Men (2022)
Alex Garland’s 2022 shocker follows Harper (Jessie Buckley), who escapes to the English countryside after the traumatic death of her husband, only to discover that all men are the same. And they’re all played in various states of undress and grotesquerie by Rory Kinnear.
It’s a visually rich, deeply atmospheric film packed with Green Man imagery, fertility symbols, and that familiar sense of rural unease, but underneath it all, Men is really a study of grief, guilt and misogyny. The performances are excellent throughout, though Garland’s symbolism can feel pretty heavy handed. By the infamous final act you’ll either be completely locked in or totally checked out. There are three of us in FolknHell. I thought the ending ruined an otherwise decent film whereas the other two got a lot more out of it.
A striking psychological horror wrapped in folk horror clothing: unsettling, memorable, and occasionally a little too pleased with its own metaphors.
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