Accurate predictions in The Day After Tomorrow

The Day After Tomorrow

Director: Roland Emmerich

Cast: Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ian Holm, Emmy Rossum

The first of the summer disaster blockbusters; and this one comes with a strong political message.

As global warming brings deadly tidal waves, snow storms, golf ball hailstones and other nasty weather to wipe out Tokyo, the British Isles, Los Angeles and Ballygobackwards, the waves and storms strike New York and reduce it to a panic-stricken new ice age.

So far so expected. But Emmerich, who helmed the excellent Independence Day and who loves disaster movies, isn’t afraid to point an accusing finger towards President Bush and his corporate cronies for driving Earth towards such mayhem.

It’s all the fault of the loggers who chop down the trees, the open-cast miners who claw chunks from the Earth, your next-door neighbours who drive their gas-guzzling 4x4s into town (with just themselves inside); and if we don’t get a grip this film won’t be just another chiller, it will be an accurate prediction.

The plot here isn’t up to much - scientist Quaid battles the elements - and the fleeing crowds heading to warmer Southern climes - to find his son in doomed NYC - but the special effects are quite brilliant.

Quaid is a good actor, but not one of the A-Listers. Still, he makes for a sympathetic central character and TDAT is one of the most compelling disaster movies to come out of Hollywood.

Take your warm scarf!

Star Rating: 4/5