Cool disaster scenes with not enough continuity

Rating: 7/10 (1 July 2012)

In the category of "disaster" films, the real attention grabber are chaotic scenes where things are either blown away or demolished. Sure, imagining and actually witnessing a city flooding are two different things, but that's all these films really have to offer. Plus, these kinds of events only happen once. Disaster films normally do not include the main event, and then a second dose of the same thing.
This movie actually has a political agenda to it as well. It is easily noted that director Roland Emmerich was picking sides with this. It is clearly stated that Emmerich picked Kenneth Welsh as the vice-president to resemble Dick Cheney from the Bush Administration, and Global Warming, which is the topic of main importance in the plot. Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid), is an engrossed climatologist who has a hard time convincing authorities above him that Earth's climate will change drastically if something isn't done soon. Along with this is the relationship with his son, Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal), whom he's struggling to maintain close to and his wife Sela Ward (Mrs. Hall).
And then out of the blue, all the predictions Mr. Hall made came true, but much sooner than he predicted. Eh...like that wasn't expected. A lot of the struggling scenes involve peril and they do keep the viewer on the edge of their seat, but much of it is so predictable. For example, before the disaster even happens, we learn Sam is going on a field trip for the possible reason of a girl being involved. Nothing more needs to be said; we all know where this is going.
It's not to bash on the acting. The acting is definitely there. It even contains a few comical moments to relieve the audience from recalling that the main characters are in the middle of a global crisis. But screenwriter Jeff Nachmanoff must have not put much thought into the story at all. Nothing really makes this movie stand out like any of the other disaster films.
The background music by Harald Kloser was effective. He made scenes tense and emotional when they had to be. But once again, there wasn't much of a reoccurring theme. If a film and a composer really want to be remembered, there should be a repeating theme. The only other bone I have to pick here is the continuity. There are scenes where they describe how intense and deadly the weather is; yet I see characters walking around in the weather, which was just described, with nothing covering the important parts of their body. Um hello, Mr. Nachmanoff, where are you again?
The movie would definitely have the support from Al Gore, but even he wouldn't have much influence on how the film plays out. There are various elements that make it enjoyable but the story is lacking.