Photo courtesy of Netflix

  The hit Netflix movie “Don’t Look Up” was released on December 24, 2021 and it received immediate commentary, both praise and criticism right away. 

  The timely film tells the story of two scientists who discover a gigantic comet headed directly towards earth. They try to warn people about it through the government and media, but essentially fail to successfully spread word about it. The corrupt president fails to cooperate and solve the crisis because of her preoccupation with her political standing. 

  Many people have applauded this movie for its satirical and comedic nature, as well as its social commentary. The comet represents dwelling issues of today, particularly climate change. The movie highlights how people don’t understand the actual consequences of such issues because they are too focused on success, money, and fame. 

  However, it can also be argued that the very stars and creators of the movie contribute to the issues presented in the movie. 

  “It’s pretty obvious that in the movie, they criticize people like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, you know, people who are just crazy rich. But all of the actors in the movie have the same status as those people basically, so it’s kind of hypocritical in a sense,” said junior Holly Latuska. 

  For example, Leonardo DiCaprio, who plays the main character, is known for his activism about climate change. But many fail to recognize all of the privilege he withholds. 

  DiCaprio owns a private jet, personal helicopter, and private yacht big enough to fit inside of the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium. The 400 foot yacht costs more than $300,000 to refuel, and it’s all carbon based, as is the fuel for his other vehicles. 

  Now, don’t get me wrong. DiCaprio earned all that money, so he has every right to spend it however he wants. But it must be acknowledged that this kind of filthy richness undoubtedly biases him, and doesn’t make him such a credible source on a topic like climate change. 

  It isn’t just DiCaprio, though. The rest of the star-studded cast includes celebrities who use their fame as a platform to speak out on societal issues, yet profit off of them as well. 

  And in order to make proper commentary on a crisis facing our society, shouldn’t such a movie include people who actually reflect the issues that we see in our society?

  “It was a very good movie, but there’s definitely a few things that it needs to be criticized on,” said Latuska. 

  There’s no doubt that “Don’t Look Up” was a wonderful movie. It was funny and lighthearted at some parts yet chilling and frightening at others. It was written well and executed greatly. 

  But while watching it, I couldn’t help but think that the central idea of the movie was just not delivered in the way that it should have been. 

Sources: forbes.com