Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

Don't Look Up wants to be Dr. Strangelove for the climate crisis generation, but it's more like getting yelled at for two hours by someone who's technically right but won't stop talking. The satire is obvious, the jokes are repetitive, and the ending is 'we all die, isn't that sad?'

That said, it nails the media literacy angle. Watching politicians spin a comet into a partisan issue, tech billionaires monetize the apocalypse, and influencers dance while the world burns—it's uncomfortably accurate. If you've got a high schooler who needs a conversation starter about misinformation or climate denial, this could work. Just know they might come out more cynical than inspired.

The split reviews tell the story: critics found it smug and exhausting, audiences appreciated the attempt. It's not unwatchable, but it's also not the cultural moment Netflix hoped for. Watch it if you want to feel validated in your frustration with modern discourse, skip it if you're looking for hope or subtlety.

Age Fit

This is firmly adult content—16+ minimum, and honestly better for older teens and adults who can handle bleak satire without spiraling. Younger teens will miss the nuance and just get stressed.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

35

Cynical, anxiety-inducing satire about humanity's doom. Features relationship infidelity, characters screaming at each other, and an overall tone of despair and frustration. The pacing is deliberately chaotic to mirror media chaos, but that makes it emotionally draining rather than uplifting. Models very little kindness or cooperation—mostly self-interest and incompetence.

Imaginative

62

Clever premise using apocalyptic satire to comment on climate denial, media manipulation, and political polarization. The metaphor is obvious but executed with some creative flourishes. However, it's more derivative commentary than truly original storytelling—we've seen this 'humanity ignores obvious threat' narrative before. Doesn't invite creative expression, just reflection on real-world dysfunction.

Safe

40

Common Sense Media rates it 16+. Contains sexual content (affair subplot, some nudity), strong profanity throughout, drug use, and the entire premise is existential dread about planetary extinction. Not graphic violence but the psychological weight of impending doom is heavy. The ending is literally everyone dying. Not something a kid should stumble into.

Enriching

58

Sharp media literacy lesson about how misinformation spreads, how celebrity culture distracts from real issues, and how political tribalism paralyzes action. Could spark important conversations about climate change, scientific authority, and social media manipulation. But it's so bleak and preachy that the message drowns in its own despair. Entertainment value is mixed—critics were split (56% RT), audiences liked it more (78%), but at 7.2 IMDb it's solidly 'fine, not great.'

Parent Info

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Why It Might Be Great

Razor-sharp commentary on how social media and celebrity culture drown out existential threats—painfully relevant
All-star cast (DiCaprio, Lawrence, Streep, Blanchett) delivering committed performances in a big-budget satire
Could launch meaningful discussions about climate denial, scientific literacy, and how we process scary information
The absurdity of politicians and tech bros treating planetary death as a branding opportunity hits uncomfortably close to reality

⚠

What to Watch For

Rated for 16+ with good reason: affair subplot, nudity, constant profanity, drug use
The entire movie builds toward everyone dying—it's not a fun watch, it's a anxiety spiral with jokes
So heavy-handed that teens might roll their eyes instead of engaging with the message
Critics hated it (56%), audiences were warmer (78%), but nobody's calling it a masterpiece—it's divisive

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think people in the movie kept ignoring the scientists? Do you see that happening in real life?"
"The movie makes fun of how social media distracts us—what do you think it's trying to say about phones and news?"
"If you were one of the astronomers, how would you try to get people to listen?"
"The ending is pretty dark. Do you think the filmmakers wanted us to feel hopeless or motivated to change things?"

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