Released in 2004, Roland Emmerich’s The Day After Tomorrow is a sci-fi thriller set in a world on the brink of disaster. With climate events predicted to push Earth into a new Ice Age, the movie follows a climatologist, Jack Hall, and his son, Sam Hall. This film illustrates Jack’s trek from Washington, D.C. to New York in order to get to his son in time. As the rest of society also races against time to find refuge, themes of survival and climate change are explored. Will this father save his son or will catastrophic weather conditions prevail?
Dennis Quaid exceptionally plays the role of Jack Hall. His son, Sam Hall, is acted out by Jake Gyllenhaal. Sela Ward was casted as Sam’s mother, Dr. Lucy Hall. Lastly, Emmy Rossum assumes the character of Laura Chapman, Sam’s friend and love interest.
The movie was primarily filmed in New York:
- After a tsunami hits the city, Sam and other survivors take refuge in the New York Public Library.
- The scene after the storm when Jack looks for Sam, he walks past the Statue of Liberty.
- Other scenes were filmed at Battery Park and the Financial District, Manhattan.
- An aerial shot was taken of the Empire State Building, 350 5th Avenue and West 34th Street, Manhattan.
Some interesting facts:
- The opening scene of the ice shelf was fully Computer Generated Imagery.
- The scene of the tornado destroying Los Angeles was the last scene to win the Best Action Sequence award for MTV’s Movie Awards. After, the award was discontinued.
- In 2004, this was the 6th highest grossing film.
- This movie was based on the book, The Coming Global Superstorm, written by Art Bell and Whitley Strieber.