Write a commentTo clear up any confusion, "Enys Men" is a Cornish film. "Men" in the title is pronouced as "main". Had to create a pun out of something.
Think of your favorite movie. What is it? Don't tell me! Just think about it. Got it? Keep it in mind.
Why is it your favorite movie? Is it because of who wrote or directed it? Who starred in it? Maybe. I can see that being the case for some people. More likely than not, however, the memory of your favorite movie and why it's your favorite movie probably revolves around your memories attached to it. Who you watched it with, who you sought out to show it to. The shared experience of watching it with someone you care about.
Beyond the viewing of these films being purely who you watched it with, sometimes the films themselves are experiences on their own. Films that defy definition and, well, explanation. The type of thing you tell people about but when they ask about them, you helplessly shrug. Think David Lynch.
"Enys Men" defies explanation in the best way possible. The plot is threadbare: a wildlife volunteer works on a seemingly uninhabited island off the British coast, beginning her slow descent into a living nightmare. Or is she?
This is a film that demands your attention, especially to seemingly mundane details. A real issue with how I view films, especially the first couple of times, is I typically just let them wash over me. I try not to guess where something is going or highlight things. This allows whatever surprises the film has to actually work, if done properly.
"Enys Men" creeps under your skin. The characters speak very rarely (if at all) and nothing really is explained. This will be an incredibly frustrating experience for most, but equally rewarding for those patient enough. One of the most interesting aspects of the film is the fact that no two people will see the same film.
Shot on 16mm and on location, the film looks gorgeous. The sparse nature of the production works to the themes of isolation. While the main character interacts with at least two other people, we're never sure if they're figments of her imagination or her own memory playing out in front of her. It's really up to your own interpretation. I think if there was a solid meaning for any of what is shown in the film, it would make the film fall apart entirely. It is supposed to play on your emotions and anxiety. Logic, in my experience, is not the kryptonite to anxiety.
The power of this film comes in the implication of what's yet to come. What could happen. What we get is a beautiful waking nightmare that doesn't need logic to enthrall or terrify. The unknown is always scarier.
I work in a building when no one else should be around. The important words of that sentence are "should" and "be". I will often find myself, engrossed in my work with whatever true crime podcast I'm neckdeep into playing through my earphones. I try to stave off my anxiety by trying to explain it away: "It's just a crack. A pop. That's the furnace whirring from the basement. Something."
That's logic.
Anxiety tells me that some serial killer is out to get me. A ghost. A monster.
Maybe the building I work in is my own island where things happen that cannot be fully explained...
I gotta lay off the horror movies.
Enys Men (2022)
Directed by Mark Jenkin
Cast: Mary Woodvine, Edward Rowe, Flo Crowe, John Woodvine
Runtime: 91 minutes
MPAA Rating: Not rated
Rating (out of ****): ****
"Enys Men" can be found on Hulu with a subscription and can be rented or purchased on all major platforms.
