The Day After Tomorrow

After paleoclimatologist Jack Hall is largely ignored by UN officials when presenting his environmental concerns about the beginning of a new Ice Age, his research proves true when a superstorm develops, setting off catastrophic natural disasters throughout the world. Trying to get to his son, Sam, who is trapped in New York City with his friend Laura and others, Jack and his crew must travel to get to Sam before it's too late.

A film that splits squarely along the line between spectacle and story: the disaster sequences are visually impressive enough to hold attention, but the script's clunky dialogue and scientific absurdity made it hard for many critics to take seriously as anything more than a blockbuster diversion. The climate-change backdrop stirred debate about whether a ludicrous popcorn film was the right vehicle for a serious subject.