Common Sense Media Review
By Christie Cronan
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
End-of-the-world disaster drama is realistic but dull.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
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Where to Watch
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Deep Impact
What's the Story?
When journalist Jenny Lerner (Tea Leoni) investigates the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury's mysterious love affair with "Ellie," she ends up uncovering the biggest story on the planet: A comet the size of New York City is threatening to destroy Earth in about a year's time. President Beck (Morgan Freeman) is forced to reveal his plan to save the planet; it involves a team of astronauts (led by Robert Duvall), a spaceship, and a bunch of nukes. The hope is that the intrepid team can knock the comet off of its extinction-level course. But what will happen if the plan fails?
Is It Any Good?
Unfortunately, most of this film's impact is an asteroid-sized disaster -- sunk deep. Unlike its similarly themed (but far more blockbustery) 1998 rival, Armageddon, Deep Impact lacks an "extraordinary underdogs" story and Hollywood-driven theatrics. And the result is that it's a big snooze most of the time. It relies heavily on the seriousness of an end-of-the-world catastrophe, portraying the circumstances more accurately and realistically than Armageddon did -- but that also makes it drier and more boring. Many of the side characters' stories feel superficial, meaning there's less of a connection viewers and their heartstrings (surprising, given that Steven Spielberg was on board as an executive producer!). Aside from the fact that it cast Morgan Freeman as a strong, powerful Black U.S. president -- which was a big statement for the late 1990s -- there's ultimately little that's memorable about this disaster of a film.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the appeal of doomsday films like Deep Impact that feature disaster violence. Why do you think people are fascinated with the idea of the end of the world?
What do you think you'd do if you knew that the end of the world was coming in 10 months? What preparations would you make, if any? Do you think you'd act calmly and rationally during that time?
How does the violence and destruction in this movie compare to that of a superhero action movie? Which has more impact? Why do you think that is?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 8, 1998
- On DVD or streaming : August 1, 2013
- Cast : Robert Duvall , Tea Leoni , Morgan Freeman , Elijah Wood
- Director : Mimi Leder
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Paramount Pictures
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : STEM
- Run time : 120 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : intense disaster related elements and brief language
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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