Text by EVELYN ZHANG
Art by ALISON XIONG
Don’t Look Up: A prophecy?
What if we fail to manage the climate crisis? Netflix show offers a glimpse
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n a time when little more than Marvel movies mobilize large audiences, it’s surprising that this time, it’s a political satire. “Don’t Look Up” is a biting commentary about politicians’ mismanagement of the climate crisis, and, according to Variety, has been breaking records, receiving the most viewing hours for a movie in a single week in Netflix’s history. This film — which captured four Oscar nominations in Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Score on Feb. 8 — tells the journey of two insignificant scientists, astrophysics professor Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Ph.D. candidate Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence), who are trying to warn the world of an approaching comet that will exterminate all life on Earth. The comet is used as a proxy for the looming climate crisis and is meant to bring light to the hypocrisy of today’s society and its politicians — how they stress the importance of the crisis yet always seem to prioritize something above it. DiCaprio proves his veteran status in the acting industry with his convincing portrayal of an anxiety-ridden, socially awkward scientist. Through his darting eyes and constant stuttering, he demonstrates his obliviousness to the deceit of the political world. Lawrence’s character’s frustration about being ignored — conveyed through furrowed eyebrows and a heightened urgency in her voice — bleeds through the screen and makes me, as a viewer, just as frustrated as her. Moreover, Lawrence adeptly delivers the stereotypical “Gen Z” attitude, with sarcastic quips and excessive sassiness. However, what sets this film apart from
28 April 2022
CELEBRATION OR DESOLATION? Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) discuss the dire implications of an incoming comet. A few moments prior, Dibiasky was celebrating her discovery. “Isn’t that an extinction-level event?” Mindy asks.
the rest is the jarring juxtaposition between ical events); and Craig Federighi, an Apple the fictitious world of Dibiasky and Mindy executive. The intentional resemblance to and our reality. Some scenarios hit a little real-world figures makes the message clear: too close to home such as conspiracies say- If the world continues to behave as it is right ing the government fabricated the entire now, with its apathetic attitude towards clicrisis to have more control over the people. mate change, then there might as well be a The installation of an unqualified Supreme “WELCOME DOOM” billboard inviting a Court Justice candidate being more import- mass-extinction event. ant than a looming crisis. Billionaires priorStill, the movie may not be received itizing profit over the protection of the en- well because, for some, the political satire is vironment. This all seems oddly familiar… too exaggerated. This parallelism is the key message of I take no offense to the film’s message. the film. McKay set out to make a mock- At first, it’s amusing to note the resemery of the Ameriblances between the can attitude towards movie and our real the climate crisis. “Some scenarios hit a lit- world. However, as The idiotic charac- tle too close to home.” the timelines stop ters seem ridiculous matching up and the — the president of movie storyline veers the United States, the hosts of “The Daily off course, the similarities I initially noticed Rip,” and Peter the billionaire. become disconcerting, and I begin to feel However, at second glance, these char- like a seer while watching the tragic ending acters carry an uncanny resemblance to cur- of the world of Dibiasky and Mindy, knowrent figures in American society: ex-presi- ing that our society will share the same fate dent Donald Trump; the hosts of “Morning if we continue to stay on the same parallel Joe” (a talk show that discusses current polit- storyline.
