▁Chicago ▁from ▁knowing ▁that ▁" something ▁bad " ▁was ▁coming . ▁Daily ▁Vari ety ▁found ▁the ▁film ▁to ▁be ▁full ▁of ▁cl ich és ▁and ▁felt ▁the ▁side ▁plots ▁gave ▁the ▁appearance ▁that ▁the ▁film ▁was ▁cast ▁first ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁plot ▁had ▁been ▁written ▁to ▁work ▁around ▁the ▁actors . ▁In ▁comparing ▁the ▁film ▁to ▁a ▁Re ese ' s ▁Pe an ut ▁But ter ▁Cup , ▁the ▁magazine ▁notes ▁that ▁it ▁had ▁" two ▁or ▁more ▁dis astr ous ▁taste ▁tre ats ▁providing ▁a ▁very ▁loud ▁macro ▁back drop ▁to ▁the ▁micro ▁tales ▁that ▁play ▁out ▁involving ▁the ▁characters ." ▁Kay ▁Mc F ad den ▁of ▁the ▁Seattle ▁Times ▁also ▁felt ▁the ▁storm ▁became ▁a ▁back drop ▁" for ▁a ▁cont riv ed ▁soap ▁opera ▁that ▁could ▁take ▁place ▁in ▁sun sh ine ▁or ▁rain " ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁special ▁effects ▁were ▁fun , ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁feel ▁properly ▁integrated ▁into ▁their ▁scenes . ▁ ▁The ▁Chicago ▁Trib unes ▁Sid ▁Smith ▁found ▁the ▁film ▁to ▁be ▁" pre tty ▁l ous y , ▁despite ▁a ▁wealth ▁of ▁impress ive ▁special ▁effects ▁that ▁end ▁with ▁an ▁image ▁of ▁a ▁completely ▁demol ished ▁Chicago ▁sky line ." ▁He ▁found ▁the ▁plot ▁to ▁be ▁over ly ▁mel od ram atic ▁and ▁" ho key " ▁with ▁an ▁excess ive ▁amount ▁of ▁coinc id ences ▁and ▁ill - fortun es ▁thrown ▁at ▁the ▁characters , ▁despite ▁the ▁performances ▁of ▁the ▁star - stud ded ▁cast . ▁Australia ' s ▁The ▁Age '' ▁gave ▁the ▁film