About the film (courtesy of A24):
In the aftermath of a personal tragedy, Harper (Jessie Buckley) retreats alone to the beautiful English countryside, hoping to have found a place to heal. But someone or something from the surrounding woods appears to be stalking her. What begins as simmering dread becomes a fully-formed nightmare, inhabited by her darkest memories and fears in visionary filmmaker Alex Garland’s (Ex Machina, Annihilation) feverish, shape-shifting new horror film.
I’ll tell you this right from the start, Men will not be for everyone, and that may be its largest appeal. Writer/director Alex Garland has already shown that he isn’t afraid to take risks in going against “the norm” in order to tell the story that HE wants to tell. His debut film, Ex Machina (2014) starring Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac and Alicia Vikander, was understated, yet compelling enough to garner praise from both fans and critics alike.
Annihilation (2018), featuring Natalie Portman and a host of other talented actors, saw a slightly wider gap of positivity between fans and critics, but also achieved an overall positive reception. Both of these films can be described as atypical, which kept viewers on their toes since there was no telling what was to come next. The thing that has become very evident with an Alex Garland film is that you never know where his storytelling is going to lead you, just sit back and enjoy the ride while trying (mostly in vain) to take everything in all at once.
Men travels along the same path as Alex Garland’s first two films in terms of not being another “me too” of the film industry’s standard formula for film success. The marriage between A24 and Garland’s unique vision is a definite match to what the studio has been known for releasing in the past several years. This latest entry is definitely thought-provoking and will stay with you long after the final credits roll.
Jessie Buckley does a masterful job in displaying different emotional levels of her character as this complex and confusing, at times, plot untangles itself. She is both vulnerable and fierce in various situations throughout. Alex Garland creates an ideal setting for everything to play out and gives audiences just enough bits and pieces of Buckley’s character to keep you engaged, but also very much in the dark. Rory Kinnear also goes all-in with his performance from start to finish. Garland got exactly what he needed from all of his characters to effectively tell this story of suffering, recovery, understanding and acceptance.
There are many conversations to be had once you’ve watched this film and even more so once you’ve had time to process things further while reaching a different level of comprehension. I, myself, felt very different from the time I watched it, to the discussions I had following and even several days later. My appreciation has grown over time.
Men is a psychological thriller that will put your nerves through the ringer, especially as the conclusion nears. And know that you’re definitely not alone if in your mind you think, “WTF?!” a time, or two, five when things take a hard left turn. While not for everyone, you can see Men in only in theaters Friday, May 20th with early showings Thursday evening.
