan Freeman) to announce his plan. Grizzled astronaut Spurgeon "Fish" Tanner (Robert Duvall) and his team will land on the comet and lay explosives, hopefully deterring the object from its doomsday course. If not, humanity will have to prepare for the worst.

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Critics Consensus

A tidal wave of melodrama sinks Deep Impact's chance at being the memorable disaster flick it aspires to be.

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Matthew Rozsa

Salon.com

05/06/2023

3.5/4

The Chapmans are far from alone when it comes to scientists and artists who respect "Deep Impact," although usually praise has been reserved for its scientific merits.

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Richard Williams

Guardian

02/02/2023

The vision of Morgan Freeman as the next President of the United States is virtually the only worthwhile idea to be found in Deep Impact.

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Ryan Gilbey

Independent (UK)

02/02/2023

The movie spends so long plodding toward its catastrophic climax that you want to scream "Apocalypse! NOW!"

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Christie Cronan

Common Sense Media

08/27/2024

Unfortunately, most of this film's impact is an asteroid-sized disaster -- sunk deep

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Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

10/05/2023

3.5/4

The film portrays very well the human element and does something I rather enjoy. It plays on the emotions of the audience and creates sympathy for the characters and makes heroes out of the most unlikely of people.

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Dan DiNicola

The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY)

06/20/2023

D

The what-if-the-world-ends planning is the most interesting part, with impressive special effects but unconvincing emotional reactions from the endangered humans.

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Jonathan O

@RT41230270 1d

The vfx could done better and the story felt separate but it shows human drama of what we'll happen when enormous comet hits earth. and the director did good work but also could feel Spielberg adding extra help for building character development and emotions and the score by James Horner does really incredible score but there's a track on one of the scenes that felt like Apollo 13.

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Daniel B

@GyuuDan Jul 27

My favourite movie of all time.

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Matthew D

@OceanSage Jun 28

What a bizarre disaster thriller that’s more of a melodrama about the people left behind that may survive a comet hitting the Earth. Director Mimi Leder’s sci-fi melodrama disaster thriller Deep Impact (1998) is totally insane. The bulk of the movie is how humanity would react to potentially dying from a comet strike. The only main redemption of this movie is composer James Horner’s score is really lovely and touching. What were writers Bruce Joel Rubin and Michael Tolkin even thinking with this one? There’s a child marriage and a family obliterated on a beach. Deep Impact really has got it all. Deep Impact is like Armageddon without the humor or action, Contact without the questions of science versus faith, or Apollo 13 without the endearing and heartfelt drama that connects you to the characters. It’s corny, melodramatic, and shallow even though it is trying so hard to be profound. I could not remember a single person’s name or whether they lived or died.

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Christopher P

@ChrisPCreme Jun 21

One of my favorite disaster movies, the stories tend to melodrama but in my view it mostly works and doesn't cross the line into schlock. I rewatch every few years and have made my kids watch it.

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Garry A

@heavyg Jun 8

One of the worst disaster films. I didn't care too much who lived or died. The special effects were okay but not enough to justify its bloated two hour runtime.

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Keriel T.

@kerielflacoboy Apr 11

I like this movie but I think Armageddon is slightly better than this movie

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Mimi Leder

Director

Robert Duvall

Captain Spurgeon "Fish" Tanner

Téa Leoni

Jenny Lerner

Elijah Wood

Leo Beiderman

Vanessa Redgrave

Robin Lerner

Morgan Freeman

President Tom Beck

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Deep Impact: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

A comet is hurtling toward Earth and could mean the end of all human life. The U.S. government keeps the crisis under wraps, but crack reporter Jenny Lerner (Tea Leoni) uncovers the truth -- forcing U.S. President Beck (Morgan Freeman) to announce his plan. Grizzled astronaut Spurgeon "Fish" Tanner (Robert Duvall) and his team will land on the comet and lay explosives, hopefully deterring the object from its doomsday course. If not, humanity will have to prepare for the worst.

Director: Mimi Leder
Producer: Richard D. Zanuck, David Brown
Screenwriter: Bruce Joel Rubin, Michael Tolkin
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Zanuck/Brown Productions, DreamWorks SKG
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 8, 1998, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $140.4M
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Surround