No one likes to sit around and think about the world ending. Sure, we read post-apocalyptic books about utopian societies and watch movies about zombies taking over the world after a horrific disease wipes out over half of the earth’s population. But at the end of the day, it’s more entertaining and enjoyable to imagine these types of realities than it is to accept the fact that it is very possible that the every-day life we know and love could easily be drastically disrupted.
This proves to be true with Adam McKay’s new satirical film, “Don’t Look Up.” McKay is known for his comedic scripts and pushing the boundaries when it comes to humor. His directing style allows room for actors in the film to rely heavily on improv, according to an interview he did with Netflix Film Club. One of his more commonly known films is “Step Brothers,” which follows the story of two grown men who find themselves living together when their single parents get married. “Don’t Look Up” has the same spontaneous humor except it’s about the world ending because of society’s inability to address the growing consequences of climate change.
Netflix released McKay’s newest film on Dec. 5, 2021. At the time of publication, the film has a 3.8 rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and some of the website’s designated top critics from Baltimore Magazine, Vulture and Rolling Stone, have used their platform to condemn the film, saying it lacks insight, enjoyment, humor and purpose.
However, it is important to note that very few films, other than documentaries, address global issues such as climate change. Even fewer films pose this topic in a satire, and despite the negative feedback from film critics online, according to an article by Stephen Colbert on Screenrant.com, “Don’t Look Up” is in the running to be Netflix’s most all-time viewed production.
The fact of the matter is, between the lines of the critiques and praises, the film has sparked important discussion. McKay mentioned in an interview with The Atlantic’s Davis Sims, that the comet classified in the movie as a “planet-killer,” was in fact his metaphor for climate change. But, the film, whose production took a break during the country’s first shutdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, also portrays parallels to the political climate of the 2020 election.
Although the solutions to climate change and political disruption are seemingly incomprehensible and share few commonalities, the mutual understanding and underlying sentiment of McKay’s is that both problems will escalate and cause irreversible harm if society does not start paying attention.
The film mocks people’s inability to take anything seriously. Everything is a meme. Everything is for entertainment. Everything is funny, until it isn’t – because there’s nothing left.
So why is everyone so upset about this film?
Are these issues too serious to make light of in a sytrical style film? But if everyone loves humor and engages with things like “funny fails compilation” videos more than they do the news, how else should writers grab our attention?
Is the acceptance of our role and responsibility in the decline of our planet’s well being too intense? But if these issues are never addressed, how are we supposed to prevent them from happening?
Ignoring the warning signs, despite how we encounter them, and refusing to accept the situation for what it is will not make the problem go away, or in the case of “Don’t Look Up,” will not make the comet dissipate in thin air.
I get it, movies, TV shows, books and other forms of entertainment are supposed to be a distraction. But we can only distract ourselves for so long. Clearly Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ariana Grande, Timothee Chalamet, Meryl Streep, Johan Hill and other renowned celebrities felt the issues were important enough to be the driving force of a movie plot.
So yes, the film may be uncomfortable to watch but ask yourself, are you uncomfortable because the film lacks purpose and expression, or are you actually uncomfortable because the film calls to light your active participation in humanities downfall?
Ignorance is not bliss. In the words of Lawrence’s character, Kate Dibiasky, “Well, maybe the destruction of the entire planet isn’t supposed to be fun. Maybe it’s supposed to be terrifying and unsettling.”
I’m not saying to live in fear every day. I’m not even saying that you should have enjoyed “Don’t Look Up;” it’s not a movie made to accommodate everyone’s taste. Just take a moment to ask yourself, is this movie really too absurd and so far from reality that it’s difficult to watch, or has our reality become so farcical that we can’t even recognize it when it’s playing out on the screen in front of us?