Terrifying Hulu Sci-Fi Exposes The True Potential Of Global Warming
These days, we’re all acutely aware of the threats posed by man-made climate change, which has resulted in numerous natural disasters that are on pace to become progressively worse and more frequent than ever before. While these horrifying acts of god are harrowing to actually live through, they also tend to make for some of the greatest cinematic moments ever committed to the big screen. While there are plenty of chaotic movies dedicated to the disaster genre, I would argue that Roland Emmerich’s The Day After Tomorrow is the best of the bunch.
From The Master Of Disaster
For those interested in checking it out or those just desperately in need of a rewatch, The Day After Tomorrow is currently streaming on Hulu. The film was written and directed by acclaimed disaster movie filmmaker Roland Emmerich, who is also responsible for such hits as Independence Day, Godzilla (1998), and 2012. Many of Emmerich’s works have been critically panned for their over-reliance on special effects, poor pacing, and weak characters, though The Day After Tomorrow actually packs some well-designed stakes.
The Weather Apocalypse
In case you aren’t familiar with it, the narrative of The Day After Tomorrow centers on an apocalyptic series of weather events that usher in a new ice age due to man’s hubris. The concept of such an event is first introduced by Dennis Quaid’s Jack Hall, who works as a climate scientist and addresses his findings to a skeptical board of diplomats at a United Nations conference. Though he is first laughed out of the room, several scientists and mathematicians from around the world quickly reach out to Hall, explaining that they have calculated a similar outcome.
New York Gets Wet And Wild
Before long, these weather events begin compounding upon one another, resulting in deadly hail storms, massive tidal waves, and a trio of destructive superstorms that can be seen from outer space. Meanwhile, Jack’s son Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal) is holed up with a few friends in New York City while attending a school-sanctioned trip for an academic decathlon. As the narrative of The Day After Tomorrow continues to build toward a catastrophic conclusion, Jack makes his way across an iced-out wasteland of the Northeast in order to save his son from certain death.
A Popcorn Film Like None Other
Though I personally feel that the characters and plot of The Day After Tomorrow are quite strong, not all critics agree. The film received mixed reviews upon release, culminating in a middling 45 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. Still, audiences at large agree that this epic popcorn blockbuster offers some of the most incredible visuals of any disaster film, including scenes of ice tornadoes wreaking havoc on major cities, storm cyclones colliding and merging into superstorms, and one particularly memorable moment that sees the Statue of Liberty eclipsed by a tsunami wave.
Available On Hulu
REVIEW SCORE
Of course, films such as The Day After Tomorrow are becoming harder and harder to marvel at, while actual natural disasters continue to worsen with each passing day. While things obviously aren’t as dire as they are presented in this hyperbolic movie, films such as these are a stark reminder that we need to collectively do a better job at treating the planet with respect. Those interested in streaming The Day After Tomorrow today can find the film on Hulu.
