Why some men are boycotting Mad Max: Fury Road
Furiosa (Charlize Theron) and 'The Wives' are the real protagonists of the action film.
It may be topping box offices worldwide, but there’s a small section of society who aren’t happy about the new Mad Max: Fury Road flick.
• Mad Max: Fury Road is the best Aussie movie ever
Anti-women’s rights groups (yes, they exist) are up in arms over the film’s apparent focus on its female characters.
Men’s rights blog Return of Kings has called on its readers to boycott the movie in retaliation.
“This is the Trojan Horse feminists and Hollywood leftists will use to (vainly) insist on the trope women are equal to men in all things,” writer Aaron Clarey declared on the site.
“Do yourself and all men across the world a favor. Not only REFUSE to see the movie, but spread the word to as many men as possible.
“Because if they sheepishly attend and Fury Road is a blockbuster, then you, me, and all the other men (and real women) in the world will never be able to see a real action movie ever again that doesn’t contain some damn political lecture or moray about feminism, SJW-ing, and socialism.”
Clarey’s piece has received a litany of supportive comments, joking that the film should be called “Mad Maxipad” and arguing that women wouldn’t really be able to survive in a post-apocalyptic world.
Furiosa (Charlize Theron) and ‘The Wives’ are the real protagonists of the action film.
Director George Miller, who is yet to respond to the boycott, has been open about the movie’s feminist agenda.
Agreeing with lead actress Charlize Theron’s claim it is an “incredibly feminist action film”, Miller said he didn’t initially intend for this to be the case.
“Initially there was never a feminist agenda,’ Miller said at a press conference for the movie.
“The Five Wives needed a warrior and it couldn’t be a man taking (rescuing) five wives from another man – that’s an entirely different story so there was (Theron’s character) Furiosa and everything grew out of that.”
Miller had Vagina Monologues writer Eve Ensler consult on the film in order to provide insight on how women react to trauma.
Understandably, women’s advocates have taken umbrage at the anti-Max movement, prompting Clarey to take to YouTube to defend himself.
“No, I don’t hate women,” Clarey said.
“I suggest for those of you whomare all pissed off at me … you actually read the f***ing article.
“All I’m saying is there is a group of people who are sick and tired of the prophesying, they’re sick of the lecturing, they just want to see a guy flick!”