Why ‘Songbird’ is a Terrible, Reductive, Irresponsible Decision from Michael Bay

Well…

 

Do I even have to say it?

 

The trailer for Michael Bay’s upcoming movie Songbird hit our screens this week. This film is set in the not-so-distant future, when an advanced version of the Coronavirus has forced people into their houses. The government appears as a violent dictatorship, tracking down people with symptoms with very obvious Nazi Germany overtones. 

 

With an incredible cast of Demi Moore, That Guy from Riverdale, and the Evil Dad from Get Out – big step down, by the way – this is the biggest pile of crap I’ve seen in a while.

This film is clearly playing on already existing fears and conspiracy theories surrounding the pandemic we’re all currently living in. We’re all seen the anti-maskers, heard the cries of ‘sheeple’ and ‘plandemic’. And Songbird seems to be setting out to enforce these beliefs, that the government are controlling us, and that obeying laws (designed to keep us safe) surrounding COVID-19 makes you a submissive fool. 

 

Ultimately, the people who will suffer the most from this film are the most vulnerable; they will be the ones to get sick after radicals are further encouraged to forgo rules, to ignore real, science-based medical advice for the sake of feeling like they have something to fight for. Or against.

 

This is supposed to be a time of unity. Not division. I don’t believe in censorship and I will of course be watching this movie when it debuts, but my viewing experience will be similar to the way I’d go about picking up my dog’s shit; at a distance, held very far away from my face, and with an expression of disgust.