SummarySet in 1973 on an uninhabited island off the Cornish coast, a wildlife volunteer's daily observations of a rare flower turn into a metaphysical journey that forces her as well as the viewer to question what is real and what is nightmare.
Directed By:Mark Jenkin
Written By:Mark Jenkin
Enys Men
Metascore
Generally Favorable
78
User score
Mixed or Average
5.6
My Score
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Metascore
Generally Favorable
89% Positive
25 Reviews
25 Reviews
11% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Apr 1, 2023
100
It’s open enough to be perceived as a character study, a horror story, or something different altogether. But what is indisputable is the movie’s excellent use of wide shots and close-ups, the gorgeous production design and cinematography, and Woodvine’s quiet but compelling performance.
May 25, 2022
91
The witchy atmosphere Jenkin conjures is spine-tinglingly devilish, the poetic manifestation of the subject’s deep grief, ever-ambiguous and frosty, taking on the aching melancholy of loss.
Mar 30, 2023
80
Nature nurtured into an eerie consciousness by a celluloid craftsman, it feels like a throwback to “Wicker Man”-era folk-tinged freakouts — confounding enough to not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those ready for a pot of its brew, plenty transporting and tingling.
Jan 12, 2023
80
Mesmerising and mystifying, in equal measure. Enys Men confirms Mark Jenkin as one of the most exciting, original cinematic voices in the UK right now.
May 25, 2023
75
I’m sure there’s a definitive explanation, but Enys Men strikes me as a puzzle that’s more enthralled with its individual pieces than any picture they might complete.
Apr 4, 2023
63
It’s a fever dream in which the past and present are confused, along with plant and animal, the living and the dead, and, ultimately, the meaning of this troubled vision.
May 27, 2022
50
Visually and sonically, Enys Men is utterly intoxicating, but a lack of any nourishing interplay between form and content makes it feel like getting drunk on an empty stomach, alone on an island where everything happens at the same time, and nothing really happens at all.
User score
Mixed or Average
36% Positive
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
50% Mixed
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
14% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
Apr 26, 2023
5
I had heard about this movie but didn't know what to expect. I hadn't even seen a trailer of it, so I watched it without really knowing anything.
I was in for an awkward surprise. The most current example I can compare it to would be Skinamarink, which had horror roots, while Enys Men is more of an exploration of folklore that has a certain creepy aura to it but is mostly an exercise in confusion and ultimately boredom. I'd recommend it based on whether you like experimental films, otherwise look for something else.
Production Company:
- Bosena
- Film4
- Sound/Image Cinema Lab
Release Date:Mar 31, 2023
Duration:1 h 31 m
Awards
The Guardian's Best Films
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
British Independent Film Awards
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
BFI London Film Festival
• 1 Nomination
