A24 releases chilling trailer for new horror film Men

A24 has released the trailer and synopsis for Men, their newest horror film. A24 is known for their “elevated horror” releases, such as The Witch, Hereditary and Midsommar, and they also recently released X in theaters.

Before we break down the trailer for Men, let’s take a look at the plot and the players.

Harper has suffered a recent personal tragedy, and travels to the English countryside to vacation in solitude. But she soon suspects she is being hunted by someone (or something) in the woods nearby.

Jessie Buckley plays Harper, and you may have seen her in HBO’s Chernobyl, as Oraetta in Fargo or in 2021’s The Lost Daughter (for which she was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award).

The owner of the vacation home Harper is staying in is portrayed by Rory Kinnear, who has appeared in several James Bond films as Bill Tanner. Horror fans will probably recognize him from Penny Dreadful, in which he gave a masterful performance as Frankenstein’s Monster. Also appearing in Men is Paapa Essiedu, who plays Harper’s ex-husband.

Men is written and directed by Alex Garland, who wrote the screenplay for 28 Days Later, and directed Ex Machina, which he received an Academy Award nomination for.

Now, about that trailer: This looks like it will be one of A24’s artier (and emotional) horror films, which will no doubt make some fans giddy, and leave others cold. The setting is very moody and creepy, and it looks like Harper is actually grieving her husband’s suicide.

It’s very interesting that it appears Rory Kinnear is playing at least two roles, because he is seen as both the homeowner and as the clergyman. And, speaking of the clergyman, there are some religious overtones to the trailer, including the reference to forbidden fruit.

I much prefer this trailer to the one that was played before X (which I saw on opening weekend). That one mainly featured the creepy tunnel scene, and replayed Harper’s echo-y shout over and over again…to the point of being irritating. The brief version in the new trailer is much creepier, more effective, and actually makes me want to see Men when it hits theaters on May 20.

Are you a fan of A24’s films? Tell us which ones are your favorites in the comments section.

Men releases in theaters on May 20.