A terrifying new horror film is being called the ‘b*****d child’ of Hereditary and Get Out, with critics warning viewers to buckle up for a 'challenging' and 'visceral' ride. Watch the trailer here:
Written and directed by Alex Garland, Men follows a woman as she ‘retreats alone’ – always a good start – to the countryside, following the tragic death of her husband.
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A synopsis says: “In the aftermath of a personal tragedy, Harper (Jessie Buckley) retreats alone to the beautiful English countryside, hoping to have found a place to heal. But someone or something from the surrounding woods appears to be stalking her.
“What begins as simmering dread becomes a fully-formed nightmare, inhabited by her darkest memories and fears in visionary filmmaker Alex Garland's (Ex Machina, Annihilation) feverish, shape-shifting new horror film.”
Ahead of its release later this month, critics have shared their initial thoughts on Twitter and in early reviews, with many agreeing that it's far from an easy watch.
Screenwriter, film critic and podcaster C. Robert Cargill tweeted: “Alex Garland's MEN is the bastard child of HEREDITARY and GET OUT. A cerebral, surreal horror allegory with a deeply f**ked up 3rd act that really f**king goes for it. See it with someone and plan for coffee or cocktails to argue about it afterward. I dug the hell out of it.”
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Tasha Robinson from Polygon said: “Alex Garland's MEN is going to be even more of a conversation-starter than ANNIHILATION or EX MACHINA, but I suspect there's going to be much less agreement about what's going on. It's intense, opaque, challenging, and visceral as hell. It'll make people angry, at the very least.”
Critic Kimber Myers also concluded that Men was a 'primal nightmare', writing: "It dwells in the surreal and truly strange, while still reflecting on the everyday traumas that men inflict on women. I cannot get it out of my head."
Film critic Rendy Jones said the movie boasts one of Buckley’s ‘best performances to date’, adding: “Alex Garland’s MEN is good ol’ elevated horror that audiences would expect from him. It’s deranged, uncomfortable, atmospheric, claustrophobic, and features a welcoming sense of humor. If you thought the ending of ANNIHILATION was WTF, the man straight up topped himself.”
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Perri Nemiroff of Collider, meanwhile, tweeted: “Can confirm I've never seen anything quite like Alex Garland's #Men. A deeply enthralling and chilling exploration of grief, guilt and gender dynamics – a bold approach that requires powerhouses like Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear.”
Men is out in cinemas on 20 May.
Topics: TV and Film
Jess Hardiman