Says dumb
The effect is based on a real idea about air at high altitude, but the speed is out of proportion. Nothing in the real climate moves like this.
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
At 1:00:00
Verdict: Guilty. 84% of viewers say this is dumb. Top defense: The film compresses a climate event into days for drama, and it presents itself as a disaster story.
700 votes
Dumbness rating
7.4/ 10(700 ratings)Is this scene dumb, or does it make sense?
Rate how dumb
A storm system pulls cold air from the upper atmosphere and freezes sections of New York within minutes. People who stay outside are caught by the frost. The film compresses the change into a few days.
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Says dumb
The effect is based on a real idea about air at high altitude, but the speed is out of proportion. Nothing in the real climate moves like this.
Says explained
It is a disaster film and the timeline is part of the premise. I read the freezing as a heightened version of a risk the film describes.
The film compresses a climate event into days for drama, and it presents itself as a disaster story.
The film compresses a climate event into days for drama, and it presents itself as a disaster story.
Fixes are written by people. The smallest change, in 200 characters or fewer, that would have fixed the scene. AI is used only for duplicate detection, length and moderation.
Stretch it to three weeks, with a title card for each stage. The ice age still arrives, and the science only has to bend a little.