A comet is blasting through space. It's on a collision course, heading straight for Earth. But unfortunately, nobody seems to care.

This is the plot of Don't Look Up, a new comic disaster movie. In it, a team of astronomers notice the comet and attempt to warn the world. But politicians, journalists and the public all ignore them. Once it is discovered to contain valuable minerals, all hope is lost. 

Don't Look Up is a satireA genre of art which ridicules the shortcomings and hypocrisies of society. that pokes fun of humanity's reaction to climate change - and the inability of those in power to handle the crisis. 

Public response has been immense. The film has been streamed for 321,520,000 hours. It is Netflix's second most screened film of all time. 

But not everybody is celebrating the film. Don't Look Up has received almost universally bad reviews. Its expert rating on Rotten Tomatoes is 54% - far below the audience rating of 78%. One critic called it "a blunt instrument without a sharp razor". An "A-list bomb", said another. For Mashable's Alison Foreman, it was: "about as welcome as a kick in the teeth."

Perhaps the public is wrong - or perhaps critics are simply out of touch. Reviewers have often been out of step with the public, slamming blockbusters like Flashdance to Suicide SquadA 2016 superhero film. Though it set new box office records, it has a 26% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. while praising obscure films that send general audiences to sleep.

Some call critics blinkered. By focusing on a film's quality as a work of art, they miss the powerful impact it might have on its viewers. Many suspect that Don't Look Up's attack on journalists who ignore society's real issues might have struck a nerve.

There might be an element of snobbery in this. In 2003, author Stephen King accused book critics of staying "out of touch with your own culture", rejecting popular literature to set themselves apart from the masses.

Yet reviewers have their defenders. They argue that critics cannot predict how the public will react to a film. And they are the experts. We accept that a sommelierA professional wine expert. In restaurants, sommeliers pair dishes with wines. understands wine better than we do. Why not the same with critics?

Some defenders say reviewers are trying to help the public - not looking down on them. Film critic A O Scott says they "sort through the glut to assist in the formation of choices". They are our guide in a world saturated with new content every day. We might disagree with them, but we should not reject their help. 

One common criticism is that all reviewers are just failed artists. Last year, John Cleese called them "ignorant", "envious" and "untalented". 

In reality, the line between creator and critic is often blurred. Samuel Taylor ColeridgeAn English poet and critic whose thoughts and writing greatly influenced modern poetry. and TS EliotThe initials stand for Thomas Stearns. Born in the US, Eliot was one of the most influential figures in 20th-Century literature. are equally famous for their poetry and reviews. The French New WaveA film movement that emerged in late 1950s Paris. Its directors, many of whom began as critics, had an innovative, experimental approach to filmmaking that proved internationally influential. was led by critics-turned-filmmakers.

A recent study found that the gap between what film critics and the public think widened between 2000 and 2019. If the gap continues to grow, people might come to wonder whether reviews are worth reading at all. 

Yes: Don't Look Up might not be the greatest film ever made. But it speaks powerfully to our times. The dismissive critics have revealed themselves to be out-of-touch with the things that really matter.

No: A critic's job is to decide whether a film is a good work of art, not whether it has good intentions. To claim that Don't Look Up is a good film because of its message is to fail as a critic.

Or...?: Someone who devotes their entire life writing about something is always going to be more informed than someone who does not. Critics have every right to show a bit of snobbery over their field.

Satire - A genre of art which ridicules the shortcomings and hypocrisies of society.

Suicide Squad - A 2016 superhero film. Though it set new box office records, it has a 26% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

Sommelier - A professional wine expert. In restaurants, sommeliers pair dishes with wines.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge - An English poet and critic whose thoughts and writing greatly influenced modern poetry.

TS Eliot - The initials stand for Thomas Stearns. Born in the US, Eliot was one of the most influential figures in 20th-Century literature.

French New Wave - A film movement that emerged in late 1950s Paris. Its directors, many of whom began as critics, had an innovative, experimental approach to filmmaking that proved internationally influential.