The portrait in the movie, "Don't look up!"

Fear has become a part of everyday life

  ​Don't Look Up is a 2021 American apocalyptic black comedy film written, produced, and directed by Adam McKay, 

 The movie  cast actor and actress with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Rob Morgan, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry, Timothée Chalamet, Ron Perlman, Ariana Grande, Scott Mescudi, Cate Blanchett, and Meryl Streep. 

 It is about the story of two astronomers attempting to warn humanity about an approaching comet that will destroy human civilization. 

  Michigan State University's postdoctoral astronomy student Kate Dibiaski stumbles upon a new comet one day. Supervisor Dr. Randall Mindy is delighted with the new discovery. Still, soon after calculating the Comet's orbit, he learns that the Comet will collide with Earth six months later and destroy the planet. The two hurriedly reported this to NASA's Joint Earth Defense Division, and Director Dr. Teddy Oglethorpe wrote it to the White House.

image source by Neflix

  ​But it's disappointing to figure out politicians' responses whose imaginations everyone expected to react properly are only concerned with the presidential election and approval ratings. Also, they do not trust professors from state universities other than prestigious universities. They distrust the government and contact the New York Herald to publicize it directly. He appears on a popular morning live talk show but fails to get the facts out and deal with it. 

Rather Mindy becomes a show icon, and Diviaski becomes a meme and is teased. Then, suddenly, President Jaina calls the two of them and tells them to develop a solution. But the clever Diviaski quickly realizes that this is a politician's strategy and hypocrisy. Eventually, the government will respond by launching a spacecraft loaded with nuclei to destroy the Comet before it reaches Earth. However, this plan is thwarted by Peter, the CEO, who is blinded by the company's business and money.

Image by Neflix

  ​In the end, doomsday will become a reality, and all humanity must accept all these fates. They will organize their lives from various perspectives, including their religion, philosophy, love, and profession. But in reality, their bucket list was not ideal and beautiful. During the six months of the Comet's approach to Earth, people, like the real political world, are split in two, distrusting and slandering each other and unable to cope with the devastating dangers that await them only focusing to enjoy their lives. It must have been the same in the days of Noah's ark in the Bible. Instead, they ridicule Mindy and Kate, who truthfully announce danger and look back on their lives with fear and humility.

 But eventually, when the Comet comes close and becomes visible to everyone, they come to believe. But it's already too late. The Comet destroys everything, and the human race comes to an end.

Neflix

  ​ As a Korean, I found some exciting keywords in this movie. It's about Korea. There are very familiar scenes to me in this movie, just like home. One of them is the Seoul Station scene. This scene is often seen when North Korea threatens by firing missiles and sends breaking news when there is a war crisis. I've seen it a lot since I was a kid, so I know what it means just by looking at the silhouette. Korea is a country at war where the war is still not over. This means that you never know when, where, or what will trigger a war. I've talked to foreigners about apartment prices in Korea before, and they were shocked. "No, why are houses so expensive in a country where the war is not over yet?" I also don't know a clear answer to this fact. And the second surprising thing is that while Koreans are right on the brink of war, no one feels fear. North Korea fires missiles and threats, but South Koreans go to picnics, concerts, and parties to maintain their daily lives. No one buys emergency food, buys plane tickets, and runs to the semi-gungho on this news because this fear is very familiar.

Seoul Station in Korea in Don't Look up, Netflix

  ​In this movie, too, we were talking about common horror. The president also complains to the two scientists that he hears fierce sounds of the climate, war, famine, and famine every day in front of the two scientists who tell them a great truth. In other words, she became so numb that she felt bored because it was her story she had always heard. She thinks Comet is one of those stories, too, and doesn't take it seriously.

 Getting used to something can create hidden risks if we are not prepared and awakened. But in general, people don't like to talk about serious risks or prepare themselves. The two scientists even went to the talk show, but the host tried to sort it out as a joke by asking for a light conversation. Instead, he regards Dibiasky, who tells the truth, as a kind of mental illness. 

   ​ It is an obvious phenomenon that can be seen all the time in our society. When someone raises a right hand for a question and tries to prevent or say something in response to a risk, they drive the person who has a consciousness of crisis as sensitive, less socialized, or insane. Such a society would not be a healthy society. Don't Lookup satirically describes a sick society well. 

And also for me, most impressively, Dr. Mindy passed by as he entered the White House looking at the portraits on the wall. Since I am a person who likes to draw, such scenes were interesting. However, when the last Earth is destroyed and everything is destroyed, one of the drawings Dr. Mindy saw is thrown out. The painting was popped up from our earth and disappeared somewhere.

I think it was appropriate as a keyword to describe the end of the earth. Personally, if there is one thing I regret about this movie, in a word, when we had the Last Supper at Dr. Mindy's house, the computer graphics used to convey the image of destruction did not feel unfamiliar and sophisticated. I think it would have been better without this scene. Instead of artificial computer graphics, I think that the portrait can include every meaning of that. It means that everything is useless in front of the ruins of our planet. 

When the earth is destroyed, everything we have been looking for and living will disappear. So what's left in the end? As the Dutch philosopher Spinoza said that even if the earth is destroyed tomorrow, we will plant an apple tree today.

  When the earth is destroyed, everything we have been looking for and living will be vanished. So what's left in the end? As the Dutch philosopher Spinoza said that even if the earth is destroyed tomorrow, we will plant an apple tree today.