Set in 1973 on an uninhabited island off the Cornish coast, a wildlife volunteer’s daily observations of a rare flower turn into a metaphysical journey that forces her as well as the viewer to question what is real and what is nightmare.
Mark Jenkin
I had completely given up hope that films like this one would ever be made again. This is the kind of storytelling that cinema was created for, as it can take you beyond mere words, and into an experience which you can look at from many angles, and process at your own rate. Unlike a narrative storybook, there are things you can miss if you’re not looking, which makes a 2nd or 3rd viewing sometimes as exciting as the first.
Mark Jenkin takes the capacity of film to its full extent, and has created an immersive experience that brings the silent observer on a journey through an ancient initiatory path the likes of which our ancient Pagan ancestors would have well understood, and practiced deliberately. It is because such a thing befalls main character unexpectedly, that we might call this a horror film. Yet it is not horror; in fact it is a very beautiful journey into another dimension.
The Men in the title refers to the Menhir, or standing stone, which appears throughout the film. This may not be obvious to everyone outside Europe. Aside from that, there are many very clear signs throughout the story that will show you exactly what is happening, and there are also some very nicely obscure Easter eggs for those viewers who are acquainted with mysterious subjects.
Give yourself a treat, and take 90 minutes of relief from the constant narratives your life bombards you with. This film will exercise your perception, and provide an adventure you won’t forget.