When writer/director Alex Garland teases top secret concepts like his latest film Men, you know that something sinister is just waiting in the wings. A recent teaser for the Jessie Buckley-led project put us all on edge with the simple, yet threatening tone set by its content. Now a new, fuller trailer has been released, with more information on who exactly No Time To Die star Rory Kinnear is playing in this hallucinatory nightmare of sights, sounds, and purposefully unnatural CGI. Yes, you read that right; and quite frankly, there’s several reasons that I can’t wait to indulge in the total madness that this upcoming horror movie looks to be selling.
Of course, to really understand what Men is bringing to the table, you need to see the trailer. I played my enthusiasm for this fresh look from A24 close to the chest, because there’s one very specific reason this movie is labeled as “total madness.” That said, watch the trailer below, and let the craziness overtake you:
Now that you’ve experienced the world of Men, let’s freak out about what we just saw. However, it’s a good sort of freak out, as Alex Garland’s return to cinematic oddities absolutely has me ready to dive headlong into this latest nightmare.
Men Has A Simple Premise, And It’s Full Of Rory Kinnears
Let’s address the Rory Kinnear in the room, or rather the Kinnears that are in every room. The Alex Garland style twist offered in Men is that apparently our protagonist Harper (Academy Award nominee Jessie Buckley) is surrounded by an entire village of men. In slow, deliberate fashion, everyone is revealed to be played by that face you’ve come to trust in the Daniel Craig era of James Bond movies. Only this time, that trust is way out the window, as no matter where you look, the inescapable nature of his visage really starts to sow the seeds of distrust.
Introspective, Visually Stunning Nightmares Are Alex Garland’s Canvas
Alex Garland’s big screen follow-up to his adaptation of Annihilation is as nuts as you’d expect. As Harper is dealing with the suicidal death of her husband (Paapa Essiedu,) she hopes to find peace in Men’s quiet little village. If the town full of Rory Kinnears embodying various degrees of menace wasn’t unsettling enough, the local priest seems to insinuate that Jessie Buckley’s character may have driven her husband to his death. Combining intense introspection with visuals that drive the nightmare home, that old Garland magic is back in maddeningly exciting form.
A24 Has Been On A Roll With Its Most Recent Movies
I’m a movie fan that has been a bit critical of A24 at times, but their current output is shaping up to be quite an impressive run. Already the studio has released Ti West’s deliriously fun, but surprisingly tender X, which has left me even more amped for that movie’s prequel, Pearl. On top of that, the upcoming release of Everything Everywhere All at Once looks like its own special brand of Michelle Yeoh fueled mind bending; which is also a concept I feel quite fond of. Adding Men to the catalog of delights this indie darling is looking to expose the world to just makes the pot all the sweeter in the world of this studio’s portfolio.
I Need To Know What Men’s Explanation Behind This Wild Nightmare
At the heart of any Alex Garland concept is the method to its madness. Whether it’s more overt with the twist towards the end of 28 Days Later, or a bit more abstract like Annihilation’s final act odyssey, the why is usually as intriguing as the what. That track record has made me more intent than ever to see Men, because I need to know why this sleepy village is now playing a game of “Oops, All Rory Kinnears!”
If I was going to distill everything I’ve highlighted above into one statement, I think it might read as follows: Men looks absolutely batshit. Coming from a master of such peculiarity like Alex Garland, that statement is far from an insult, but rather a declaration of excitement. I’d be glad to never lay eyes on a new ad for this film again, just so I can be thrown for as many loops as possible upon seeing it for the first time.
Naturally this won’t be a movie that I, or most other film lovers will see only once. Diving into something like Men takes time and analysis to really dig into; especially when that initial viewing is going to be the trippiest of the lot. We’ll see why Rory Kinnear is terrorizing Jessie Buckley when Men opens on May 20th, which also happens to be the day Downton Abbey: A New Era starts its US theatrical run. That’s a prime example of counter programming in the world of 2022 movie releases, though if you start seeing any stray Rorys in that film, please contact a medical professional at once.
