'Don't Look Up' Review: McKay’s Disaster Comedy Has Ideas to Spare, but Misses the Landing
Despite an intriguing premise and an all-star ensemble, Adam McKay’s newest intellectual comedy fails to make an impact.
In ‘Don’t Look Up’, the human race is reportedly six months away from global extinction at the hands of a planet-destroying asteroid. And yet, despite the scientific proof and social activism, those in power still refuse to acknowledge their own impending doom. It’s an important message, particularly in a society with a growing mistrust of science and politicization of environmental protection - but unfortunately Adam McKay’s dry and precise style leaves commentary that’s far too repetitive and on-the-nose to leave a lasting impact.
The film may boast the most famous and decorated cast of the year, but our story really focuses around two particular individuals - Doctor of Astrology Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) and PhD student Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence). Upon discovering the encroaching apocalypse, the pair go to all lengths possible to get their message heard and try and save the world, even if nobody seems to understand exactly how dangerous this asteroid appears to be. Finally, after failed meetings with the President (Meryl Streep), unsuccessful interviews with TV presenters Jack (Tyler Perry) and Brie (Cate Blanchett), and minimal assistance from local lowlife Yule (Timothee Chalamet), Randall and Kate are forced to take the fate of planet Earth into their own hands.
There are admittedly important ideas within Don’t Look Up, but they’re played out in such a self-indulgent and repetitive way that they lose all meaning. Everything you need to know about the film’s social and political stance can be found in the trailer - it’s an exercise in mockery against high authorities who refuse to acknowledge problems to the future of our species and our planet. It’s not a difficult message to understand, yet McKay manages to draw out almost 2.5 hours of the same dry humour and tasteless mockery as though the audience just didn’t get it the first time. And none of the characters in the film go through any sort of meaningful change or development, which forces the film to revisit the same comedic and emotional beats over and over again..
For a comedy film, Don’t Look Up is surprisingly short of laughs. All of the jokes are so precisely set up to support McKay’s commentary that they often forget to be actually funny. The characters don’t have a sense of humour, and they’re never forced to go through any amusing situations. All of the intended laughs come at the expense of others, and act solely promote the film’s central ideology which everybody is already in agreement with. It’s another example of McKay' treating the audience as though he needs to win them over to support and understand the film’s message - the amount of people out there who actually think and behave like some of Don’t Look Up’s ignorant and self-obsessed characters is tiny, and they’re certainly not the type of people to have their entire worldview changed by a comedy film. So, who is the film actually for? If it’s for those who need to hear the message, then McKay is shouting to an empty room. And if it’s for those who already agree with the message, then why treat them as though they need enlightening on such a universally accepted issue?
Admittedly, that’s not to say Don’t Look Up is a complete failure. There’s one area that is admittedly extremely entertaining, and almost won me over on the film - and that’s the performances. Both DiCaprio and Lawrence are fantastic in their lead roles, but it’s the eccentric supporting cast that makes the film so engaging and watchable throughout. Meryl Streep is hilarious as the President, and although her character isn’t given as much time to be funny as she could have been, she still steals the show whenever she appears. Blanchett is playing a role we’ve never really seen from her before, and she feels like a completely natural fit - and her chemistry with DiCaprio is great to watch unfold. Chalamet and Grande both have much smaller roles than advertised, but their enthusiasm is palpable and makes many of their lines extremely memorable. In a sea of fallen jokes, poor direction and inexplicably disorienting editing choices, it’s the all-star ensemble that keeps Don’t Look Up alive where it could very easily have fallen.
Still, Don’t Look Up is a pretty big disappointment. All the ingredients for a great film are there: an original, intriguing premise, plenty of incredibly talented actors, an acclaimed director/writer, and a story that feels extremely relevant in our current society. But sadly, the film is thrown together in such a rushed and careless way that it becomes mostly uninteresting and forgettable. It’s a film whose eccentricity may please some more casual audiences, but its social commentary comes together with, frankly, all the subtlety of a planet-destroying asteroid.