Harnessing the potential of humour and celebrity following for planetary, scientific and social good, Don’t Look Up– Adam McKay’s no-holds-barred satirical film–reflects on the human condition. Previously, Hollywood has produced several disaster movies which broach the end-of-the-world theme–Armageddon (1998), The Day After Tomorrow (2004), and Geostorm (2017), to mention a few. Don’t Look Up, a Netflix film, is arguably the first comedy multi-starrer dealing with the climate crisis.
The 2008 Disaster Movie, which featured a certain Kardashian, fails to make it to the list owing to the unfavourable reception it received. McKay presents his film Don’t Look Up as a cautionary tale–as a drama of the absurd. Through his hilarious yet poignant depiction, he calls out defunct paradigms and exhorts the world to act towards saving the planet.
Much of the weight for the message conveyed by Don’t Look Up, comes from its stellar, award-winning and critically acclaimed cast comprising the actors Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, and Cate Blanchett. Streep, DiCaprio, and Blanchett’s recent work–involving campaigns for environmental causes, particularly climate change issues–is well-known. It has put them in the spotlight as ‘green’ celebrities.
That said, in terms of the treatment of its themes–and the use of symbols and connotations–the film is a rare gem. Streep’s character–President Orlean, a caricature that represents more than one prominent figure of American polity–highlights issues of gender bias and tyranny in the political system. Blanchett (as the saccharine TV show host Brie) and her co-anchor serve as an aptly exaggerated image of newsmakers, motivated by the pursuit of greater viewership, pandering to hegemonic forms of power.
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