Michael Bay’s latest movie is about a global pandemic that wipes out a bunch of people, and four years later, it’s still getting worse. Apparently that is making a bunch of people really upset… Hmmm.
Songbird is produced by Bay, but is written by Simon Boyes and Adam Mason, who also directed the film. It’s billed as a romantic thriller with main characters Nico and Sara playing out what life would be like trying to keep love alive when you can’t be near each other.
The trailer, which released on October 29th, shows Nico and Sara talking via video chat while the world around them is falling apart due to martial law, strict lockdowns, and a virus (cringingly named COVID-23) that is seemingly much more deadly than what we’re facing today. Nico is immune to the virus, but Sara is in extreme danger after being exposed to a neighbor. And now Nico must race across LA to get to Sara before the militant “Sanitation Department” does.
Songbird made headlines in May when it was announced to be the first movie filmed in Los Angeles after the COVID-19 restrictions began. So, yes, it’s a movie about a COVID lockdown filmed during a COVID lockdown. Along with KJ Apa (Nico) and Sofia Carson (Sara), the cast also includes more well-known stars like Demi Moore, Bradley Whitford, and Craig Robinson.
Making a “dystopian horror movie” about a horror that is real and happening RIGHT NOW is so tone deaf. And so not what people need. So many people have lost jobs, livelihoods and loved ones due to COVID, and everyone’s life has been severely effected. Bad, bad, bad move.
— pip pap @ genshin impact (@scallywap) October 29, 2020
I don’t think we should hate Michael Bay for making Songbird, I think we should kill him. And everyone else that agreed to the movie.
— Leafford the Big Red Dog (@BlGFATMOOSEPSSY) October 29, 2020
So why exactly are people so upset about this movie? Well, as you can imagine, it’s just too soon. With over a million confirmed COVID-19 deaths worldwide, the families and friends of those victims probably don’t want to pay money to be reminded that it happened. And the 46 million others who have been infected probably don’t want to know what their fate could be.
This Songbird movie is easily the last thing we need right now
— Jamie Køssuth (@jamie_kossuth) October 30, 2020
And I totally get it. We watch movies to escape reality, not to get a souped-up version. Whether you even believe the stats themselves, you have to admit that this movie may just be made in bad taste, especially when you consider that filming only lasted ONE MONTH (July to August, 2020). Sounds like someone was in a hurry to capitalize.
What I can’t help but think about is how the backlash from this movie will affect the careers of those poor actors who thought this might be a good idea. Both Sofia Carson and KJ Apa has only been in a few smaller roles, with Carson’s main involvement being Disney movies and music. More than likely they’ll both be fine while Michael Bay takes the brunt of the backlash, but we still wish them all the best. It should be interesting to see how it all plays out.
i still hate the entire concept of songbird i cant believe this is gonna be sofias first big movie
— salma (@sohfias) October 28, 2020
But about Songbird… I would have liked her first big movie not to touch such a delicate subject
— S e r e n a (@guessiamaliar) October 28, 2020
What do you think about the timing? Is it in bad taste or should we treat it as any other fictional sci-fi disaster movie?
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