This is a brave summer movie. Yeah, this is another asteroid-is-about-to-destroy-the-earth flick but it does what no other summer movie will dare do — focus on human emotions. While the other asteroid film with Bruce Willis is high on testosterone — “Deep Impact” is high on real human tragedy and the impact this impending doom has on the populous of the planet. Director Mimi Leder has done a stand-up job focusing on details male directors seem to miss, you know, people. Morgan Freeman is great as the president and it’s inspiring that the audience didn’t seem to care that the film featured a Black president. Tea Leoni is fine as an anchorwoman who must reconcile with her father before the end. Elijah Wood borders on annoying at times, but the real tension is with the space shuttle crew headed up by astronaut Robert Duvall. That’s what really got the audience choked up.
While the film is flawed, lacks desperately needed humor and is filled with cliches, the attempt to explore the human cost of all those cool explosions and destruction is an admirable one. Recommended.
