DAY AFTER TOMORROW (2004)

Global warming begins to take a serious turn in Roland Emmerich's roller coaster journey as Mother Nature decides that humans have finally done enough destruction to the Earth.  The temperature begins to raise through global warming which initiates a huge melt down of the ice in the Arctic.  This melt down of ice affects the water temperature in oceans, which leads to changes in the ocean currents.  The ocean currents have a huge impact on the climate throughout the world, which the audience is to witness as Mother Nature kicks humanity’s butt with tornados, hurricanes, typhoons, hail, rain, and temperature shifts.

The climatologist, Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid), has a theory that will lead to a new ice age in the next 100 years or so.  However, the vice president ignores Jack as the precautions that Jack wants would cost too much money and affect the American life style.  What Jack does not know is that Mother Nature has sped up the process as the world is about to see a new ice age within a month that will affect the northern hemisphere.

In the middle of the climate disaster Jack has to face a family crisis as he has neglected his wife as they are separated.  Jack has also neglected his son, Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal), as he is constantly traveling around the world in the name of climate science.  This family crisis is what brings the adventure to the film as Sam is stranded in a flooded New York, and Jack realizes that he must do right to his son by keeping his word.  However, the family crisis becomes a banal situation, as the life of Sam seems less worth than Jack’s promise.

Day After Tomorrow is a visual popcorn popping roller coaster where the close calls are many and frequent.  The close calls display unearthly hero’s that outruns rapid super tides, fast crawling temperature drops of deadly consequence, and long distant snow threading super athletes.  The word cliffhanger had once a meaning, but after the films large number of close calls it becomes a cliché. 

The Day After Tomorrow begins with a promise of suspense, which it delivers, but to the expense of the story and characters.  The film has superb special effects, e.g., Los Angles being chewed by monstrous tornados and New York being swallowed by the Atlantic Ocean.  However, the story takes a back seat to the special effects and all the close calls, which significantly hurts the films potential.  Nonetheless, Day After Tomorrow offers an decent cinematic adventure that will keep the audience's attentions with excitement and weather bombardment.

DIRECTED BY

Roland Emmerich

COUNTRY

USA
REVIEWED
10/15/2004
GRADE


Filmography links and data courtesy of  
The Internet Movie Database.