Enys Men is non-narrative expressionism. More mood than story, its mysterious plot blurs into an experimental assembly of free-association audiovisuals, creating abstract metaphors. Still, it portrays a woman stuck in a remote environment and distorted reality. Themes include local folklore, relationships between person and place, infectious loneliness, trauma, geography, and sanity's haunting fragility. The surrealism evokes meta feelings of isolation, disorientation, and decay. While the acting has little dialogue, vivid facial and physical expressions range from disconnection to eruption. Overall, Enys Men depicts the unsettling and visceral fragmentation of an unstable perspective.
Technically, Enys Men is art. Its vintage imagery uses aspect ratios, film gauges, framing, composition, color, and lighting. The figurative editing utilizes smash cuts, montages, pacing, inserts, intercuts, rewinds, dissolves, and match cuts. Its detailed sound adds split cuts, ambiance, symbolism, motifs, volume, stings, distortions, and risers. The minimal music employs diegetics, eerie singing, and retro synths. Its production design captures the era and location as tangible influences. The effects offer blood, stunts, prosthetics, wires, and makeup. The cast is small but distinct. Ultimately, Enys Men has a definitive vision, tone, and aesthetic that would fit perfectly in a museum.
Writing: 7/10
Direction: 10/10
Cinematography: 10/10
Acting: 8/10
Editing: 10/10
Sound: 10/10
Score/Soundtrack: 9/10
Production Design: 8/10
Casting: 6/10
Effects: 7/10
Overall Score: 8.5/10
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