A horror movie so ‘disturbing’ that viewers walked out of theaters is now available for streaming.
The past few years have been monumental for the horror genre, with several films earning high ratings on Rotten Tomatoes.
One such film was Terrifier 2 (2022), which went viral, earned an impressive 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, and reportedly caused audiences to vomit and faint during screenings.
Now, another film is causing similar extreme reactions among its viewers.
Debuting in theaters in May 2022, the movie has received positive reviews from critics while leaving viewers feeling genuinely ‘traumatized.’
Many who saw it in theaters reported that it was so unsettling, that several people couldn’t make it through and had to walk out.
One viewer commented, “On my life, I have never seen multiple people walk out of a theatre before. If I had the opportunity to capture my face in the last act, I would because I have no words to describe it.”
“Almost threw up during the final scenes but wow,” a second shares.
Another reveals they ‘had to leave halfway through.’
A horror fan wrote, “Hands down the scariest thing I’ve ever sat through. I’m scared I’ll have permanent psychological damage after it lol.”
Someone else described it as ‘the most disturbing thing I’ve watched/experienced in a long while.’
Another viewer simply said they’d ‘never sleep again’ after seeing the movie.
The highly anticipated horror film stars Jessie Buckley, known for her role in Judy, and Rory Kinnear, from No Time To Die.
Written and directed by Alex Garland, the filmmaker behind Ex Machina and Annihilation, the movie features an impressive cast and crew, both on and off the screen.
The film is produced by A24, the same studio responsible for critically acclaimed horror hits like Midsommar, Hereditary, Tusk, and The Lighthouse.
In the U.S. and Canada, the movie grossed $7.6 million, with an additional $3.6 million internationally, bringing its worldwide total to an impressive $11.2 million, according to Box Office Mojo.
In an interview with the British Film Institute, Garland described the film as a “folk horror movie” influenced by Robin Hardy’s 1973 classic The Wicker Man.
Not only horror fans have been praising the movie since its release.
Critics as well have been praising the movie.
David Rooney from The Hollywood Reporter called it “riveting,” “menacing,” and “an unconventional genre standout.”
Michael O’Sullivan of The Washington Post described it as “a visually gorgeous, heady, deeply unsettling horror film,” while YouTube reviewer Zach Pope said it’s an “immersive, disturbing, eerie, and incredibly off-putting film that will disturb you all the way up till it’s jaw-dropping finale. It’s vividly layered from its writing to its direction. I’m shocked.”
Jonathan Rosenbaum of The La International Cinéfila Poll even placed it on his “Best Films of 2022” list.
Lead actress Jessie Buckley, in an interview with The Independent, shared her thoughts on the film’s polarizing reactions: “I like the extremes of opinion it’s going to instill in people. At a screening of the film the night before, I noticed nervous laughter at scenes that I found more disturbing than funny.”
“I think different responses depend a lot on what people bring to the film, and how open they are to a film like this. You need to allow it to ruminate and sit with you.”
The movie centers around a woman who retreats to the countryside after the tragic loss of her husband.
However, almost immediately upon her arrival, things start to feel off.
The landlord of her rental, the local vicar, police officers, and even strangers she encounters—all portrayed by Rory Kinnear—exude a disturbing and eerie presence.
A24 describes the film: “What begins as simmering dread becomes a fully-formed nightmare, inhabited by her darkest memories and fears in visionary filmmaker Alex Garland’s […] feverish, shape-shifting new horror film.”
Men is now available for streaming on Amazon Prime.
