Disaster epic is an epic disaster

Rating: 1/10 (4 August 2016)

Possibly the worst -- certainly the dumbest -- big-budget Hollywood disaster epic ever made, "The Day After Tomorrow" offers a nonsensical CGI-filled escalation of climate change effects that happen over the course of a few days rather than a few centuries. But don't worry, because we're assured in the end credits that the film is "carbon neutral." This is quite a comedown in quality and entertainment value from director, story author and co-author of the screenplay Roland Emmerich, whose "Independence Day" was a fine example of this kind of film done right. Its only notable achievement is not one but two career-worst performances from two successful American actors -- Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal. Quaid (whose brother Randy had better luck with Emmerich in "Independence Day") plays up the full melodrama inherent in the overwrought script and loads every pregnant pause, concerned reaction, and Cassandra-like warning declamation (he has several) with actorly pomposity. Because the material just isn't there, he looks ridiculous. Gyllenhaal, on the other hand, is mostly checked out -- his scenes are an effective sleep aid. I hope he stayed alert enough to cash his check.