Men: Alex Garland’s Vision of a Modern Ghost Story and Folk Horror

Now listen here, let me tell you about this movie called “Alex Garland: A Ghost Story.” It’s a bit of a tricky one to pin down, but I’ll do my best to explain it. The movie is made by Alex Garland, who’s known for his work on some strange films, like Ex Machina and Annihilation. Those films get you thinkin’ all deep and such, but this one here, “Men,” it’s got a little bit of that spooky, eerie feeling that a ghost story brings.

You might be wonderin’, is it really a ghost story? Well, it sort of is. You got a ghost showin’ up in it, and that’s a big part of the story. But it ain’t all about that ghost. There’s all sorts of things happenin’, like a love story, and a bunch of science-y stuff about time travel and loops, and then you got themes of loneliness and how we all worry about the end of things. It’s like all that makes a big, scary stew, and you just have to take it all in.

The film’s not real clear about what the ghost is up to, but there’s this one moment, toward the end, when the ghost finally gets a hold of his wife’s note. He reads it, and bam! He’s freed from the time loop he’s stuck in, and then he just disappears. Poof. But here’s the thing, they don’t ever tell you what’s on that note. You just gotta wonder for yourself.

Now, about the feel of the film – it’s got that eerie, quiet kind of horror. Not the jump-scare kind, but the kind that creeps up on you. There’s something unsettling about it all, and it makes you think about time, life, and what happens when it all runs out. The ghost, the time loops, they all tie together in a way that makes you feel uneasy, like somethin’ ain’t right but you can’t quite figure out what it is.

The director, Garland, he’s mentioned before how all this folk horror stuff, it owes a lot to “The Wicker Man.” And I reckon he’s right. “The Wicker Man,” that old film with the creepy village and strange rituals, it’s got a similar vibe. Both of these films dig into what’s weird about people, and how things can go wrong when you’re out in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by folks who don’t quite seem right. It’s all connected, this whole idea of isolation, strange customs, and how you can get trapped in a place or a way of thinkin’.

Even though this film is full of questions and doesn’t give ya all the answers, it still sticks with you. The atmosphere, the tension, it’s something you can feel deep down in your bones. It’s the kind of movie where you leave the theater, and you’re still thinkin’ about it, maybe even a little scared. But you gotta respect the way Garland makes you feel, even when you don’t understand every little thing that happens.

So, I reckon if you like them spooky films that make you think more than jump, “Alex Garland: A Ghost Story” might be just what you need. It’s a mix of all sorts of things – time travel, love, ghosts, and the kind of unease that lingers long after the credits roll. It’s a film that doesn’t give you everything on a silver platter, but it sure leaves ya wonderin’ about life, death, and what happens when everything falls apart.

Tags：[Alex Garland, Men, Ghost Story, Folk Horror, Time Loops, Wicker Man, Science Fiction, Love Story, Time Travel, Loneliness, Movie Review]