In the bold but obscure early Mayday moments of writer/director Karen Sinoret, Anna (Grace Van Patten) tackles the fiercest of storms: a crippling sense of invisibility.
At first, he’s stuck in a dead-end in the bowels of the hotel kitchen, surrounded by arrogant cooks and despised cooks, whose cruelty is always hinted at and sometimes displayed behind refrigerator doors and cool bathrooms.
But you guessed it. It’s even worse at the moment.
A moment when no one is watching. So what can Anna do if she doesn’t dream big? And often in her head, both during the day and in her sleep?
The problem is that these dreams sometimes turn into nightmares for Anna, so realistic that you know it’s only a matter of time before she finds herself in the real world.
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Then comes the terrifying storm in Mayday, a single-purpose but inadequate metaphysical thriller that overstates its feminist intentions as a desperate SOS at every turn. A magical storm immediately paralyzes Anna’s workplace and communicates with Anna via a large kitchen stove.
“Mary-Alpha-Yankee-Delta-Alpha-Mary” is a distant but pleading female voice. That pulls Anna deeper and deeper into the stove as she finds herself under turquoise water near a quiet island.
This is an alternate world for Anna, who seems to have erased most of her memories. And, in return, promises something of a sorority. That looks like an army of soldiers spiritually similar to the sirens in Greek mythology.
This transition to a new dimension is quite confusing, if not disgusting. From the Wizard of the Oz to the Alice in Wonderland and beyond, there are plenty of references. Still, Sinore trusts his familiarity so much that he abandons concepts like the logical construction of the world.
Yes, even in imagination, there must be coherent and consistent logic to throw the viewer into a romantic reality that is barely noticed. If you don’t really ask too many questions and move on. You probably have a fair amount of time in this dimension. But for those who want to join a few songs without receiving a package. “Mayday” becomes a frustrating struggle to stay in power.
If costumes and gadgets give any clue:
Anna’s journey takes her somewhere close to World War II. Amid a group of female warriors on a mission amidst constant war. Including leader Marsha (Mia Goth), a confident cracker.
Whom we meet briefly in Anna’s past like a bitter bride with cold feet on her wedding day. It also includes “Bea” from “Havana Rose Liu” and “Gert” by Stephanie Sokolinski as a pair of soldiers, as well as “June” by Juliet Lewis – another character with multiple roles.
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Gradually the crew trains Anna as a shooter and reveals the true nature of her existence. Simultaneously they pretend to be girls in distress and lure male soldiers into their doom with cries for help. Little do these people know that deadly storms, wrong coordinates, and lousy luck await.
If all this sounds too much – women fight men’s poison at all costs, well, that’s about it. In this case, Mayday’s sophisticated feminism fits less well with the complex and intriguing power of something like “Promising Young Women” and more between works with a touch of “Wonder Woman” and “Assassination Nation.”
Where Sinore deserves credit is how boldly he envisions his visualizations. Mayday’s cinematography is exquisite, and the production set vibrates with lively ingenuity. This aspect proves that Cinorre sees things clearly in his head, even if they don’t always see them. Puts them on a solid cinematic base.
The director is also a master choreographer with beautiful:
But inadequate dance sequences and an underwater ballet showcasing his steaks in visual orchestration, a necessary addition for any aspiring entertainment-focused director on a budget.
But all this means very little here if thematic content isn’t there; when we fail to gain a conscious emotional connection with the rebellious women, we follow other than knowing that they have made love to the patriarch.
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Fortunately, Cinorre’s script frees Anna from a stroke of bad luck she didn’t expect. But despite a strong cast and some impressive photos, Mayday is drowning in her over-the-top ambition.