Following its NYC premiere,Netflix’sDon’t Look Upfinally has its first reviews pouring in, and judging by many of them, it appears to be one absurd and emotional yet uneven ride.
Anchormandirector Adam McKay’s (Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, The Other Guys, Vice, The Big Short)satirical sci-fi film centers on two low-level astronomers, played by Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio, who set out on a giant media tour to warn the world about an approaching comet that will destroy the planet.Don’t Look Upwas delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is now set to receive its limited theatrical release this weekend prior to streaming onNetflixon December 24.
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WhileDon’t Look Upis receiving mixed reviews for its inconsistent story and execution of its grand ideas, much of the praise is directed towards the film’s star-studded cast, which includes some of the biggest names in Hollywood,like Jennifer Lawrence. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film is currently fresh with a 63% with 49 reviews, as the consensus reads, “Don’t Look Upaims too high for its scattershot barbs to consistently land, but Adam McKay’s star-studded satire hits its target of collective denial square on.” On Metacritic, the film has a score of 53 based on 21 reviews.
McKay, who first began as a head writer for SNL, created some of the most memorable comedies of the 2000s before venturing into dramatic territory in the 2010s (serving as producer on the hit HBO seriesSuccession). Now with experience producing some clever black comedy-drama films, it seemed that McKay was the only filmmaker to pull off a hilarious yet terrifying look at real-world issues. More initial reviews are posted below.
Globe and Mail(Barry Hertz)
“The film’s conceit could be sharply effective, in careful hands. But McKay knows only of punching down with meaty fists, so the result is a messy, smarmy assault.”
Score: Unscored
San Francisco Chronicle(Mike LaSalle)
“Don’t Look Up might be the funniest movie of 2021. It’s the most depressing too, and that odd combination makes for a one-of-a-kind experience.”
Score: 4/4
Empire Magazine(Ian Freer)
“Don’t Look Up is essentially Deep Impact played for yuks, Armageddon if it had a brain. It might bite off more than it can chew, but it is frequently funny, highly ambitious brain-food. If you think this is a Leonardo DiCaprio environmental vanity project, then think again… There’s perhaps too much going on and not all of it works. Still, McKay sticks the ending beautifully, adding a killer sting that hopefully Netflix’s end-credits-interrupting technology won’t ruin — perhaps the only 21st-century evil Don’t Look Up doesn’t skewer.”
Score: 4/5
TheWrap(Alonso Duralde)
“A film with all the right things to say about how government, the media, and corporations ignore the emerging disaster of climate change, but couched within a satire so lumbering that it’s enough to turn a tree hugger into a pro-fracker.”
CNN.com(Brian Lowry)
“This star-studded, extremely provocative satire at times veers off course itself, partially undermining its admirable qualities with the broadness of its tone.”
While Mckay’s ambitions may exceed his grasp at some parts, there’s no doubt that the director has something to say, an aspect of storytelling/filmmaking that can be missing in many other directors' works. McKay is already set toreunite with Lawrenceon his next film,Bad Blood, which is based on the 2018 award-winning non-fiction novel about Theranos, the multibillion-dollar biotech startup.
Don’t Look Up’s cast also features big names such as Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Timothée Chalamet, Ron Perlman, Ariana Grande, Scott Mescudi (Kid Cudi), Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep, Tyler Perry, Rob Morgan, Himesh Patel, Michael Chiklis,and Chris Evans.
Don’t Look Upis playing in select theatres starting December 10 and will be available to stream on Netflix on July 05, 2025.
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