 Movie Review: The Day After
Tomorrow
by Brandon Vallorani
31 May 2004
Is ‘global warming’ a reality? If so, will it cause another ice age?
Does the Bible’s account of history mention a past ice age? What other effects
could ‘global warming’ have on the earth and its inhabitants? How should
a Christian respond to these and other concerns over the environment? These questions
and more are likely to be asked by Christians who watch 20th Century
Fox’s latest film, The Day After Tomorrow.
 Roland Emmerich, the director
of Independence Day, presents another worldwide disaster movie with stunning
visual effects. In the film, an abrupt climate change created by global warming
quickly leads to catastrophic effects of ‘biblical proportions’ on the
entire planet. Effects range from giant hailstones in Tokyo and twisters in Los
Angeles to the climax—another ice age in the Northern Hemisphere. Weather
phenomena of such enormous scale allowed the filmmakers to create unforgettable
images—multiple tornadoes ripping through skyscrapers (shown at right) and
a tsunami-like wave engulfing the Statue of Liberty (shown at top) and gushing through
New York City were just a few examples. In the midst of global chaos, however, the
film focuses on the desperate efforts of climatologist Jack Hall, played by Dennis
Quaid, to find his son who has been trapped in a snap-frozen New York City.
The movie is appropriately rated PG-13 for ‘intense situations of peril’
and includes a few cases of bad language. Otherwise, it is safe for teens and adults
alike. Despite its high entertainment value, the film has a clear agenda: global
warming is a serious matter that should be a top priority for the government, and
those who ignore the obvious warnings are foolish. For example, Jack Hall drives
an electric-powered vehicle amidst a sea of gas-guzzling SUV’s. Jack also
repeatedly warns the Vice President of the United States (who happens to look very
similar to Dick Cheney) of the impending climatic doom. The Vice President stubbornly
ignores the obvious conclusions from the scientific data and does not heed Jack’s
warnings because of the economic implications of evacuating northern US cities.
Millions perish—including the US President (Al-Gore–like)—as a
result of his negligence. While many climate scientists believe the science of the
movie is poor, they are pleased that it is raising the awareness of global warming
issues.
In addition to the hyper-environmentalist agenda, the movie also takes pot-shots
at Christianity and is sprinkled with evolutionary ideas. In one such scene, Jack’s
son Sam finds himself taking shelter in a New York public library with a handful
of other survivors—among them are two employees from the library. To stay
warm, the survivors and the reluctant library personnel begin to burn some books
in a fireplace. The male employee is shown tightly holding onto a rare copy of the
Gutenberg Bible—the first printed book in history—hoping to save it
from the flames. Another survivor questions his motives by asking if he expects
God to save him. He replies that he does not believe in God. Rather, he is only
saving this early edition of the Bible because its printing represents the beginning
of ‘The Age of Reason.’ Subtle evolutionary ideas are evident in an
earlier scene where students are shown standing in front of a mural depicting human
evolution.
As to how the movie ends, you’ll have to find out for yourselves. I recommend
this movie as good clean entertainment with this one bit of advice: bring your biblical
glasses to the theatre! At Answers in Genesis, our mission is to arm you
with resources that help you answer the skeptics, defend your faith, and teach you
to see the world through the lens of Scripture. Equipping Christians with answers
helps the church to more effectively proclaim the Gospel. Here are some answers
to questions that will likely be generated by Christians who enjoy this film:
Is ‘global warming’ a reality?
Early in the film, Jack gives a lecture in New Delhi warning that global warming
will gradually cause the polar ice caps to melt, introducing fresh water into the
oceans, and disrupting the North Atlantic currents. This process results in a rise
in sea level (flooding) and cold weather setting in across the Northern Hemisphere.
Global warming is a predicted result of the ‘Greenhouse Effect.’ Certain
gases in the atmosphere, mainly water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), and
methane (CH4), trap heat from escaping the earth. People and animals
breathe out CO2 while plants absorb CO2. The burning of large
amounts of fossil fuels and the clearing of vegetation to make room for an ever-growing
population, however, can upset this delicate balance and lead to an increasing amount
of CO2. Simple physics suggests that, all else being equal, the average
temperature of the Earth will gradually increase due to these rising CO2
levels–hence the term ‘global warming.’
Many climate scientists are seriously alarmed about this effect, and the resultant
climate disasters it might bring. Others, however, are skeptical of the reality
of the greenhouse/global warming effect. This includes meteorologist
Michael Oard (recently retired from the National Weather Service and now available for creation speaking). The fact that there is disagreement over whether increased CO2
levels will cause a hotter world, a colder world, or have no effect whatsoever raises
an important point. Evolutionary scientists can’t agree on what is happening
to the temperature in the present, yet they pronounce with certainty on the temperature
a few seconds after their supposed ‘big bang’ billions of years ago?
Does the Bible mention an Ice Age?
