n The Day After Tomorrow the world is under attack, not from terrorists, aliens or meteors, but what is potentially an even deadlier enemy� nature.   Dennis Quaid stars as paleoclimatologist Professor Adrian Hall, who discovers that greenhouse gases have affected the Earth's atmosphere to such a degree, they have begun an irreversible chain of (un)natural events. Tornadoes rip through California, hail the size of grapefruit batters Tokyo and a massive deep freeze grips New York City. As Professor Hall tries to make his way north, he is slowed by a huge wave of people trying to reach a warmer destination (kinda like March Break, but without the alcohol and nudity).   Directed by Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, Godzilla), The Day After Tomorrow presents a worst-case scenario of a problem taken right from today's headlines.   But disaster flicks are a tricky proposition in a post 9-11 world. The sight of panic-stricken people fleeing a city prompts memories of events still fresh in our minds. Yet it's become obvious that we still crave the escapism of "event" movies. And yes, there's still something kinda cool about a big tidal wave headed right for the Big Apple, with the Statue of Liberty's head and torch barely peeking through the water. That image should

actors Dennis Quaid Jake Gyllenhaal Ian Holm Emmy Rossum Sela Ward director Roland Emmerich locations Montreal Washington, D.C. outtake During filming, the producers realized they were contributing to the problem of global warming by putting CO2 into the atmosphere. They tried to make the film CarbonNeutral through a mix of energy conservation and tree planting. prove to be as memorable as the destruction of the White House in Emmerich's Independence Day.   Filling out the cast is young break-out star Jake Gyllenhaal as Quaid's son Sam, who is stranded in New York as a new Ice Age begins to descend on the city. Gyllenhaal, best known for his role in The Good Girl, brings a certain hipness to the cast, especially to his rabid legion of fans (self-described "Gyllenhaalics"). Emmy Rossum, who plays Gyllenhaal's girlfriend in the flick, has quite the growing resume. She recently starred in Clint Eastwood's Mystic River and she'll play Christine in the upcoming Phantom Of The Opera (opening in December).   To bring a human element to the movie, director Emmerich says he's tried to juxtapose the hugeness of the catastrophe with the plight of individual characters. And with a budget topping $125 million, The Day After Tomorrow promises a whole array of jaw dropping special effects, just the ticket for summer movie viewing. �Tom Jokic