Calling Mayday an escapist fantasy is pretty accurate since much of what’s seen in the trailer is what a lot of people might deny would ever be possible. Stories like this tend to remind me of Sleeping Beauties, which is the opposite really but is still relevant enough to discuss since it deals with men and women being separated in some manner and shows the results of such a separation. The overall feeling is that some people believe that one gender will be completely peaceful and the other will tend to fall apart and create even more problems without the other gender to keep them in check in a variety of ways. Much like Sleeping Beauties though, it would appear that Mayday views men in a rather pitiful and negative light, though it doesn’t exactly paint the ladies as heroes either. The main character in the movie, Ana, eventually realizes that the women she’s thrown in with, who gladly lure men to their deaths in a few different ways, are no better than the wicked men that they’ve decided to stand against.
The dynamics between men and women in movies is something that’s been ongoing for a very long time. Trying to separate the two doesn’t always appear to work since the differing viewpoints that many people have tend to collide and conflict in such a way that it makes many people feel that this movie might be spot on or might be a flawed look at those that have taken the idea to ‘stand their ground’ to a dangerous extreme. The whole idea behind women that have been abused needing to reclaim their lives and stand up for themselves is nearly impossible to argue with since abusing anyone in a way that degrades them is uncalled for. But the response that some women throughout the world have come up with is extreme in a way that speaks of a severe reaction to the freedom they might have regained.
The argument that states ‘not all men are like that’ is one that many people don’t want to hear since it is a bit of a weak argument, no matter how true it might be. To those who have been abused in their lives though, it’s not a balm or even an adequate reminder that the world isn’t out to get them. Instead, it tends to serve as a way to negate their own experience, or at least make it an outlier, a chance encounter that isn’t bound to be given as much attention, when in truth the fact is that abuse is far too common and there are too many individuals that don’t receive the justice they want. The problem there is that by seeking justice on their own, some people can create blanket terms and ideas that go well beyond the punishment of their tormentor and those like them, and tend to be extended toward everyone that shares the same designation. In other words, and in light of this trailer, that designation would be men, no matter if they’re good and are trying to help or are vile and are all about violating and abusing women. To some individuals that have been abused, there’s no difference between good men and bad men, they’re all the same as they’re all men.
Speaking out against such an idea is bound to get a person in trouble these days since the idea of women being empowered is meant to be a positive thing, and seeing a woman taking control of her life is something that many people tend to root for. But the fact is that some women do manage to take this overboard and go beyond wanting justice for themselves and other women. Some women will actually become anti-men and will gladly vilify men without knowing who’s a decent human being and who is out to simply hurt people. It might sound petty, but making a movie and switching out the roles of the men and the women might actually fall under the designation of ‘movies that can’t be made’ since it might appear entirely sexist and misogynistic. Like it or not, this is probably what would happen, especially given that men are often seen as far more aggressive when it’s convenient for the narrative while women who are seen as aggressive, cruel, and in control of themselves are often seen as empowered.
When all is said and done, empowering women is a worthwhile goal since treating everyone as equals is a positive ideal that’s worth striving for. But movies like Mayday remind us that men aren’t the only savages among the human race, especially when it comes to seeking justice for past wrongs. It’s an interesting premise, but it’s also one that could strike a very discordant note among many people.
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