The Day After Tomorrow movie review by Larry Novotny

...And the streak continues! Another in a long line of great looking, empty-headed special-effects-laden summer-fare movies (ok, so the grammar is not the "King's English"). This movie wins the crown for being the dumbest, stupidest movie of the list. The only reason this gets 2 whole stars is that the special effects are absolutely incredible! Other than that, there is absolutely no reason to see this movie.

This movie contains every cliche known to the movie-going public. It doesn't disappoint in the "I wonder what will happen next" category. I was several minutes ahead of waiting for the obvious to happen and, like I said, I wasn't disappointed. Too bad, I was hoping I'd be wrong.

Thanks to Global Warming, the planet Earth goes to Hell (in a hand basket). Scientist/Preacher Dr. Jack Hall has been hounding the powers that be to listen to his theories. He is right, of course, otherwise we wouldn't have this movie. Of course, no one listens until it is too late, except those in fellow disciplines of research.

When tornadoes break out in Los Angeles, at least five, people don't head for shelter. They go outside to look upon the strange phenomenon. News helicopters fly to get the breaking news. A reporter stands on a street corner incredulously reporting the news as the world around him collapse. He is just begging to be hit by flying debris. We are not disappointed.

Ah, but things get worse, as far as the story goes! A tidal wave hits New York City, followed by the coldest day on record, well below zero. In the gathering doom, Sam Hall, Jack's son in town for Jeopardy-esque intelligence quiz-kid contest, contacts his father who calmly states that he will come to rescue his son. Bear with me on this!

Jack, and a few trusted friends, drive/hike their way from Washington D.C. to New York, encountering obstacles along the way. Jack successfully locates his son only moments before helicopters arrive to evacuate those still alive in New York. I guess Jack jumped the gun. Well, what's a father to do, just sit still while his only child dies in the colds of New York City? Hell, New York is bad on a normal day (just a joke)!

Oh, but there's more absurdity here! When Sam is left to fend for himself, Dad promptly provides some fatherly advice. Like Reverend Scott from The Poseidon Adventure, Jack instructs his son to burn whatever he can find to survive. Sound advice! Reverend Scott advises people not to pray to God with icicles hanging from your palms, but to get up and act. Burn the furniture! Set fire to the building! Ah, but this is the 21st Century and people have respect for the past. Survivors are very uncomfortable with burning "classic" volumes. Now I cannot speak for libraries, but I find it difficult to believe that librarians leave first editions of classic works on the bookshelves for any gang-banger with a Zippo to come along and burn it! I assume that rare antiquities are placed in "Day After Tomorrow"-proof vaults for safekeeping. Like I said, I could be wrong.

The survivors decide that it is better to burn the books rather than burn the furniture, like chairs and bookshelves. After all, everyone knows solid woodwork like chairs, bookshelves and wood paneling do not burn as long as books. We're talking survival here folks!

I haven't mentioned the part about the person with the leg injury that forces her friends to brave the cold to find medicine to save her. Did I day cliche?

As you can no doubt tell, the special effects, which are wonderful, are the only reason to see this mess. The tidal wave passing the Statue of Liberty is worth the price of admission alone. Hopefully you did what I did, I saw this on a bargain matinee showing!