Don’t Look Up Review
Reviewed by McNeill Mullikin
People are reacting all over the board for Don’t Look Up, but I absolutely loved it, and, honestly, fully expected to. After seeing this film, I can understand why there isn’t really a general consensus for it because not everybody enjoys satire, and especially Adam McKay’s satirical films as of late. I understand McKay’s frustrations expressed in Don’t Look Up, and it is essentially his satirical rant on the problems with modern day society.
One of the biggest complaints about Don’t Look Up that I generally come across is that it tackles too many issues but I strongly disagree.
When someone decides to tell a story about the effects on society when a comet is hurtling toward Earth, every socio-political issue is fair game. In a crisis like this, whether it be because of a real comet or a metaphorical one, all of society’s issues would be brought to the forefront because of today’s heated disagreements and misaligned beliefs. For these reasons, Don’t Look Up’s runtime is completely warranted.
On top of this film already being a brilliant satire, the depictions of how society would handle a situation like this feel accurate and realistic.
In regard to the editing in Don’t Look Up, it works really well with this story for the most part. The frantic editing and pacing combined with McKay’s signature flashy stylistic choices almost perfectly match the chaos of this story. There are only a couple of scenes where I wish McKay had slightly restrained his style, but overall I think Don’t Look Up is the best example of an Adam McKay satire.
The best aspect of Don’t Look Up is easily the humor. I fully understand that satire and/or dark comedy does not work for everybody, but it is without question my favorite type of comedy. As somebody who is very interested in societal issues, I found the comedy in this film to be absolutely hilarious. I was laughing from beginning to end (which is extremely rare for me), and there are so many memorable moments in this film. Don’t Look Up is by far the funniest movie of the year.
The performances from the entire star-studded cast are fantastic, and everyone’s comedic timing is impeccable. I also appreciate how McKay intentionally does not paint any side out to be good and acknowledges that all sides have major problems that need to be addressed. This is demonstrated through the characters and situations, which also creates some amusing moments.
Don’t Look Up is not without dramatic moments, though. Within the tragic ending, there is a particular moment that I believe is genuinely heartfelt and sends an important message about how humanity can connect, despite having collectively lost perspective on the important things in life.
Don’t Look Up is easily one of the best movies of the year, and I will definitely be re-watching this film in the future. I highly recommend this film if you enjoy satire and can appreciate a humorous approach to current issues.
