Men (2022) Review: Garland and Gender
After watching Men (2022) last Saturday, I’ve been wrestling with the film. Much like in Alex Garland’s previous films, horror fans expect a polarizing response. Despite the strong visuals, imagery, and themes, the movie feels weaker than Annihilation or Ex Machina regarding its story. Despite this, I’ve had much to chew on as I’ve talked with friends about their responses to it. Men aims to ignite conversations and discussions about gender interactions and misogyny through English folk horror. Even if the pieces do not fully connect, the final part makes the movie worth it.
Following the death of her husband, Harper (Jessie Buckley) decides to visit the rural English country for some peace of mind and escape. Sadly, this quickly escapes after meeting the home’s owner Geoffrey (Rory Kinnear), who quickly oversteps his boundaries and sours the mood by intruding into her personal life. She experiences some solace while hiking in the woods, but it becomes interrupted when she runs into something or someone who takes notice of her and follows her back to the house.
The film is essentially a two-hander due to consisting almost solely of Buckley and Kinnear. Buckley as Harper brings a realistic approach to the character as she deals with her grief and the hostile encounters with the village’s men. More importantly, she exhibits resilience as she will not go down without a fight for survival. Kinnear also deserves massive praise for portraying various characters within the story. Most impressively, they do not come off as one-note impressions but have a more profound quality. His ability to shift between the more everyday misogyny to the threatening during his conversations with Harper stands out more. The two performers work well together and give each relationship a different tone and vibe to help differentiate Kinnear’s characters.
Most impressively lies in Garland’s penchant for imagery and visuals. The pastoral and rural aspect of the English village calls to mind works like The Wicker Man or The Great God Pan, which fits nicely within the movie’s themes. There’s a primal heart within the narrative as he reflects upon the relationship between men and women as if it’s some primordial force. The usage of apples in the garden and the usage of a baptismal font with carved stone faces of Adam and Eve help contribute to it as well. Even the character of The Green Man brings attention to the ancient energy of nature. The highlight lies in the third act, as the film has one of the most frightening and poignant moments I have seen in a while. The film does not spell out easy answers but provides a wide variety of symbols that viewers must discern for themself.
The weak element of the film lies in the script and how I wish there were a bit more backstory for the relationship between Harper and her husband, James (Paapa Essiedu). We’re only shown their relationship at the end of it, and I would have liked to have a bit more context for its deterioration. Also, the usage of men and women as binary forces can be a bit simplistic. Overall, a bit more substance would be beneficial and help push the movie to the next level.
Men aims to ignite conversations and make the audience come to their answers. Allow the green to overpower you and experience the journey that Garland wants to take you on. I enjoyed it, and I know I will be rewatching it when it becomes available for rent.
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My reviews of are Night’s End and Doom Eternal live on Slay Away. I also wrote a piece about Al Ewing’s Guardians of the Galaxy for Comics Bookcase.
I’ll be discussing Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak on Tuesday.
