COMPETING FILM SHOWDOWN - Deep Impact vs Armageddon

Looking at film. Sometimes two very similar films come out close together, let's see which one is better...

1998: Earth Approaching Asteroid Showdown

In 1998 asteroids nearly destroyed the Earth.  Twice.  But not really.  Only in fiction.  Don't freak out or anything.

HOW DID IT HAPPEN?

In 1991 the US Congress directed NASA to look into the detection and deflection/destruction of Earth threatening asteroids.  In 1994 the House Committee on Science and Technology directed NASA with the DOD to chart objects larger than a kilometer.  This political and scientific interest in NEO, of course, lead to interest in the media and probably inspired both films.  Deep Impact was announced first and Armageddon was rushed into production (Michael Bay later apologized for the third act, blaming the 16 week filming schedule).  The previous year there was a TV mini-series with the same basic concept called Asteroid and a TV movie Doomsday Rock.

Round 1

TITLE

 "The Bible calls this day 'Armageddon' - the end of all things." ~ unnamed President, Armageddon.

Deep Impact - A pretty average title, but with a nice double meaning and more potential for a porn name.

Armageddon - A overblown name for an overblown film and a forced usage in the film.

WINNER:  DEEP IMPACT

Round 2

PLOT

"... there was a remote possibility that the comet was on a path that could bring it into direct contact with the Earth." ~ President Beck, Deep Impact.

Deep Impact - A comet the size of New York City heads towards Earth, the mission to destroy and effects of the impact on Americans.

Armageddon - An asteroid the size of Texas heads towards Earth and the mission to destroy it.

WINNER:  DEEP IMPACT

Round 3

DESTRUCTION

"Still, we were left with the devastation of the first. The waters reached as far inland as the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys. It washed away farms and towns, forests and skyscrapers. But, the water receded. The wave hit Europe and Africa too. Millions were lost, and countless more left homeless." ~ President Beck, Deep Impact.

Deep Impact - A smaller chunk hits Earth, causing destruction across much of the Earth.

Armageddon - Limited, cliche and unbelievable mini-hits, but more explodey.

WINNER:  DEEP IMPACT

Round 4

CHARACTERS

"Can they *physically* survive the trip? That's all I need to know here, okay?" ~ Dan Truman.

"Personally, I don't know how they survived the tests/" ~ Dr. Banks, Armageddon.

Deep Impact - A bunch of slightly whiny fairly average character, but a cross section of society.

Armageddon - A small group of deliberately unlikable self-destructive cliche characters.

WINNER:  DEEP IMPACT

Round 5

ACTORS

"Famous people always get sex, Mr. Perry. That's the main reason it's good to be famous." ~ Jason Thurman, Deep Impact.

Deep Impact - Television and B-list actor with support from some quality actors.

Armageddon - Major star power.

WINNER:  ARMAGEDDON

Round 6

UNBELIEVABLITY, COINCIDENCES & MANIPULATION

"This is unbelievable" ~ Grace Stamper, Armageddon.

Deep Impact - A few minor and meaningless coincidences (the pointless death of the scientist, the couple's survival).  Certainly manipulative at times.

Armageddon - Constant coincidences and emotional manipulation.  It also doesn't make sense on many levels.

WINNER:  DEEP IMPACT

Round 7

SCIENCE VS FICTION

"I know the president's chief scientific advisor, we were at MIT together. And, in a situation like this, you-you really don't wanna take the advice from a man who got a C- in astrophysics. The president's advisors are, um... wrong... and I'm right." ~ Ronald Quincy, Armageddon.

Deep Impact - Some scientific inaccuracies.

Armageddon - Makes Deep Impact look realistic.

WINNER:  DEEP IMPACT

Round 8

TESTS

"Fail. Fail. Depressively fail! One toxicology analysis revealed ketamin, that is a very powerful sedative!" ~ Dr Banks, Armageddon.

Deep Impact.

