Political Climate Change: The Day After Tomorrow By Roland Emmerick (Term Paper Sample)

Student’s Name Professor’s Name Course Date Political Climate Change: The Day After Tomorrow (2004) Introduction Political climate change has been a topic of interest and debates for many years where many political affiliations have strived to convince voters and followers that they would fight climate change when voted in office. The Day After Tomorrow, directed by Roland Emmerick, adds to the topic of climate change and politics by escalating interest. The film shows an ecological horror account regarding climate change by showing the destruction of Los Angeles by tornados and drowning of New York by tidal wave (Emmerich n.p.). The movie as well narrates the freezing of Europe with a novel ice age. Even though some people have given a caution that the film manipulates science, environmental conscious persons have lauded it, hoping that film will change people’s awareness regarding climate change. In The Day After Tomorrow, climate change is a political tool that can be able to make people and nations work together and help each other, decide where and who to vote, change their rick perception regarding climate change, practice modern day capitalism, and buy and watch climate change movies in huge numbers. Politics Climate Change and the Plot of the Movie Climate change is able to make nations and people to forgo political, economic, and social differences and focus on helping each other. Despite agreement by world scientists that there would be an abrupt climate change if nothing is done regarding greenhouse gas emission, politicians refused to accept. The Day After Tomorrow outlines a tale Jack Hall, who was featured as Dennis Quaid in the film. Hall’s life was spared after he continued to exist when there was a ice break besides Antarctica (Emmerich n.p.). He cautions people of the possibility of the adverse effects of climate change if human continue to destroy the environment (Haas, Christensen, and Haas 261). Hall presented the theory to a climate conference, and after the presentation, the scientists who were in change of examining the circulation system of the North Atlantic thermohaline system found out their system was closing faster. Hall tried to warn the vice president in the movie but his trials bore no fruit (Hobbs-Morgan 76). Intense weather situations start to take place around the globe with hail destroying Tokyo while tidal wave covering Manhattan. Hall is invited to inform the president regarding his model predictions and proposes that people living in the south line be taken to Mexico (Levin and de Filippo 8). The president forgives the debt of Latin, which makes Mexico to open its borders for the evacuated people to get to Mexico (Emmerich n.p.). Climate change is therefore able to make political leaders come to agreement regarding ways of ending economic, political, and social issues nations may have to help the citizens. Bush Administration and Climate Change The Day After Tomorrow critiques the administration of Bush regarding climate change. The film included a president and his vice disbelievingly suggestive of Bush and his vice. Even though there are great concerns regarding protection of the environment, the Bush administration did not agree to develop a significant strategy of lowering the emission of greenhouse gas. At the same time, the administration did not agree that the United States commit to the Kyoto Protocol (Livesey 73). Kyoto Protocol wanted all developed countries to lower their greenhouse gas emissions. All developed nations committed to the Kyoto Protocol including the United States when being led by President Clinton. Regardless of protests by global environment organizations, President Bush indicated that the Kyoto Protocol was not friendly to the economy of the United States and pledged not to support it, changing his campaign promise of protecting the environment by regulating power plants that emit carbon. President Bush also disregarded many environment friendly initiatives developed by environmental agencies (Livesey 72). President Bush also disregarded a report developed by a State Department indicating that human behavior and activities lead to global warming which will eventually lead to climate change that is not suitable for life. The film’s portrayal of severe results of climate change did not go unseen by the Bush Administration. The warnings of Hall about the catastrophic effects of climate change received responses from key persons in Bush’s administration. Sidney Perkowitz indicated that the film was not in line with the realities of the time where the US has been for a considerable duration not welcomed proof for global warming (Hobbs-Morgan 87). The president in the film continues with his climate change policies even after witnessing Los Angeles being destroyed by Tornados. The vice president in the film, stirred by Kenneth Welsh, also shows some resemblance with the United States’ vice president Dick Cheney (Oldring 13). The vice president in the film is not supportive of environmental policies that would help fight climate change as he was against Hall’s proposals. Similarly, Cheney is not supportive of good environmental policies and agreements; thus is identified to mismanage issues relating to the environment. The Day After Tomorrow was thus important at influencing voters not to vote in the Bush Administration for a second term during the elections that were slated to be done in November 2004 (Hobbs-Morgan 78). Despite the fact that it was overstated, would lure voters not to have faith in the Bush Administration as the subject matter was relevant to an issue that currently faces not only the United States but the entire world as well. Even though Emmerick believed that the speed by which the catastrophes hit the states was high, he intended to warn policy makers and politicians that the evens could take place if the policies regarding the climate change do not change. Capitalism during Disaster In addition to unearthing inefficiencies and disregard to environmental issues by the Bush government, The Day After Tomorrow depicts modern-day capitalism during disasters. Even though the affluent are always known for using their wealth and power to survive harsh conditions, The Day After Tomorrow, shows that climate change would be catastrophic that even the wealthy would not survive. The film depicts owners of corporations in New York and Tokyo during disasters. In New York, an owner of a business gives vehicle driver money to let him be in a safe place in the vehicle during a disaster (Emmerich n.p.). Similarly, a man with a suite and a briefcase is seen trying to use his briefcase to shield himself from hailstones. Both persons did not succeed to escape death (Emmerich n.p.). Even so, on the contrary, the movie indicates a more ingenious method of trying to evade catastrophes by depicting a man without a home gaining refuge in a library in New York while trying to use paper to help protect him from the adverse cold (Livesey 72). In addition, the film is able to shift global politics by indicating that during disasters, the third-world nations have the ability of helping third world nations. After Hall warned that the people from the south be evacuated to the north, the United States, despite of its efforts to fight illegal immigrants from Mexico, allows its citizens to illegally escape to Mexico to be safe from climate change (Emmerich n.p.). As a result, a third world nation, Mexico, is able to help a first world nation from the menace in exchange for annulment of debt. The film wanted to indicate that capitalist governments need not to put emphasis on capital buildup but rather emphasize on issues regarding the environment, socialization, and kindness. In addition to corporate and governmental capitalism, The Day After Tomorrow indicates financial capitalism as depicted by its director Emmerich. Similar to any other blockbusters in Hollywood, the director indicated that the main aim of the film was to attract many viewers and gain huge finances. The overstatements of climate change witnessed in the movie are attempts to draw many audiences that could lead to huge sales (Levin and de Filippo 11). The financial inspiration is also witnessed considering that the budget of $12 million for the film originated from Twentieth Century Fox, an organization that supports production with the aim of gaining revenue in return (Livesey 73). The timing for the release of the money was also monetary motivated; the movie was released when the public was not happy with the Bush Administration regarding environmental policies and nearing elections. Therefore, it aimed at receiving huge revenue. Politics and Power of New York City The movie as well indicated the New York state’s political and power stance in the United States by making it among the places that have been hit by climate change. The city has recognizable and symbolic structures including the Twin Towers (Livesey 73). The film’s depiction of the destruction of Twin Towers resembles the destruction of the same structure during 9/11, and the destruction of New York in The Day After Tomorrow is seen as a second 9/11 caused by climate change (Livesey 73). The destruction of the New York by the tidal wave also shows union of the people of New York State during times of calamities. It as well indicates that the New Yorkers are resilient and enduring during the many political, economic, environmental, and social problems they face. The togetherness is as well indicated in The Day After Tomorrow when people come together to help each other at times of problems. For instance, Hall wants to go alone to rescue his son when the son survived a storm but his friends insists on accompanying him (Livesey 73). The New York is thus depicted a political powerhouse of the United States in the film where solid and appropriate environmental policies should be implemented. Pu...