Men Review: Alex Garland's Most Ambiguous Horror Is Unsettling & Surreal
Writer-director Alex Garland knows how to get under one’s skin, to provoke a reaction no matter if it’s good, bad, or anywhere in between. Ex Machina was his most straightforward work, but there was still a deep sense of ambiguity. With Annihilation, this ambiguity, as well as an intense sense of dread and unease are all the more present. In Men, Garland’s third feature effort, the horror is more unsettling and shudder-inducing. The film is comfortable in giving some answers while leaving the rest up for analysis. Bolstered by outstanding performances by Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear, Men is sinister, strange and mostly effective in its handling of women's trauma, even when not everything works.
Harper (Buckley) drives to the country for what is meant to be a nice, quiet weekend away from the turmoil and stress of her life. Flashbacks reveal Harper was asking James (Paapa Essiedu) for a divorce, but he was unwilling to let her go. Emotional and, on one occasion physical, abuse were key to James trying to keep Harper in their marriage, and his death still stings despite it not being her fault. At the country house, Harper is greeted by its owner, Geoffrey (Kinnear). Their interactions are harmless and awkward at best, but it’s when Harper goes for a walk through the woods surrounding the house that things get creepy and weird. She is followed by a naked man who then tries to get into the house. Harper is shaken after and things only get worse for her from there.
Related: Alex Garland's New Movie Is Repeating His Best & Most Divisive Trick
Men is the kind of movie that will give one plenty to think about after and it’ll surely be discussed because it’s so intriguing. The combination of body horror and strong central
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