The Day After Tomorrow

In the 2004 sci-fi disaster blockbuster The Day After Tomorrow, the catastrophic, long-term effects of global warming trigger an abrupt, catastrophic climate shift that plunges the planet into a sudden, terrifying new ice age. Paleoclimatologist Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid) discovers that the melting of the polar ice caps has entirely disrupted the North Atlantic ocean current, sending the Northern Hemisphere into an unprecedented meteorological tailspin. As massive tornadoes level Los Angeles, giant hail batters Tokyo, and a colossal, multi-story storm surge completely submerges New York City, Jack warns government officials to evacuate the southern half of the United States. His warning comes too late for his teenage son, Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal), who is trapped alongside classmates inside the New York Public Library as a super-freezing arctic storm system bears down on Manhattan. Desperate to save him, Jack and a small team of scientists must embark on a treacherous, life-threatening trek across a frozen, post-apocalyptic Northeast wilderness to rescue Sam before the temperature drops low enough to freeze them instantly.