It's proven divisive, but is Men actually any good? Well, we think so...
Director: Alex Garland
Starring: Jessie Buckley, Rory Kinnear, Paapa Essiedu
Running time: 100 minutes
When Jessie Buckley’s Harper books one of the fanciest Airbnbs on the market, taking a trip to a quiet countryside village to try and process the death of her husband (played by the excellent Paapa Essiedu), things instantly start to get creepy. Naked men in tunnels chase her down, unnerving vicars get a little too close for comfort, and bratty kids hurl abuse her way when she declines a game of hide and seek. And the real kicker? They all look an awful lot like Rory Kinnear.
In Men, the much talked-about latest release from A24, director Alex Garland uses this bizarre concept and broad range of characters to tackle toxic masculinity in real depth. There is the intrusive, boundary-breaking terror of stalking in the form of the aforementioned naked man, who follows Harper around menacingly (to say the least). There is the rage-inducing disrespect of gaslighting from the sinister vicar, who tries to twist her story into one of guilt and shame. And there is the mental and physical control that underpins domestic abuse from Harper’s husband who, in flashback scenes, epitomises the evil edge often created by fragile masculinity.
As you’d expect from the brains behind Ex Machina, Annihilation and Devs, this is all explored in particularly strange, twisted ways. From the very first scene, as Harper drives into the disconcerting isolation of this secluded village, there is an almost unbearable sense of tension - one only heightened when she goes for a walk in the woods alone. After this, one unsettling scenario follows another, slowly building towards one of the most memorably mad climaxes in cinematic history.
Against all odds, this movie never feels gimmicky or superficial, and this is largely down to Kinnear's ability to create distinguished characters with only a short amount of screentime
Despite a lack of urgency in terms of pacing, Garland barely wastes a frame, deploying shady figures in the background of shots and dropping layered lines of dialogue to create an atmosphere of unease and vulnerability. At no point does this weird community feel welcoming or compassionate, and at no stage does Harper feel safe in these surroundings.
This underlying anxiety is only intensified by the magnificent work of composers Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury who, along with the sound team, raise heart rates at every given opportunity. The operatic score is almost overwhelming in its intensity, and there is one particular tune that repeats periodically throughout, underscoring the film’s most painstakingly nerve-inducing moments.
Credit should also be given to stars Buckley and Kinnear, who fully commit to Garland’s vision. The latter is asked to do a significant amount of, for want of a better word, batshit stuff here, the kind of set pieces that would be out of many actors’ comfort zones - yet Kinnear is remarkably effective throughout. Against all odds, this movie never feels gimmicky or superficial, and this is largely down to the Londoner’s ability to create distinguished characters with only a short amount of screentime. And Buckley continues to prove herself as one of the most engaging performers in Hollywood right now, bringing a real power to her portrayals every time she takes on a new challenge.
Garland has already established himself as an audacious filmmaker with his previous releases, and Men helps to take things to an entirely new level
As effective as the film is, though, it certainly won’t be for everyone. Some scenes are truly distressing, bordering on excessive in their extremity and feeling unnecessary in their use at times. And Men doesn’t completely steer clear of the cliches that hold back so many horror films, with our protagonist making utterly strange decisions solely to drive the plot forward, and often reacting - or, rather not reacting - to certain developments in a way that feels almost jolting in its implausibility.
That said, these are rather minor points, and barely detract from the effectiveness of this bold, singular and downright disturbing movie. Garland has already established himself as an audacious filmmaker with his previous releases, and Men helps to take things to an entirely new level. We can’t wait to see what he does next.
Did you know? The movie contains a 17 minute sequence (almost 20% of its total running time) where there is no dialogue, short of Harper gently muttering the F-word twice to herself on two separate occasions.
Men is now showing in cinemas
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