Deep Impact delivers top drama

As someone who is interested in astronomy, science, and human values,I have read with great interest articles about the great impact event that most likely wiped out the dinosaurs, and the geological evidence that such cometary or asteroid impacts have happened periodically throughout the earth's 4.5 billion year history. Recently, there have been scientists and astronomers warning that such an event will inevitably happen again. Well,this topic has penetrated the story board rooms of Hollywood and 1998 saw the release of 2 films with Earth Impact themes; Armeggedon and Deep Impact. (I've reviewed the bad science in Armeggedon elsewhere on epinions).

I really liked "Deep Impact". Here is a story about a teen age amateur astronomy student who sights a new comet during a class sky watch and reports it to a realistically depicted real astronomer. The astronomer then determines the orbit of this new comet is on a collision course with the earth sometime in the next year. The astronomer is killed in a car crash while driving to deliver this important information after he finds he can't get on line with his ISP.

The story goes on to follow the lives of a Washington, DC news reporter who finds out about this coming disaster, the kid who discovered the comet, the US President, and other related characters.

This film deals with the people and this potentially incredible and disasterous event that threatens all life on earth. I was very impressed with the character development, courageous people dealing with horrible events in a way that is admirable. The effects are good but are not the be all and end all of this film. Robert Duvall leads a desperate crew of astronauts who attempt to intercept the comet and blow it out of harm's way.I won't reveal the results of the expedition but will let you know that things could happen this way, unlike the rediculous events in Armeggedon. It's the characters that make this film such a good show.

The science in this film is believable and accurate. First rate****