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There has never been a better time to address the gravity of climate change than right now. The seasons are not irregular, temperatures are more extreme, and natural disasters are at an all-time high. The Netflix Movie Don't Look Up takes a satirical shot at how bureaucracy and the media are generally hand-in-glove when it comes to playing off serious issues for profit.
Plot of Don't Look Up
While the premise of the movie is simple, the treatment of the plot device is excellent turning a tragedy into satire that is genuinely funny and entertaining. Two astronomers played by Leonardo Di Caprio and Jennifer Lawrence tries initially to inform the public of impending doom in the form of an asteroid strike that will wipe out all life on Earth.
After talking to the POTUS (Meryl Streep), the two astronomers fail to move the government to act which is when they decide to take to the press directly. This goes badly as the media downplays this by ridiculous proportions.
The special effects are really well done in Don't Look Up, making it an even more worthwhile watch.
As can be expected, the special effects kick in once the asteroid enters the Earth's atmosphere. The collision sequence is really spectacular and worth seeing at least on your laptop instead of your phone.
Cast and Characters in Don't Look Up
One of the strongest aspects of this movie is its stellar casting with everyone from Tyler Perry and Timothee Chalamet to Jonah Hill and Ariana Grande dropping in for a memorable cameo. There's also Ron Perlman, Kid Cudi, Himesh Patel, Liev Schreiber, Gina Gershon, and a whole bunch more.
Almost everyone delivers a great and whacky performance in this tragic comedy which reminds me of a mediocre Isaac Asimov novel. Recently there has been a real-life parallel with activist Miranda Wheelahan facing a plight similar to Jennifer Lawrence when on the Good Morning Britain show.
Miranda is a climate activist who is part of the climate activist group XR which is lobbying to end the fossil fuel economy to stop the climate change crisis. In the interview, the hosts treat her with incredulity and ridicule for standing up for the planet's future.
Should You Watch It? - Yes!
Don't Look Up dropped in December 2021, so it has been on Netflix for a while. It is an entertaining look into how society is aided in climate change denial by stakeholders of the fossil fuel brigade. The cast is too numerous to list, with great performances and good direction. It is available on Netflix worldwide.