3 minute read
Examining Don’t Look Up Children in the Entertainment
3 HOURS AGO
16 | DESIGNED BY KATELYN CHU EXAMINING: Don’t Look Up A doomsday, satirical film that may not be so far-fetched
Advertisement
[WARNING]
ARNAV VISHWAKARMA
news editor/podcast editor
Netflix’s new film Don’t Look Up was recently released, starring names such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence. The film was initially written as a social commentary focusing on the ignorance of climate change and the inability of world leaders to act on it. But in addition to its main message, it brings up many other questions and explores ideas that we’ve seen now, more than ever, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the film’s events may have seemed extreme when it was originally written in 2019, its timely release has demonstrated to many viewers that its commentary may not be so far-fetched.
The film primarily sees a duo of astronomers discovering an extinction-level comet headed toward Earth, and their frantic attempts to gain the government’s attention. The government, however, fails to see the gravity of the situation and denies it exists. There are two pillars to this; the president not wanting to lose her accumulated political standing, and not wanting to scare the public. Similarly, HBO’s miniseries “Chernobyl”, based on 1986 disaster, depicts a parallel situation unfolding within the Soviet Union, as officials deny the existence of a nuclear core’s explosion, and cut off phone lines — demonstrating how the governmental censorship portrayed in Don’t Look Up may not be so far fetched. Ultimately, it is this lack of action from leaders that can lead to a disaster’s effects multiplying and having detrimental consequences. Don’t Look Up also exemplifies how different aspects of society may interact during a crisis, and how the lack of mutual understanding between influential media, scientists and the public may have severe consequences. When astronomer Randall Mindy fails to garner the government’s attention, he turns to a talk show, where the hosts fail to understand or care about the severity of the issue, instead focusing on entertainment val-
ue. Mindy is also unable to explain the crisis’s implications in layman’s terms, creating a consequential communication barrier. This ultimately portrays how the public may fall prey to a battle between the media and government, distracting society from the core of an issue and making a bad situation worse.
The media’s control over the public also extends to the idea of gaining an average citizen’s trust. In scientists’ struggle to put out a clear and consistent message, the public often hears mixed information that creates confusion, multiplying the lack of trust. The pandemic saw this with a constant updating of COVID guidelines, which many started to ignore as they became increasingly confusing. Many plot events in the film are taken as an opportunity to exemplify how society struggles to take concerning information, especially from a source they may not have established trust with. The very fact that the film needed to include famous actors to gain attention and promote its message contains a level of irony, tying back to its commentary.
The film’s portrayal of how society may come together was extended through its depiction of the relationship between large corporations and the federal government. Where corporations found the opportunity to monetize the crisis by mining the comet for minerals, they were quickly supported by the government, disregarding any safety concerns. This directly depicts how the small percentage of powerful people exert the most control in society, often unconcerned with how their actions may negatively affect everyone else.
In the end, what ultimately sets Don’t Look Up apart is its fierce criticism of every role in society. Between the highest levels of government, the media, the scientific community, and the average citizen, it manages to paint an accurate picture of how our actions — or lack thereof — may have detrimental consequences. It is a film that resonates with many and is able to stir important discussion on the broad range of issues it brings up
