Filmmaker Alex Garland tackles toxic masculinity in the official trailer for his new film “Men,” which offers a terrifying vision of the world through the eyes of a woman played by Jessie Buckley.
The aptly named original film hails from the “Ex Machina” and “Annihilation” filmmaker and follows a woman named Harper (Buckley) who retreats to the beautiful English countryside, hoping to have found a place to heal. But, as the synopsis reads, “someone or something from the surrounding woods appears to be stalking her” and her idyllic journey soon turns into a full-on nightmare.
Following a tantalizing first teaser, the full trailer for the A24 film reveals a stroke of brilliance on Garland’s part: he’s cast actor Rory Kinnear (“Skyfall”) as every male character we see, each of which poses a new and gross threat to Harper as she works through her loss. Quite literally, the trailer appears to be saying, “Yes All Men.”
Buckley is coming off an Oscar nomination for her supporting performance in “The Lost Daughter” and a standout role in the HBO series “Chernobyl.” Kinnear, meanwhile, most recently reprised his role in the Bond sequel “No Time to Die” but is also known for his work on the stage. Garland, meanwhile, most recently wrote and directed the FX limited series “Devs.”
Given the haunting nature of Garland’s previous films, “Men” promises to be a must-see when it opens exclusively in theaters on May 20. Watch the trailer above and check out the nightmarish poster for the film below.
