To be fair, I came into this movie with a positive bias. I love disaster movies, especially when they involve asteroids. One of my favorites is Armageddon, which I love for its unapologetic idealism and sentimentality. It’s like a time capsule, recalling the innocence and optimism of my early 20s in a pre-9/11 world.
Similarly, Don’t Look Up reflects the world we live in now. It’s rife with cynicism, distrust in the media and scholarly expertise, demonstrating how much faith people have lost in institutions. Corporate greed is ever present, bolstered by corrupt politicians who are determined to use the impending catastrophe to their own advantage.
In short, it isn’t a cheerful movie. It has plenty of dark moments, though those are balanced out by understated yet highly impactful emotional performances and plenty of humor. I laughed as much as I cried, which made for a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
