As a non-American, the film was boring and predictable: you knew that the American script was going to make one side's view represent the 'pro-science' and righteous one, whilst the others had to be both dispositionally incapable of adhering to science and put full faith into the capitalist (the Musk-ish character) in a way that conflicts with science. The latter HAD to lose in order to drive home the fact that that subset of Americans are ignorant, sociopathic, bigoted, bad guys. It's exactly the same formula of vitriolic diarrhea that Hollywood has fed the globe for the last few years; but it's reductionist, stereotypical, hateful, false. More importantly, it obscures the real divisions over anthropogenic climate change in America and elsewhere.
The film even snuck in a dig at the opposition to illegal immigration to the United States; but query whether, given American consumption rates of resources relative to the rest of the world, it's even a good idea to bring more people into that country to replicate its norms - let alone that they -including in all Blue States and cities - systematically exploit their illegal immigrants in violation of all labour laws, health and safety laws, etc. How does this hypocritical, evil American Democrat practice square with global worries about climate change?
Some further failings. For one thing, how'd the scientists get telescopic images of the comet going on downwards slope if it's heading straight for earth?
For another, if DiCaprio's character didn't even know about the Russian-Indian-Chinese effort till informed that it had failed, then what, pray tell, was his 'Don't Look Up' Campaign even trying to accomplish, since by then it was already too late to stop the comet anyway (and he knew they couldn't convince the President)?
Further, why would other countries have waited so long to mount their own efforts to interdict the comet? Are we in the rest of the globe so incompetent and SO COMPLETELY dependent upon the USA for everything? Doesn't this show the rest of the world how myopic, self-obsessed, and hubristic American Democrats are? For the conspiratorial: are we meant to think the American government sabotaged the rival effort? (By the way, thanks, American Democrats, for pushing the Russians into the arms of the Chinese over the last five years in the real world. GREAT job in global strategy).
Moreover, film's obnoxious push of a strict binary between believers vs non-believers, one that track the two main American political parties, made the latter half of the film extremely boring. It's also clearly not how America itself works (E.g.1 the Blue states where the auto industry plays a heavy role and don't immediately halt their production. E.g.2. The traditional anti-vaxxer cohort being composed of hippie, alternative, 'natural medicine folks, who hold the same views about the Covid vaccines. E.g.3 The continued disbelief of American democrats that the DNC had faked the whole Steele dossier and that America's corporate media knowingly lied to the whole world for four years about collusion). Since climate change is a global concern, how can this square with countries like Canada where the liberal and social democratic party (NDP) are entirely dependent upon tar sands oil in Alberta and car manufacturing in Ontario to prop up the economy and pay for the federal system?
Don't get me wrong, people should look up. There are basic facts we all need to take to heart about: anthropogenic climate change; Covid (and its origins); and about the American cult of celebrity and Hollywood constituting a tool of propaganda and domination, both of which Americans of all political stripes should unite in brotherhood to destroy.
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