The folk horror film Men hit theaters on May 20, 2022, and received generally positive reviews from critics. The film was written and directed by Alex Garland and stars Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear. The film follows a woman who takes refuge in the English countryside after a tragic incident. Her retreat however takes a dark turn when she finds herself being stalked by a mysterious presence as memories from her past also haunt her. A review of the film was published in The New York Times where they described the film as “ an uneasy amalgam of horror and allegory, full of creepy, gory effects and literary and mythological allusions, amounts to a sustained and specific indictment of the titular gender.” Wired also wrote a review saying the film “is a horror movie that, in its creator’s words, is about “a sense of horror.” Rather than murders or gore, most of the memorable moments are all-too-familiar mundane scares. Or, at least, familiar to some people.” When you’re done watching Men and you wish to watch similar films with women protagonists, here are five movies we recommend watching falling under the same genre.
The Invisible Man
Like the film Men, the 2020 science fiction horror film The Invisible Man starring Elisabeth Moss centers on a woman who has been through a toxic relationship. The film is written and directed by Leigh Whannel inspired by H. G. Wells’ novel of the same name. It follows a woman who believes she is being stalked by her ex-boyfriend who has found a way to be invisible. The film also stars Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid, Harriet Dyer, and Michael Dorman. The film has received favorable reviews from critics with particular praise for Moss’ performance. In a review by The Guardian, they gave special mention to Moss’ performance in their film review saying, “Moss has played this survivor role before (Top of the Lake, The Handmaid’s Tale), and seems at home here. Crucially, she’s convincing and serious, even when she is essentially in combat with herself in the scenes that pit Cecilia against her invisible ex.”
The Blackcoat’s Daughter
The 2015 Canadian-American supernatural psychological horror film The Blackcoat’s Daughter written and directed by Osgood Perkins shares a similar atmosphere with Men. The film stars Emma Roberts, Kiernan Shipka, Lucy Boynton, Lauren Holly, and James Remar. The plot of the film consists of three timelines centering on three women, Kat and Rose who are stranded at their prep school Bramford during winter break as they experience something sinister, and Joan a young woman who is determined to get to the prep school. The New York Times praised the film in their review and wrote, “Slow and seductive and deliberately vague, this deeply unsettling tale of lost parents and troubled daughters exudes atmosphere while hoarding facts. Yet the movie is so perfectly acted and gorgeously filmed (the cinematographer is Julie Kirkwood) that we don’t mind its coyness; the twanging notes of trepidation make us almost grateful for the leisurely build.”
The Girl on the Train
Like the protagonist of Men, the 2016 American mystery psychological thriller film The Girl on the Train centers on a woman who finds herself caught in a missing person investigation after witnessing something while riding the train. However, what she has seen is questioned by authorities as she has been suffering from alcoholism since her divorce. She decided to start her own investigation of the case but she also begins to doubt her memories in the process Thye film was directed by Tate Taylor from a screenplay by Erin Cressida Wilson and based on Paula Hawkins’ debut novel of the same name. The film stars Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson, Haley Bennett, Justin Theroux, Luke Evans, Allison Janney, Édgar Ramírez, and Lisa Kudrow. The film received mixed reviews, but particular praise for Blunt’s performance earning her several nominations including Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role at the 23rd Screen Actors Guild Awards and the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 70th British Academy Film Awards. In a review published by Variety, they gave special mention of Blunt’s breakthrough performance saying, “Blunt, who plays half her scenes looking like she’s holding back tears (or maybe screams), is a luminous actress who’s been in need of a role that allows her to get past her slight decorousness, and this is that role.”
Unsane
Similar to Men, the 2018 American psychological horror film Unsane also follows a woman who believes she is being stalked despite relocating. It centers on her confinement at a mental institution after she unknowingly signs voluntary confinement. During her stay, she believes her stalker continues to pursue her and her sanity is tested. The film was directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Jonathan Bernstein and James Greer. The film stars Claire Foy, Joshua Leonard, Jay Pharoah, Matt Damon, Juno Temple, Aimee Mullins, and Amy Irving. In a review by Empire, they described Unsane as “A raw, lean and abrasively effective thriller from Steven Soderbergh, which features Claire Foy as we’ve never seen her before.”
Impetigore
The film Men shares a similar eerie feel with the 2019 Indonesian horror film Impetigore, written and directed by Joko Anwar. The film stars Tara Basro, Marissa Anita, Christine Hakim, Asmara Abigail, and Ario Bayu. The plot centers on Maya who travels to her ancestral village after inheriting a house. Her visit takes a very dark turn when she uncovers something about her past and her community. The film received relatively positive reviews from critics with particular praise for its cinematography. It also earned several accolades at the 40th Citra Awards in Indonesia and received 17 nominations winning 6, including Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Director for Anwar, and Best Supporting Actress for Christine Hakim. Variety published a review of the film and wrote, “it’s creepy eye-candy, with a sumptuous yet ominous look to DP Ical Tanjung’s widescreen compositions and Frans Xr Paat’s production design (especially for the neglected house, which has semi-reverted to jungle). The original score and sound design are equally flavorful.”Emily Blunt
Follow Us
