Under The Skin is a title warning the audience. Not only will this movie have some unsettling images and nefarious actions, but it will test any mainstream viewer by unfolding and not explaining what it is doing. Director Jonathan Glazer clearly has been influenced by visionaries like Stanley Kubrick, but Under the Skin lacks the ambition and introspection that 2001: A Space Odyssey provided viewers. At least he compensates with a whole lot of Scarlett Johansson.
After a very visual beginning, Under The Skin focuses on an alien (Johansson) on Earth. Her origin is unknown, but her purpose is made clear: she is a seductress to single men living alone. Night after night, she preys on these people for equally unknown reasons. However, as the woman spends more time on the planet, she starts to adopt traits exhibited in humans with many levels of consequences.
The strongest element of Under The Skin is the disturbing atmosphere. Each piece of the film plays its part in making the audience squirm. Scotland has some very foggy woods and dark apartments (apparently electricity costs a lot because NO ONE has lights). The effects, when used, are pretty simple but chilling: the best involving what happens to ScarJo’s victims. Longshots help place the audience as a fly on the wall during some truly disturbing scenes. Finally, the sounds in this film are the ace in Glazer’s hole. Silence starts the unease, and then he unleashes his discordant soundtrack of violins and unsavory noises like babies crying. Without its visions of horror, Under The Skin would lack the intensity the rest of the story needs to move forward.
To be as high concept as Glazer wants to be, you need to juggle a lot of questions to keep the viewer engaged. However, Under The Skin plays more like a character study. Scarlett Johansson’s performance is fascinating, playing an adult experiencing humanity for the first time. Glazer, seeing the strength in his star, probably elected that was the right way to go. However, it leaves all of his high-minded ideas half-formed. Predatory nature of humanity gets the most comprehensive look, but other ideas are left by the way side: physical versus emotional attraction, eyesight and what we see, acceptable uses of sexuality, individual attraction, and undesirability to society among others. Many of these ideas are explored, but only partially, resulting in a large number of seemingly extemporaneous scenes that were probably part of a bigger picture.
Under The Skin is ambitious filmmaking for a selective audience. If you are willing to be patient and think out what you’re seeing, then Under The Skin is for you. Also, if you are very interested in creating an anti-travelogue of Scotland, this is DEFINITELY the movie you want to see.