On Alex Garland’s “Men”

It is not news that Annihilation is my favorite movie. The simultaneous beauty and horror of the movie make my heart flutter. Still, I am not here to talk about Annihilation. I watched Men the other day, and I am torn. Once again, Garland has delivered some deeply disturbing images. Before even connecting the movie to my favorite movie, I said to my spouse: “I haven’t been scared often, but this did it.” The most fearful movie moments, for me, came in the form of the bear-human in Annihilation, the conjoined mother and son in Color Out of Space (highly recommend for psychological terror fans), and most of Event Horizon when I was 17 and had seen far fewer true horrors. The tension of Men is what drives the horror here more than anything. The constant worry for Harper’s (Jessie Buckley) security in her time of emotional vulnerability is very tense. But man, that hand thing really creeps me out, proving once again that Garland knows body horror.

There is so much symbolism both apparent and restrained that pervades this movie that I know I would have to watch it many times and consider each point carefully. I came away from it thinking the point a little belabored. I was also conflicted at this perspective of the dangers of men presented by a cisgender, heterosexual, white-passing male. It didn’t sit well with me to be summarily labeled “feminist” from this identity. Being an intersectional feminist, AND a fan of Alex Garland is a difficult place to be when watching this. Comparing to other modern, mainstream feminine-issue centered films, it is severely lacking.