Don’t Look Up!
A dystopian film
In a world hovering on the edge of annihilation, can individuals and societies truly unite to salvage their own fate? The Director and producer Adam McKay of the 2021 Netflix film “Don’t Look Up” unapologetically conveys the answer he envisions to this question in an ironic way. The film transports all human beings into a reality of imminent death, extinction, and disappearance due to an impending global natural catastrophe. It effectively reflects the frightening apathy in society, including government corruption, and the powerlessness of marginalized groups.
This film emphasizes the authenticity of 2022 New York City through a realistic setting and portrays the complexity of human society with an engaging plot. The story revolves around a scientist Dr.Randall Mindy (Leonardo Dicaprio), and his student, Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence), who make a shocking discovery: a planet-killing comet is hurtling towards the Earth. Therefore, they decide to raise the alarm and garner support through attracting attention from public platforms, communities, and the government of the United States. The skillfully curated context of a fast-paced society with developed technology and environment immerses viewers in feeling that the world portrayed in the film is remarkably close to our own planet.
To elevate the theme of the intricacy of human nature, the director crafts a diverse range of characters, from politicians and scientists to ordinary citizens. This approach adds depth and authenticity to the film's narration and its critique of society in terms of the apathy and indifference it portrays. The film effectively targets the blatant denial of science and the manipulation and censorship of public opinion by those in power, as portrayed through the character President Janie Orlean (Meryl Streep). The portrayal of this character provides a spot-on expose of political leadership valuing poll numbers and short-term benefits over actual problem-solving. Furthermore, the ruthless news anchor Brie Evantee’s (Cate Blanchett) behavior of prioritizing sensationalism over the main problem of extinction, highlights the corrupt state of modern media that ignores people for ratings and societies’ ignorance of global issues. Additionally, the movie suggests the powerlessness of minority groups through the powerful performances of Leonardo Dicaprio and Jennifer Lawrence. Their performance captures the growing desperation of scientists trying to save the world against a backdrop of indifference through the use of various facial expressions and their deep insight into their characters and themes.
The authenticity of the film is not only found in the compelling storyline but also further developed through the visual and auditory elements, including lifelike computer-generated imagery of the comet and innovative cinematographers’ enhancements to the theme. The film is visually well-executed with some impressive special effects of explosion that bring the impending comet to our lives. Additionally, the soundtrack of the film features a mix of classic songs and original music, which complements the film's darkly comedic tone effectively. Ultimately, these visual and auditory elements serve as effective enhancements to the film, providing viewers with a visual representation of the catastrophic impact of these societal issues on humanity.
While “Don’t Look Up” is an intriguing satire, the humour that the director wants to present might be sometimes dark in terms of the themes such as government incapacity and public apathy in the face of existential dangers. Due to the portrayal of the darker aspects of human nature and society, some optimistic viewers may perceive the presentation as uncomfortable in terms of the frightening apathy in society or excessively unsettling for a comedy.
How could a society with government leaders yelling “Don’t Look Up!” unite to salvage their own fate? The film is a commentary on the state of our world and its collective failure to address urgent global issues such as the issue of global warming and world hunger. The lifelike computer-generated imagery, vivid performances, and intriguing storyline of the film make it emotionally evoking. It will leave the viewers contemplating the state of our planet and start to act upon reducing global issues with a strong sense of sympathy. Therefore, they are more likely to take action in their daily life to prevent events like those portrayed in the film.
My Rating: 4/5 Movie trailer
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