From Netflix:
Two astronomers go on a media tour to warn humankind of a planet-killing comet hurtling toward Earth. The response from a distracted world: Meh!
From Netflix you can stream this 2 hour 18 minute long complete film.
According to Miriam-Webster, “allegory” is a story in which the characters and events are symbols that stand for ideas about human life or for a political or historical situation. In the case of this film, the news that a comet hurtling toward earth will destroy mankind, which a superficial world treats as “fake news” could possibly stand for climate warming (which the Master of the Republican party declared was simply a “Chinese hoax”) or for a pandemic (Why get vaccinated against some illness that will disappear in a day or so?).
Leonardo DiCaprio provides a splendid performance as Dr. Randall Mindy, an all too human scientist trying to warn the world but who succumbs to his sudden fame and the allures of the unbalanced Brie Evantee (played by Cate Blanchette).
Jennifer Lawrence plays an increasingly frustrated and exasperated Kate Dibiasky, Dr. Mindy’s gifted doctoral student.
As far as an over the top (if not to say bizarre) role as President Orlean of the USA goes, Meryl Streep is the perfect “air head.” She even wears a MAGA cap.
When the screen finally goes black, do not stop watching. Credits rolling by on the screen are interrupted several times by continuations of the story. Watch the fatalistic silliness right up to the very end.
Is this depiction of a threatened end of the world really a comedy?
