Don’t Look Up but you must look at it!

Don’t Look Up (Adam McKay, 2021) is told from multiple perspectives who have all their storylines interconnected by the film events. There are perspectives from the diverse tribes that are in constant conflict off-screen. Pro-science believers versus the negationists versus corrupt politicians versus sensationalist and futile media versus millionaires. Some of these characters even share numerous parallels with real and famous people. The rhythm of the film is fast-paced reflecting the urgency of the effects of the newly discovered destructive comet and the immediacy of the current society through multimedia and social media with intercuts to the small and ephemeral moments that are frequently lost.

Many movie critics and spectators interpret this comet as a metaphor for the coronavirus; however, it is fundamental to highlight the film was produced before the pandemic in 2019. Others believe it is a critique of the absurd conspiracy theories and environmental crisis, being issues related to global warming and pseudoscience. Besides that, McKay's film reflects social media behaviour through silly challenges, mean memes, hate and cancellation culture, and the façade behind and in front of the cameras. By many of these aspects, the film is considered a hyperreality. It is fundamental to highlight the exaggeration of the film being a part of the satire genre. However, I believe it is simultaneously a “dystopian utopia.” On the one hand, strong representation regards gender and ethnicity in powerful roles professionally. On the other hand, in this "ideal" society, many problems mirror the present time. There are issues related to liquid modernity. This concept was coined by the Polish philosopher Zygmunt Bauman to describe the constant mobility and change, insecurity, and individualism of contemporary society. Besides them, there are matters with machismo, misogyny, heteronormativity, racism, miscommunication, corruption, capitalism, mental health, hypochondria and many others. However, some problems depicted are way older.

Netflix

Don’t Look Up represents the proverb and thought explored by a 17th century English philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, “man is a wolf to man.” In short, it means that humans are capable of numerous atrocities and barbarities against their species. In the film, this is evident through ignorance and denialism. Besides, I believe this production is about humanity. Although it is strong and direct to the United States, many non-American spectators can resonate with their respective hometowns. In addition, the film depicts identifiable social groups. McKay's film also represents human dubieties and contradictions through the protagonist Dr Randall Mindy (Leonardo Di Caprio) and his cliché arch. It reflects the thought from the 18th-century Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau “We are good by nature but corrupted by society.”

Despite these scary similarities in society, some scenes mirror real events of the present time, in some ways, the film indicates the history repeating itself. The dinosaur-killing asteroid happened sixty-six million years ago, but in the movie, the target changes. In addition, it mirrors the age of discovery with technological advancements and Charles Darwin's evolutionary theory through an evolved dinosaur-like creature. However, in the end, the film breaks the audience's expectations when it takes a revenge approach to nature versus humans.

The film is clever when it has big names in the cast for such important, powerful, and urgent critiques and messages. However, I believe it will not win any Academy Award, as it is a liberal film competing in traditional categories in a conservative award. With the bald golden statuette or not, maybe a few prestige motion-picture awards, I still invite you to this long reflective journey through the comfort of your home to look at this Netflix production. Afterwards, please do not look down on your screens, there are many unheard SOS, and there is still beauty in ephemeral events worldwide that go unnoticed. Last but not least, these mentioned similarities and even the semi ones, be aware, the Spanish philosopher George Santayana once said, “those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”