An unnamed alien woman (Scarlett Johansson) has arrived in Glasgow,
it is unclear whether she was born or brought to Earth. A motorcyclist (Jeremy
McWilliams) provides her with a van to set her on her way. She heads into
Glasgow to hunt for men, any type will do as long as they are alone and no-one
will miss them. A strange and gruesome fate awaits them in her apartment. However,
as she stays in Glasgow longer, she starts to study humanity more closely,
which starts to affect her decisions.
Under The
Skin is one of the most suspenseful sci-fi horror films in recent
years. Jonathan Glazer’s clever decision to use hidden cameras and the
unsuspecting public helps to show the viewpoint, and the journey, of our not-so
friendly extra-terrestrial. She buys red lipstick because she observes other
women buying it in a shopping centre. She uses her sexuality to her advantage,
to entice men into the void of her apartment. There is a sense of bemusement
within Johansson’s character; she doesn’t understand why a swimmer would
attempt to save a drowning couple. His actions, brave to the audience, are
rewarded with a rock to the head by her. It is her alien nature which makes her
the roaming predator in Glasgow, using her human and alluring appearance to
captivate men – the film never discloses any backstory, let alone explains why
she only targets men. But as she starts to tentatively try out more human
things, such as compassion, she flees to the Scottish Highlands to try cake.
Trying to talk about narrative points doesn’t do Under The Skin any justice, as it is
definitely a more visceral experience. Dread is evoked in the audience through Daniel
Landin’s cinematography and Mica Levi’s score. It never feels like the audience
is watching hidden camera footage, they have a cinematic feel to them,
impressive considering the limitations of fitting several cameras into the
relatively small space of the van. The scene where we see the fate of her past victims
has a dreamlike quality, undercut by the growing tension provided by the score.
Landin has a talent of
making a shot of a fork with a piece of cake on it suspenseful; consequently the
beach scene becomes almost unbearable to watch. Levi’s score is slow at points,
drawing each electronic distorted note out, before it shrieks loudly over the deliberate
hollow beat.
Scarlett Johansson is captivating as the unnamed alien
creature. The viewer can see her face visibly darken with barely a movement,
when a potential victim reveals someone is waiting for him. Johansson manages
to walk the fine line between being too alien and too human with finesse,
charming her prey with a small smile and a little tilt of her head, whilst
still maintaining an otherworldly presence which stuns her victims. Scarlett
Johansson also succeeds in making her character’s arc believable and
sympathetic, as she struggles with humanity. Adam Pearson also stood out in Under The Skin as one of her victims
with a facial disfigurement, cynical of the world and doubtful of anyone who
shows any kindness to him.
Under The
Skin combines striking visual images, a terrific performance by
Johansson and a hypnotic, unsettling score to leave a lasting impression.
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