Jake Gyllenhaal’s Disaster Movie Is Now Streaming on Hulu

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Starting on July 1, the disaster movie “The Day After Tomorrow” from 2004, featuring Jake Gyllenhaal, has found a new streaming platform. Now, Hulu subscribers can stream this chilling thriller directed by Roland Emmerich, who is renowned for films like “Independence Day,” “Anonymous,” and “White House Down.

The movie isn’t a literal translation from the book “The Coming Global Superstorm” by Art Bell and Whitley Strieber, but it draws inspiration from it. This fictional novel delves into the hypothetical scenario where rapid climate change could lead to an abrupt global catastrophe. The movie was adapted by Roland Emmerich himself, who also co-wrote it with Jeffrey Nachmanoff. In “The Day After Tomorrow”, Gyllenhaal stars alongside Dennis Quaid, Sela Ward, Emmy Rossum, Ian Holm, Austin Nichols, and Dash Mihok.

[Rotten Tomatoes Synopsis:]
In this movie, a climatologist repeatedly warns authorities about an impending global disaster due to climate change. Following the typical plot of disaster films, on the day of the catastrophe, his son goes on a trip to New York City and finds it struck by a sudden superstorm, sinking beneath the waves in minutes. With the world sliding into a modern ice age, the scientist embarks on a mission to locate his son amidst a frozen city.

As a passionate moviegoer, let me recount a captivating narrative: When I, a climatologist, present my grave environmental concerns to the U.N., they turn a deaf ear. However, as my predictions unfold, a colossal storm wreaks havoc worldwide, causing catastrophic natural disasters. Desperate to reach my son, Sam, who’s trapped in New York with his friend Laura and others amidst this chaos, I embark on an arduous journey from Philadelphia, navigating the treacherous elements, against time to reunite with Sam before it’s too late.

After premiering, the movie was a massive hit, earning more than $552 million against a production cost of $125 million. To this day, it remains one of Emmerich’s most profitable films, with only movies like 2012 and Independence Day having exceeded its box office earnings. For over two decades, it held the record for the highest domestic opening for a disaster film until Twister surpassed it last year.

Additional movies slated for inclusion in Hulu’s collection are “Flight of the Phoenix,” “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” “Ford v Ferrari,” and “Bridesmaids.

Though Critically Panned, ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ Is Actually Very Entertaining

As a fan, I must admit that despite the massive success of “The Day After Tomorrow” at the box office, my personal view aligns more with the critics’ initial response. The story, to me, seemed less compelling, and it appeared that an excessive focus was placed on the remarkable special effects. Currently, it holds a 45% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but interestingly, the audience score is slightly better at 50%.

Despite its questionable plotline and lack of scientific accuracy, The Day After Tomorrow remains an engaging movie. Jake Gyllenhaal delivers a commendable performance, joined by strong portrayals from Dennis Quaid and Emmy Rossum. The special effects are convincing, incorporating both practical and computer-generated elements, which significantly enhance the realism of the film. Among the various scenes, the New York flooding sequence is particularly noteworthy and is considered one of Roland Emmerich’s finest moments in his cinematic career.

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2025-07-06 15:32