"Bad Plot, but Action and Actors Make Up For It"

Rating: 9/10 (1 February 2006)

Roland Emmerich has created another special effects bonanza with "The Day After Tomorrow". The plot is basically how global warning causes a New Ice Age. Chaos ensures, of course. But, after this happens, the movie loses its momentum. The storyline is "Robert Altman Lite" with all these story lines sort of fitting together. The scientist trying to save his son and redeem himself for a lifetime of not being there. The son falling in love in a library in New York. The mom, a doctor, stuck in Washington with a sick patient. (Will they get out alive? Of course.) The president is also stuck in Washington (Will he get out alive? No. Because the mean V.P. has to be in charge of the country. DUH!) The scientist's Scotish colleague and his team who end up dying. (AWW!) I have to admit that the main reason I got this movie was that Jake Gyllenhaal is in it. I love Jake Gyllenhaal and I'm happy for his Oscar nomination. In this movie, he is pretty good as is Dennis Quaid and Emmy Rossum (woefully underused in the third act because of her sickness which you knew was coming). Sela Ward is also underused because of her main job in the plot is to be Dennis Quaid's love interest and that is done with in the first act. So, good action, good action, but bad plot. It's a good popcorn movie and definitely worth the money.