‘Men’ is a folk horror film that follows Harper shortly after the death of her husband James, as she seeks peace and quiet in a remote country manor after the tragedy that has befallen her, only to be disturbed by the men in the small, rural community.
Harper arrives at the manor in Cotson, where she is shown around by Geoffrey, the owner from whom she will be renting the house for a few weeks. After settling in, Harper goes on a walk to the nearby abandoned railway tracks, enjoying the forest and peace. Soon after, she is followed by a man, scaring her to make way back to the house, only to be frightened off from another nearby property as she spots a naked man.
Interspersed with Harper arriving and settling in the house are flashbacks of her arguing with her husband, following which James strikes her. Disregarding his previous threats to kill himself, Harper forces him out of their apartment, after which he finds his way through the upstairs neighbours flat in order to drop down on their balcony. Subsequently James falls as Harper watches him go down and fall to his death.
One morning Harper is video chatting with her friend Riley, and shows her around the house, and notices the naked man standing in her yard. After calling the police, he is apprehended, and Harper goes to explore the nearby church, where a young boy swears at her after she refuses to hide and go seek with him. There, she grieves what had happened to her husband and is spoken to by the local vicar. Ultimately the vicar asks if Harper gave James the chance to apologise, angering her. Soon after, Harper reaches the local pub, where she is informed by one of the arresting officers that they had let the naked man go.
Enraged and frightened, Harper head back to the manor, only to see the police officer in her yard. As the motion-sensor lights flicker, the officer disappears and another man gives chase to Harper, forcing her into the house. Scared, she is met by Geoffrey who had come to investigate the screaming he heard. Together the two go outside to see if there is anyone nearby. Geoffrey disappears and in his stead is the naked man. Harper retreats to the house, only for the naked man to go after her, grabbing her hand through the mail slot in the door. Harper stabs him with a kitchen knife, with the man slicing his hand in two as he tries to get free. Thereafter, Harper is tormented by the different men throughout the house until she tries to escape in her car, only to be forced out by Geoffrey. She runs back to the house where the naked man confronts her once more and as she slowly backs away, as he gives birth to the young boy from the church, who then gives birth to the vicar, who in turn births Geoffrey until he gives birth to James.
Harper and James sit down to reminisce, with Harper asking him what he wants from her. James says he wants her love, with Harper seemingly rejecting his pleas. In the morning, Riley arrives at the house and finds Harper sitting in the yard.
‘Men’ is an atmospheric horror film that forms part of the new age of horror cinema, relying on a core thesis and heavy use of visual cues to discuss a pertinent cultural issue. With little to no jump scares or any horror cliches, the film is a breath of fresh air in terms of following a story that has an ominous clout of unease throughout, perpetuating a mounting sense of tension that is ultimately resolved through an almost Cronenbergian climax where the visual embodies the core idea of the film, namely the continuous rebirth of male insecurity and manipulative tendencies towards women.
Horror has often been an effective genre through which important and subversive subjects can be explored and examined. ‘Men’ does not try to be subtle in its approach to providing the perspective of the tormented half of the population, relentlessly hammering home the message that our heroine is always on guard, because she has to be.
The film makes great use of its talented cast, at the forefront of which is Jessie Buckley as Harper. Portraying a resilient yet hurt woman, Buckley delivers a powerhouse performance as she wades through the sea of men that she comes across, tolerating the uninvited advances and enduring the force that the try to exert over her. Buckley manages to convey the frustration with which she and most women have to live with on a daily basis without coming across as a martyr, rather proving the inner strength that she possesses and is able to use to finally break free of her abusive relationship.
Opposite Buckley is Rory Kinnear who primarily portrays Geoffrey, but also serves as the other ‘men’ in the village. Through creative costume changes and CGI, Kinnear is able to deliver a host of different, yet fundamentally like-minded characters that torment Harper. With little ambiguity, the film pushes Kinnear and his characters to serve as a reminder of the film’s underlying horror – that all men are alike, and they all strive towards the same goal. It may be through different tactics, but ultimately they selfishly pursue being loved unquestionably, manipulating and trying to cage the women they set their eyes on.
‘Men’ feels very much like a one way street, driving home the ‘Men = Bad’ message. The film delivers this message with little ambiguity, which may seem redundant or even insulting, assuming that the stronger sex is driven by a sole, selfish goal which they are striving towards with violent means. Even though the film is dead set on presenting a singular viewpoint, it serves the film well in presenting the direct impact that that kind of manipulation and violence can have. Through abstract visuals and curious twists, ‘Men’ is a film to be enjoyed, as it sparks discussion about the type of relationship men want of women and the subservient nature of which must be extinguished.
Score: 4/4
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