A Review of Alex Garland’s Men
Countless promising films plummet into the abyss of over-conceptualisation each year. With great stories swamped by concept and great concepts lost in the noise of plot, finding that sweet spot proves to be no easy task. However, Alex Garland seems to have effortlessly stumbled across it in his latest ‘folk’ horror, Men.
When recently bereaved Harper (Jessie Buckley) embarks on a healing retreat to a picturesque cottage in the English countryside, she finds that her demons have followed her there. These demons take the form of brilliant Rory Kinnear who plays Geoffrey, the homeowner, and as soon eerily becomes apparent, 90 percent of the entire male cast.
Garland gives toxic masculinity arms, legs and a face in this cinematic masterpiece, lending a whole new meaning to ‘all men are bad’. From the misogynistic village vicar to the naked stalker to the dismissive police officer, the entire male sex seems pitted against our protagonist, a sentiment shared by many women at some point in their lives.
The film ends in a grotesque showdown where Harper must confront the reality that it is not just her husband who has died, but her abuser, and that is someone who’s grip does not loosen in death.
Men is a must see for symbolism-analysers and jump-scare lovers alike. For all, this refreshing blend of traditional body horror and conceptual art is sure to leave the mind racing well beyond the credits.
Men | Official Trailer HD | A24