In the film, Jack bases his warnings of an impending catastrophe on his studies
about similar weather patterns inferred from the past—he specifically mentions
an ice age. The term ‘ice age’ is not clearcut; one hears about a ‘mini
ice age’ in which the climate generally became cooler. But THE Ice Age refers
to the evidence of a time when there were not just cold temperatures, but great
ice sheets-glaciers-covering large parts of the northern and southern hemispheres.
Many Christians are not aware of the fact that the Bible actually provides the best
mechanism for a great Ice Age—a global Flood. Paradoxically, warmer
waters are needed to give the massive evaporation required to ‘pump’
huge volumes of water out of the oceans into the atmosphere so they can give the
increased snowfall needed to form the ice sheets. Michael Oard has written books
and given several lectures on this subject. See the following interview between
Carl Wieland and Mike Oard, Tackling
the big freeze.
Could ‘global warming’ cause another ice age?
This is highly unlikely and just where the movie transitions from reasonable to
sensational. In the May 27th issue of USA Today, Andrew Weaver,
a climate scientist of Canada’s University of Victoria, is reported to say that
the effects of a freshwater dump into the Atlantic would only shift the Gulf Stream
slightly east. As a result Canada’s Labrador Sea may see lower temperatures. The
effects on the rest of the world, however, appear negligible because global warming
means hotter summers—not very conducive to an ice age. Weaver says, ‘It’s
the Towering Inferno of climate science movies, but I’m not losing any sleep over
a new ice age, because it’s impossible.’
However, even though the movie’s science is generally acknowledged as seriously
flawed, at least it draws attention to the fact that ‘icing’ may be
the result of ‘warming,’ though not in the way it depicts. This film
is a great opportunity for Christians to start a conversation about the real
Ice Age and how the Bible explains it; see the web version of a chapter from our
popular The Creation Answers Book entitled What about the Ice Age?
Showing people in such ways how the Bible connects to, and explains, reality has
often led to solid conversions.
What other effects may ‘global warming’ have?
There are various views amongst creationists as to what effect ‘global warming’
could have on the earth. As Carl Wieland states in his article,
Fouling the Nest, ‘The generally predicted result is an increase
in mean global temperature, with effects on human society ranging from mild to catastrophic.
Warmer oceans would mean more water vapor (which traps even more heat) and expanded
ocean volumes. This, coupled with partial melting of the ice sheets, would raise
average sea levels, submerging whole communities, even entire small island nations.
The drastic weather effects could include huge droughts in Australia, flooding and
landslides in the western US, and much greater hurricane/cyclone activity. Paradoxically,
the Gulf Stream might slow down or stop, so northern Europe would get much colder.’
Conversely, Wieland also presents the case that the massive evaporation of oceans
caused by global warming could lead to increased cloud cover reflecting more heat
from the sun back into space—actually cooling the earth. However, depending
on the type of cloud cover, he points out, it could actually do the opposite, though
current modeling suggests that cooling is more likely. Atmospheric scientist Dr
Larry Vardiman, of the Institute for Creation Research, calls this a created ‘thermostat’
mechanism intended to cope with temperature fluctuations and prevent a runaway greenhouse
effect.
How should a Christian respond to these and other concerns over the environment?
The Bible clearly teaches that God made humans the stewards of the earth—giving
them the responsibility of caring for what has been entrusted to them. In Genesis
1:28, God told Adam and Eve to ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill
the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds
of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’ Genesis
2:15 states, ‘Then the LORD God took the man and put him in
the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.’
Once Adam disobeyed God, however, we became a fallen and sinful race living in a
cursed world. Man lost his ability to be a perfect steward. Even though the resources
God created are there for our use, man has often exploited them at the expense of
his fellow man. How wrong it is to cause needless loss and destruction of other
parts of God’s creation.
Alternatively, much of the focus of the environmentalist movement is evolutionary
and pantheistic, worshipping the creature rather than the Creator (Romans 1). This modern
movement ignores the biblical mandate to rule over the earth and subdue it, and
it replaces God’s Word as the ultimate authority. Is it necessarily wrong
to develop energy sources such as coal, natural gas, petroleum, etc.? Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
states that there is a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a
time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to keep and a time
to throw away, a time for war and a time for peace. We need to adopt and develop
a Christian environmental ethic based on God’s Word all the while understanding
that our sinful nature may blind us.
The movie’s title, The Day After Tomorrow, implies that there is a crisis
coming and we need to be ready. While the movie may be incorrect about another ice
age there really is a crisis coming—Judgment Day. Hebrews 9:27 says,
‘. it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.’
2 Corinthians 5:10 states, ‘For we must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body,
according to what he has done, whether good or bad.’ Do you believe
the Word of God and trust in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins? If so, are
you living out your faith? Are you able to defend your faith in a culture that no
longer recognizes the Bible as authoritative? As
1 Peter 3:15 teaches, we need to be ready to give an answer for why we have
hope as Christians.
Related article
| The article you just read is free, but the staff time working on it … isn’t. Consider a small gift to keep this site going.  | | |
|
