Several individuals discover a new comet, dubbed Wolf-Biederman, that turns out to be headed for a direct collision with Earth. Jenny Lerner (Leoni), an NBC correspondent, pursues the story she thinks involves a minister's sexual peccadiloes, only to find it's a much bigger and hotter tale. Stately President Tom Beck (Freeman) tries to maintain order and control (let's have an election campaign between him Josiah Bartlet!), while sending a manned ship out to destroy the comet, commanded by Capt. Spurgeon "Fish" Tanner (Duvall). Meanwhile, plans are made to select 800,000 citizens at random to wait out the disaster in mountain caves with 200,000 scientists, artists, and doctors if/when the comet strikes. Director Mimi Leder made this film the year after her 1997 hit "The Peacemaker," and though a decent rather than outstanding piece of work, it is generally acknowledged to be better than the other 1998 disaster-from-space entry, "Armageddon." Special effects are fair, though plotting veers into the "On the Beach"-style lachrymose. Supporting cast includes Elijah Wood, Vanessa Redgrave, Maximilian Schell, and James Cromwell.
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The review of this Movie prepared by David Loftus
