Roland Emmerich, Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, The Day Afer Tomorrow
If the world was going to end in a Ragnarok-scale snowfall, consuming all in its icy embrace, I’m sure the last thing on anybody’s mind would be how a U.S flag would look if frozen in mid flight. Roland Emmerich, however, can’t avoid putting such a sentimally patriotic motif into ‘The Day After Tomorrow’. As the Northern hemisphere is devoured by three immense storms in the film, the plight of the American nation is, of course, at the forefront of the rather narrow representation of the world in environmental chaos. We do see Ian Holm doing a good impression of what an American expects an Englishman to be, stoically toasting England and Manchester United before his power is terminally cut. Despite that, it’s the USA all the way.
Possibly this is what to be expected of an Emmerich movie – as with Independence Day, we do get the satisfaction of seeing mostly American landmarks destroyed. The first to go is (rather wryly by Emmerich’s standards) the Hollywood sign. This slightly iconoclastic tone does manage to balance out the US bias that Emmerich possesses.
However, despite these diverting spectacles, there are some inexcusable cliches. A child cancer patient surviving against the odds is one such device. It was a crude and pointless attempt at emotional manipulation, and a subplot so old that it has probably been parodied more than sincerely used.
Other aspects of the film were purely derivative. The hero, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, while in the confines of a grounded ship is chased by monstrous wolves. The setting will be familiar to any one who has watched a film such as Aliens, or for that matter An American Werewolf in London. Dennis Quiad, in his rather rapid trek across North America reproduces a moment of Touching the Void, as his friend cuts himself loose to save the rest of the climbing team. In the human drama that Emmerich tries to inject into the movie, there will be nothing you haven’t seen before.
Fortunately for the filmgoers watching this, we are compensated by wanton desruction on an apocalyptic scale. Enjoy the tidal wave smashing New York, berate the panicked masses for following each other like sheep into the fatal cold, gasp at the cool-looking super storm freeze everything in its path. However, whatever you do, don’t think this is a serious look at climate change. Emmerich’s sensationalist approach has got very little to do with the serious warnings about our planet. It seems to trivialise the issue, turning what is a pressing matter for the planet into a rather implausible, albeit impressive spectacle for the audience to enjoy, not contemplate.
However, with reservations about its accuracy aside, the film is still worth a look. If only for Emmerich’s showmanship rather than anything else.
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