special effects 10, plot 0

Rating: 5/10 (1 April 2005)

Although the special effects were truly amazing and believable, they were the only points of interest in this otherwise dull movie. Even the great actor Ian Holm had to phone in his part (literally). The rest of the characters were as flat as the billboard that (SPOLIER AHEAD!) splatters a Fox news reporter in one LA tornado scene.
Another gripe: the entire movie is about only the USA and what happens in L.A. and New York City. What about the rest of the world? Sure, there are a few references but some of those special effects could have shown the Eiffel Tower blowing over or Big Ben freezing or something. Judging from the cataclysmic events it seems all of Canada would be decimated but we never hear or see anything about that.
One amusing yet disturbing aspect is ALL television news stations depicted are Fox. The Weather Channel is thrown in once or twice, most amusingly at the end (SPOILER!) when the new U.S. President addresses us from TV, for some reason it's the Weather Channel broadcasting his speech to the "new world."
Finally, if anyone could bear it, the sequel "The Day After the Day After Tomorrow" could show how millions of people fleeing the northern hemisphere fare after making it to safety. Small matters such as housing and food and forging a new existence when you have nothing might be short on special effects but big on human interest.