Don't Look Up story
Don't Look Up is a 2021 American apocalyptic black comedy film written, produced, and directed by Adam McKay. Synopsis: Two astronomers attempt to warn humanity about an approaching comet that will destroy human civilization.
27 total · 2 choice · 8 major · 17 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| approaching astronomical object event | choice | The story is above all about the failure of the ruling classes to prevent a giant comet from careening into the Earth. |
| climate change and bureaucratic inaction | choice | The president and her corrupt entourage failing to take meaningful action to stop a gigantic comet from colliding into the Earth is widely understood to be an allegory for government inaction on climate change. |
| astronomical impact avoidance | major | A plan was hatched to divert the incoming comet using nuclear weapons, but it was ultimately abandoned in favor of fragmenting it and letting the pieces fall down to Earth. |
| celebrity culture in society | major | The media, and to a lesser extent the public at large, was too preoccupied with celebrity culture to care about a giant comet being on a collision course with Earth. |
| corporation interfering in politics | major | The tech mega-corporation BASH blatantly interfered in the political process by using its influence to let the comet crash down to Earth in pieces so that it could harvest the metals therein, but at great danger to the public. |
| extramarital affair | major | Dr. Mindy started running around with a TV talk show anchor behind his wife's back. |
| husband and wife | major | One storyline follows Dr. Mindy and his troubled marriage. He started running around with a TV talk show anchor behind his wife's back, and at one point the wife confronted him about it, but in the end they made amends and died horribly together when the comet hit. |
| mass media in society | major | The media was failed to convey the existential danger the world was in owing to the comet approaching, instead focusing on mindless banter and celebrity gossip. |
| mentor and protégé | major | The astronomy professor Dr. Randall Mindy and his grad student Kate Dibiasky were beside themselves after their warnings of a giant comet being about to hit Earth were repeatedly downplayed by the media, politicians, and corporate grandees. |
| professional politics | major | The viewer is given an insider view into the U.S. President and her retinue's cynical and corrupt mode of politicking. |