'Men' Review: Alex Garland's Psychological Thriller Shifts Gears For The Shocking Finale As Jesse Buckley Battles Horror Driven By Prejudice

Arlington TX

31 May, 2022

5:18 PM

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By Joe Friar, Fort Worth Report May 30, 2022 Two decades ago, Alex Garland tested the horror waters by writing the screenplay for Danny Boyle's zombie feature "28 Days Later." He then turned his focus to science fiction making his directorial debut with 2014's "Ex Machina" which was followed by "Annihilation" in 2018. "Men" marks the English writer-director's return to the horror genre with a psychological thriller that pits Jesse Buckley against an assortment of misogynists (all played by Rory Kinnear) while vacationing alone at an Airbnb in a small village not realizing the B's stand for bullying and, thanks to the final act, bonkers. Buckley, one of the most interesting actors working today, spends most of the film reacting to the evil that men do. She plays Harper Marlowe, a widow who witnessed her husband James (Paapa Essiedu) plunge to his death while committing suicide by jumping off the balcony of their London flat. The traumatic event happened in a matter of seconds but in Harper's mind, the scene replays in slow motion with James falling outside the window and glancing in while she looks out. She's left wondering if he saw her before his grisly death. A series of flashbacks show James distraught, vowing to kill himself after discovering Harper wants a divorce. She remains calm while he becomes unstable. We don't need to know the hows and whys, it's evident the marriage is toxic. Then when James knocks Harper to the ground after punching her in the face, the severity of the situation becomes crystal clear. The story shifts from London to a small village where Harper has rented a country home named Cotson Manor. She's looking for a weekend of solitude to clear her head while recovering from the trauma inflicted by James' suicide. Her sister Riley (Gayle Rankin) offered to come along to keep her company, but Harper wanted to be alone, a testament to her strength. To read the full article, click here. Fort Worth Report is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that produces factual, in-depth journalism about city and county government, schools, healthcare, business, and arts and culture in Tarrant County. Always free to read; subscribe to newsletters, read coverage or support our newsroom at fortworthreport.org.