• Bechdel Test:  There are a number of named female characters, and much discussion between them about the disaster and survival.  Pass.
• Mako Mori Test:  Tea Leoni's character has her own story arc.  It does end with her reconciling with her father, but still she has here own arc.  Pass.

Armageddon.

• Bechdel Test:  There are a handful of named female characters, they don't interact.  Fail.
• Mako Mori Test:  The film is about men.  Fail.

WINNER:  DEEP IMPACT

Round 9

MORAL VICTOR

"I know you're just a reporter, but you used to be a person, right?" ~ Alan Rittenhouse, Deep Impact.

Deep Impact - Certainly didn't copy Armageddon, in fact a President's speech was changed to remove the line "This is not armageddon."

Armageddon - May have copied Deep Impact, but maybe not.  Treats the audience like they're stupid.

TIE



Round 10

BOX OFFICE

"We always thought the deadline for public knowledge was the publication of next year's budget since we've spent more money than we can account for." ~ President Beck, Deep Impact.

Worldwide Gross
Deep Impact - $140,464,664

Armageddon - $553,709,788

Budget

Deep Impact -  $75,000,000  (made 187%)

Armageddon - $140,000,000 (made 395.5%)

WINNER:  ARMAGEDDON

Round 11

RATINGS

"You know you're gonna have a lot more sex than anyone else in our year." ~ Jason Thurman, Deep Impact.

IMDB

Deep Impact - 6.1/10

Armageddon - $553,709,788

Rotten Tomatoes (Critics)

Deep Impact - 47%

Armageddon - 39%

Rotten Tomatoes (Audience Score)

Deep Impact - 43% liked it.

Armageddon - 73% liked it.

Metacritic

Deep Impact - 40.

Armageddon - 42.

WINNER:  ARMAGEDDON

Round 12

SHOWDOWN REVIEWS

"I mean, this is not a video game, son, it really isn't." ~ Spurgeon Tanner, Deep Impact.

• Armageddonuca:  Armageddon vs Deep Impact - Deep Impact 
• BC (Blogcritics):  Deep Impact vs Armageddon:  In the battle between testosterone and estrogen, we all lose - Neither.
• Blesok: Deep Impact vs Armageddon - both sides of the same story - Deep Impact (I think)
• Blogsorednax:  Armageddon VS Deep Impact - Armageddon.
• Commentarama Films - Deep Impact (1998) vs. Armageddon (1998) - Ambiguous.
• Electrolund:  Armageddon vs. Deep Impact - Deep Impact.
• Fernby Review - Earthly Apocalypse: Deep Impact vs Armageddon - Armageddon.
• Film School Rejects: Boiling Point - Deep Impact vs Armageddon - Armageddon.
• Found Item Clothing: Giant Rocks: Armageddon vs. Deep Impact - Armageddon.
• Great White Snark: Armageddon vs Deep Impact – Battle of the Redundant Geek Movies - Deep Impact.
• Ish Reviews - Armageddon vs, Deep Impact - Deep Impact.
• Movue Smackdown - Deep Impact (1998) -vs- Armageddon (1998) - Armageddon.
• Octobersky - Movie Battle: Armageddon Vs. Deep Impact - Armageddon.
• Screen Rant - 10 Copycat Movies - Which Was Better? - Armageddon.
• Voracinephile - Deep Impact vs Armageddon - Deep Impact
• What Culture:  Suspiciously Similar Movies Release in the Same Year: Meteorites - Armageddon vs. Deep Impact (1998) - Armageddon.

WINNER:  ARMAGEDDON

Round 13

READER POLL

"Hey, I'm a child of the movies, Fish." ~ Oren Monash, Deep Impact.

Even if you haven't seen both films, do the survey.

RESULTS SO FAR

Deep Impact - 7.5 (7 wins, 1 tie).

Armageddon - 4.5.(4 wins, 1 tie).

Deep Impact is a fairly average film, but while Armageddon is very pretty but treats the audience like they are stupid.

Upcoming Showdowns

5th December

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~ DUG.

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