Hokey, but entertainingly enjoyable

Rating: 7/10 (1 June 2004)

Surely no one's walking into Roland Emmerich's "The Day After Tomorrow" expecting to see a neorealist masterpiece or some profoundly moving epic about the human condition.
The man loves to blow things up on screen and that's exactly what he does in "The Day After Tomorrow." Of Emmerich's last four pictures, I enjoyed the "Day" films - "Independence Day" and this one. The other two - "The Patriot" and "Godzilla" were crap.
"The Day After Tomorrow" has some terrific visual effects - the destruction of the Capitol Records building in Los Angeles, the tidal wave in New York City, the west coast twisters.
Of course, the story is conventional. You have the customary protagonist who needs to rescue his family, the cute animal, the love interest, the people who ignore common sense and set out on their own because they know better and, of course, the self-sacrificing supporting character.
The dialogue is hokey at times, the plot a bit like Swiss cheese and the performances nothing out of the ordinary. Though, British actor Ian Holm manages to bring a semblance of depth to his small role, proving yet again how good he is at his craft.
Question the film's science, if you must. The filmmakers don't try to mask the identity of who the vice-president and president are based on. Though, the most preposterous thing in the film is that our veep would actually show up at an environmental conference.
"The Day After Tomorrow" has all the requisite ingredients for a summer blockbuster. And it delivers. Thankfully, without an overbearingly loud or obnoxious musical score. Are there unprovoked chuckles? Yes. Predictable scenarios? You betcha. But is it fun and entertaining? Absolutely.