I recently watched this movie, and I absolutely freaking LOVED it--despite it leaving me with a serious WTF moment at the end. I had to pause, stare at a wall, get wine while muttering over and over, "WTF am I watching?!", and with the grande finale, I ended up chugging my wine and having to 'sit with my confusion' in silence for 30 minutes. I spent the July 4th holiday indoors on my couch being a pajama clad potato catching up on my favorite genre: Horror. "Men", and A24 production directed by Alex Garland, is one of the most unique horror films I have seen in some time, with stunning cinematography, music, and acting that contribute to its absurdist, surreal atmosphere. The film is rich with symbolism and folklore, offering plenty to think about as you try to discern the layered underlying themes within. Despite some criticisms of the final scene (I will not spoil it for you), I found it mind-melting--it was not gratuitous but horrific and shocking in an engaging way and left me psychically gobsmacked. Overall, "Men", isn't scary but rather fascinating in its disturbingly beautiful and haunting imagery. The film pushes boundaries that many others shy away from, and I applaud it for that.
Critics and consumers have often labeled the film as pretentious or purely for shock value, arguing that it overwhelms viewers with its themes. While I understand these points, I wholly disagree. The film strikes a balance between clarity and absurdism that was never off putting. Part of its value lies in its ability to provoke strong emotions, and in that regard, it aggressively succeeds.
Some have interpreted the film as "misandrist". Again I fully disagree. This is my first viewing of the film and I do plan to rewatch it after about six months for deeper understanding, but I didn’t see the film as misandrist or as suggesting that all men are evil. This misunderstanding is common with feminist critiques--especially in the era of "Men Are Trash" and now the "Man vs Bear" thought experiment that has caused an online firestorm. Instead, the film critiques the patriarchy—the ingrained behaviors and traditions in male-female relationships, the various forms of abuse men can inflict on women, and society’s (and men's) complicity in perpetuating these acts. It also explores trauma and how it shapes a woman’s interactions with men beyond her the relationship with an abusive partner.
The men with the same face symbolize different aspects of James' abusive tactics throughout his relationship with Harper:
The Priest: Represents false compassion and religious justifications for abusive behavior, blaming Harper for the abuse instead of holding himself accountable.
The Child: Symbolizes immaturity and the trivialization of his abuse, presenting it as a game or joke rather than acknowledging its seriousness.
The Policeman: Embodies authority and the belief that he only can judge what is harmless, excusing dangerous behaviors as minor incidents.
The Landlord/Geoffrey: Portrays a seemingly kind and protective side that becomes manipulative, using Harper’s mistakes to justify further abuse.
These representations culminate in the final scene, which depicts the layers of James' abuse. Harper’s reaction rapidly evolves from shock and horror to boredom, indicating her numbness to his repeated actions. By the end, she no longer takes him seriously when he professes love and claims his actions were driven by loneliness.
Harper’s trauma skews her perception of James, seeing him through the lens of his worst actions, which extends to her wariness of men in general. This dynamic reflects the broader fear and caution women often feel due to the higher incidence of male-perpetrated violence, shaped by patriarchal norms and dismissed by the same. It’s not about demonizing men but highlighting the defensive behaviors women adopt for their safety and how such behavior can then affect their future interactions with men at large. Hence the "sameness" of all the men yet them being different members of the community where Harper found herself.
I also think that there was no "friend" that Harper was speaking to on the phone. I think the friend represented Harper's inner voice. The voice that spoke her true feelings and desires. Notice how her friend was able to see the hatchet despite the phone's camera not pointing toward it..
I won't continue to spoil it for anyone interested in watching this gem. Check it out and let me know your thoughts during the next time we meet. 😘