VFX artists are impressed by the tsunami scene inThe Day After Tomorrow.The 2004 movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Dennis Quaid features a world hit by a series of extreme natural disasters, as Jack Hall (Quaid), his son, Sam (Gyllenhaal), their family, and the rest of humanity fight to survive the brutal conditions. 20 years after its theatrical release, theGyllenhaal-led movie became a Netflix hit, as it earned the sixth spot in Netflix’s top 10 list of globally most-watched movies during the week of September 9-15.
In a video breaking down VFX in past and upcoming movies,Corridor Crewgives glowingpraise toThe Day After Tomorrow’s tsunami scene and remarks on how it has aged well. They compareThe Day After Tomorrow’s tsunami to those depicted in other disaster movies and why this one is more effective. An explanation is also provided for how the tsunami was filmed using a large water tank and how it helped set the precedent for similar scenes in the future. Read their comments below:
I’m not getting the crazy Hollywood super tsunami size, but this is actually still massive and insanely scary without having to crest the Empire State Building.
It’s not a giant wall of water coming through the city, it’s an actual situation where there’s a tsunami and the water is just kind of rising. They did something really interesting on this movie, which is that they filmed on a giant water tank filled with cars, 200 extras, they had to clean the water and heat the water. They were filming in Montreal and then all the build and the waves in the distance are all just set extension and CG added in. This movie came out in 2004, so this is still kind of early days with large-scale water. Some of the guys who worked on this movie were the same ones who did the water simulations for Deep Impact, and this is only six years after Deep Impact.
All the foreground stuff with the real water is really helping this sequence. You’re just constantly reminded that these guys are soaked in water. All of these shots, especially in modern times, those are all being simulated in Houdini, which has the tools to do all the different aspects of the water simulation all in one go, whereas back in the day, they were literally inventing the tools on a per-shot basis almost, and I think nowadays you can almost tell it’s all Houdini.
What This Means For The Day After Tomorrow
This Is Spectacle Done Well
Despite its 45% Rotten Tomatoes score,The Day After Tomorrowhas maintained its place as a memorable disaster movie, with the tsunami scene being an integral piece of its legacy. When it comes to disaster movies, the spectacle is the greatest selling point, andThe Day After Tomorrowdelivered that in abundance. At the same time, the visual approach tothe tsunami is not as exaggerated as in some other movies but is still significant enough to inspire a feeling of terror and awe.
The tsunami scene is impressive to watch and even more impressive when hearing about the intricate behind-the-scenes process that brought it to life.
By focusing on the rising water and the people on the streets of New York City being impacted by it, the story remains grounded in the characters' struggles. This is part of the reason whyThe Day After Tomorrowremains a popular disaster movie, asthe spectacle is matched by being invested in humanity’s fight for survival, particularly where the Hall family is concerned. The use of 200 extras in a giant water tank helps emphasize the far-reaching impact of this latest disaster.
Our Take On Corridor Crew’s Comments
The Day After Tomorrow Is Still A Great Disaster Movie
The Day After Tomorrowis a perfect example of a movie that can be entertaining and stand the test of time without ever being a critical masterpiece. The tsunami scene is impressive to watch and even more impressive when hearing about the intricate behind-the-scenes process that brought it to life. In the past two decades,plenty of disaster movieshave been made, butfew have managed to be as impressive and entertaining asThe Day After Tomorrow.
The Day After Tomorrow
Cast
The Day After Tomorrow depicts the cataclysmic effects of global climate change as a series of extreme weather events unfold, leading to a sudden and severe ice age. The film follows a paleoclimatologist and his son’s struggle for survival amidst the rapidly descending chaos.
