Dir. Alex Garland | Now Streaming On: Hulu | Rating: 3/5

Let’s talk about folk horror, defined as a subgenre focusing on isolation, rural landscapes, and belief. Though the term dates back to the 70s, folk horror has become a buzzy topic after the commercial success of Midsommar in 2019. Men follows in its A24 predecessor’s footsteps by putting the female experience at the front of story and flaying it open for the whole audience to see. ⁠
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The interactions between Harper and the various men in this story speak to the elements of what the reality of being a woman is like. Harper’s grieving process is constantly being redirected by the male gaze. She is gaslit, spoken down to, ignored, and sexualized. Using the term “men” to refer to the ancient supernatural entity at play, is an interesting commentary in itself, drawing connections to the longstanding misogyny of society. Other reviewers have shared that this feels disingenuous coming from a male director, in a way that feels pandering, which is a valid lens to examine this. ⁠
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When I left the theater, I didn’t think I was going to give Men such a high rating. Like most A24 films, the storyline goes off the rails in its last act. The body horror elements featured are visceral and grotesque, while constantly playing with the idea of the gender binary. Now a week later, I found so much of this film sticking with me. It is beautifully shot, solidly acted, and tells a story we haven’t heard before. As a person, I really related to Harper’s story and that could be why I enjoyed this tortured version of a revenge plot so much. ⁠
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Folk horror has a reputation of feeling too high brow and obscure for most audiences to enjoy. I still haven’t made my final call on whether or not I enjoy this subgenre. If you’re into arthouse and want to give folk horror a try, I think Men is an excellent place to start. Maybe not the strongest or critically acclaimed of the A24 resume, but worth at least one watch. ⁠
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Know Before You Watch: Features extreme body horror, death, discussions of suicide, domestic violence. ⁠

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