The Day After Tomorrow (B- or 2.5/4 stars)
If only some movies ended as strong as they started. This happens in Roland Emmerich's 'The Day After Tomorrow'. Paleo-climatologist, Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid) predicts a global warming trend that will forge a new ice age. The problem is that the ice age may be on our doorstep way sooner than we think. We see immediate evidence of this as it snows in New Delhi, India - the city where Jack is holding a conference to World leaders on the dangerous matter at hand. U.S.'s Vice President dismisses Jack's projection model of when the ice age will strike. Mr. V.P. would soon be in for a rude awakening. Emmerich has a knack for making these cataclysmic movies that get us excited for the premier & disappointed when we leave the theater. It's a shame because the movie starts with such amazing potential. When the 2nd half of the film stalled, I hoped it was temporary and that the intensity & intrigue would soon return … it doesn't.
Meanwhile, Jack's son, Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal) is competing in chilly New York with his academic decathalon team. Jack and his wife (Sela Ward) are concerned for Sam's safety as he is in the Northern section of the country and right on the coastline (prime target for this advanced blizzard/ice storm to strike). Sure enough, the northernmost regions of the Northern Hemisphere begin to get pummeled. Tokyo experiences a massive storm with hail the size of cantaloupes. Los Angeles experiences multiple tornadoes (a rarity). One tornado takes down the famous 'Hollywood' sign. Birds fly in flocks of hundreds as they migrate south. Turbulence takes down planes as though they were origami. Worst of all: snow blankets NYC which virtually traps Sam, his teammates, & countless others.
It is here where the movie thrives. The excitement generated from the awesome idea of 3 super storms covering most of the Northern Hemisphere, and the stupendous special effects make the 1st hour of the film something unique & special; I was on the end of my chair. But when a displaced love story creeps into the plot, I knew the films' intrigue would dissipate quickly. Pure & simple, the story runs out of gas. Aside from the awesome, factual account of the super storms and the special effects that highlight them, the film is empty. Contrived dialogue, nonsensical decision-making at a critical moment in the film on Jack Hall's part, and a highly unbelievable, almost cartoonish ending made me cringe.
Quaid, Gyllenhaal, Sela Ward act well, but it isn't enough to salvage the last 1/2 of the film. Ian Holm plays a Scottish doctor who kept correspondence with Quaid's character as they tracked the super storms. His role is, perhaps, the most believable & well acted. If I was to break the film into 2 parts, I would give the first part an A- & the second part a C- … giving it B-/2.5 stars out of 4 overall. I realize that the movie is supposed to be depicted as a 'fun' summer blockbuster. But for me, it is a slight disappointment because it was living up to months of great expectations & then fizzles out a bit. I'm still waiting for that Roland Emmerich masterpiece. Not sure I’ll get one. But this movie will do fine for the time being.
Meanwhile, Jack's son, Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal) is competing in chilly New York with his academic decathalon team. Jack and his wife (Sela Ward) are concerned for Sam's safety as he is in the Northern section of the country and right on the coastline (prime target for this advanced blizzard/ice storm to strike). Sure enough, the northernmost regions of the Northern Hemisphere begin to get pummeled. Tokyo experiences a massive storm with hail the size of cantaloupes. Los Angeles experiences multiple tornadoes (a rarity). One tornado takes down the famous 'Hollywood' sign. Birds fly in flocks of hundreds as they migrate south. Turbulence takes down planes as though they were origami. Worst of all: snow blankets NYC which virtually traps Sam, his teammates, & countless others.
It is here where the movie thrives. The excitement generated from the awesome idea of 3 super storms covering most of the Northern Hemisphere, and the stupendous special effects make the 1st hour of the film something unique & special; I was on the end of my chair. But when a displaced love story creeps into the plot, I knew the films' intrigue would dissipate quickly. Pure & simple, the story runs out of gas. Aside from the awesome, factual account of the super storms and the special effects that highlight them, the film is empty. Contrived dialogue, nonsensical decision-making at a critical moment in the film on Jack Hall's part, and a highly unbelievable, almost cartoonish ending made me cringe.
Quaid, Gyllenhaal, Sela Ward act well, but it isn't enough to salvage the last 1/2 of the film. Ian Holm plays a Scottish doctor who kept correspondence with Quaid's character as they tracked the super storms. His role is, perhaps, the most believable & well acted. If I was to break the film into 2 parts, I would give the first part an A- & the second part a C- … giving it B-/2.5 stars out of 4 overall. I realize that the movie is supposed to be depicted as a 'fun' summer blockbuster. But for me, it is a slight disappointment because it was living up to months of great expectations & then fizzles out a bit. I'm still waiting for that Roland Emmerich masterpiece. Not sure I’ll get one. But this movie will do fine for the time being.