Snappy satire uncomfortably close to reality

If the world’s leading scientists warn of an impending catastrophe that will wipe out the world, politicians will likely take it seriously. or?

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Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Timothée Chalamet, Cate Blanchett, Jonah Hill, Meryl Streep, Melanie Linsky, Ron Perlman, Ariana Grande. Series Genre: Comedy/Drama. Directed by Adam McKay. Nationality: United States. Age limit: 12 years. It premiered at Cinemateket in Sølvberget on Saturday 11 December, and was released on Netflix on 24 December.

After four years with Trump in the presidency, we have received countless examples of how reality can easily transcend fiction. During the same period, there was no shortage of conspiracy theorists and people who believed that the information they found on Youtube or in the darkest corners of the Internet is as valuable as conveyed by highly educated scholars. Perhaps the issue of climate and the corona epidemic is one of the most relevant issues in this context.

Then director Adam McKay takes these things to the point of “don’t look up.” The plot, in a nutshell, is that astronomers Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Kate DiPasky (Jennifer Lawrence) make a disturbing discovery. A giant comet is on its way to Earth, and it is clear that it will wipe out all life. They warn in order, and soon after, they’re on their way to Washington, D.C. to brief President Orlean (Meryl Streep).

Up to this point in the movie, one would think it would take the form of a classic “Armageddon” disaster movie. Instead, he turns straight down the path of black comedy, because the president is a kind of female alternative to Donald Trump, and he refuses to take anxious scholars seriously. She is more interested in her re-election, as well as with the ultra-rich, including the owner of a worldwide smartphone company.

Then a long struggle for your voice to be heard and believed in, begins with a series of setbacks. It is not easy to let in all the noise, neither in traditional media nor in other channels. Viral videos with funny animals, celebrities breaking up and dating each other, and muted breakfast TV talk are much better than serious scientists who come up with grim messages that everyone must die.

The situation escalates and becomes more brutal as the comet is already visible in the night sky. Hence the title of the film, which is played with rhythmic shouts, not unlike the one that Hillary Clinton became a part of after the much-discussed email affair.

This is high level satire, with plenty of infamous humor and consistently excellent acting performances. In addition, there is the extreme discomfort that everything is somewhat similar to reality.