Rent Under the Skin (2013)

Beautifully photographed, unsettling, eerie, erotic, mildly scary sci-fi - Under the Skin review by RP

Does the idea of being seduced by a sexy alien disguised as Scarlett Johansson in a Transit van appeal to you? If you like that idea, then you might like 'Under the Skin' - it reminded me of 'The Man Who Fell to Earth' crossed with 'Species' and set in Scotland.

It's directed by Jonathan Glazer whose best-known film is the gloriously over-the-top crime caper 'Sexy Beast'.

'Under the Skin' is one of those films you'll either love or hate - is it boring load of old twaddle with not a lot going on, or is it a beautifully photographed, unsettling, eerie, erotic, mildly scary sci-fi film?

I quite enjoyed it so I guess I fall into the latter camp, so I'll give it an over-generous 4/5 stars.

[Aside 1: I'm now off to order the book by Michel Faber which is reputedly much better]

[Aside 2: Whenever I see ScarJo, why does the old Sex Pistols song 'Pretty Vacant' come to mind...]

Spoilers ... - Under the Skin review by NP

Scarlett Johansson won much acclaim for her playing for the unnamed woman in this strange and powerful film, which failed at the box-office, but received many positive reviews. She plays an unspecific alien who assumes the appearance of a young woman.

This reminds me a little of Chris Alexander’s ‘Blood for Irina’ (a favourite of mine which I mention at every opportunity!) – a wearied seductress who appears to have her victims ‘tidied away’ by an un-named male protector (or protectors), lingering scenes, not a lot of dialogue. Where it differs though, is in people’s reactions to the woman, who initially appears to pick up men with a calm confidence. They are mesmerised with her. The sight of hopeless Lotharios, alcohol fuelled antagonists who see her as sport, or those who just want to molest her. There are two exceptions. One man she picks up suffers from a facial disfigurement – his shy, inexperienced exchange with her is difficult to watch. She is fascinated with him, and he survives (for a while) the fate usually bestowed on her ‘conquests’. The other exception is a quiet reclusive man who genuinely seems to want to help her (her confidence has been worn away and she becomes virtually somnambulistic by this point – quite why is not clear), but there closeness comes to an end when sex is attempted and she appears incredulous at the workings of her own body.

We find out why in the next ‘episode’, in which a logger in a snowy forest attempts to rape her, and tears the flesh from her back, revealing featureless jet-black skin beneath. His sudden fear propels him to douse her in petrol and set fire to her. Her descent from dominant, confident protagonist to cowering, submissive victim is cruel and frustrating.

I can’t help but feel that a few more explanations might have made this a more satisfying experience. It is based on a book of the same name which leaves far less to the imagination. However, this is a fascinating film, beautifully acted. It looks wonderful too, from the sight of the beautiful Johansson in relentlessly freezing, harsh conditions, to the brief but incredible glimpse of her true form. Spellbinding.

Thought Provoking SciFi - Under the Skin review by GI

A truly remarkable and highly original film. Categorising this is difficult and depends on your reading of it but it's probably best described as a science fiction/horror film although it's far more subtle and clever than you might expect from those genres. Scarlett Johansson, in arguably her best role, is a mysterious woman who roams the roads of Scotland luring men and taking them to a strange other dimensional place where their bodies are consumed. She maybe an alien entity, and the films opening suggests she is replacing another of her kind who has been killed. She is assisted by another 'alien' on a motorcycle who acts as her bodyguard. She completely lacks empathy with humans and is intent only on luring them to what is their doom. But soon she becomes intrigued by her body and the behaviour of the humans she observes and allows one of the men she catches to go free. Hunted by her companions she disappears into the highlands. There are some very disquieting scenes especially one on a windswept beach and the film has an eerie, dark and at times quite frightening atmosphere to it. But strangely the viewer begins to have some sympathy for the 'woman' as her path becomes more tortured. The end is well worth waiting for too. This is only director Jonathan Glazer's second feature film after Sexy Beast (2000) and on the merits of both he is a director of style and skill and worth checking out any future films. Ultimately this is Johansson's film, she carries the entire film and plays against anything she's done before or since. When you consider that Glazer used a lot of hidden cameras and many of the people she interacts with were ordinary people who were only told afterwards that they were in a film you can see clever she was in playing the part to the fullest. A brave performance and a highly impressive one. Under The Skin is a fantastic piece of cinema and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Indulgent dross - Under the Skin review by CP Customer

I wish I had read SW's review and the others here because it was spot on. So disappointing and can't understand why Scarlett Johansson took it on unless she saw it as an opportunity for some easy money.

Found it boring, slightly disturbing in places.. - Under the Skin review by CP Customer

I gave it a go, but the first 30 mins were fairly repetitive and not very interesting. I'll stick with a film if I think its going somewhere but found myself fast forwarding through it to see if anything was going to actually happen... I wouldn't recommend it. I don't mind disturbing, boring doesn't do it fro me though...

Dreadful film - Under the Skin review by CP Customer

Shame I had to put one star it doesn't deserve that. It seems very poorly made with virtually no budget it feels . The script is dreadful, I stuck with it for 30mins and had to turn it off , dreadful and boringly slow.

Weird Glaswegian - Under the Skin review by Popeyethetim

Its Science Fiction, Jim, but not as we know it. The locations are great. Its pretty rock 'n' roll-ish and built on that essential nature of a Glaswegian night out - the possible unattached pick up. Needless to say the guys don't quite get what they were thinking of. Wonderfully filmed. Paced bang on the money but still in some ways a strange strange film.

I loved it.