[S] Under the Skin (2013)
Directed by Jonathan Glazer. With Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy McWilliams, Lynsey Taylor Mackay, Dougie McConnell. A mysterious woman seduces lonely men in the evening hours in Scotland. Events lead her to begin a process of self-discovery.
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Under the Skin review – 'Very erotic, very scary'
Jonathan Glazer's sci-fi horror-flick, starring Scarlett Johansson as an extraterrestrial roaming Glasgow in a white van, picking up men, is visually stunning and deeply disturbing -
Under the Skin Trailer Official
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Terrifying, abstract, and visually breathtaking, Jonathan Glazer's sci-fi thriller Under the Skin managed to surprise me when I saw it last year. On the surface, it's a movie about a sexy alien (Scarlet Johansson) seducing lonely men on the streets of Glasgow. But under the skin (couldn't help it), it is a profound artistic expression of what it means to be human.
Many viewers may not have the patience that this movie requires; the reviews on IMDB are evident of that. The main criticisms seem to be that it is slow and difficult to understand. As someone who loves to soak up visuals, I found the pacing to be brilliant. Under the Skin is definitely in the same vein as both Kubrik's 2001: A Space Odyssey and Lynch's Eraserhead, so perhaps it isn't made for impatient viewers. And I didn't find the plot hard to follow at all, though it didn't beat you over the head with explanations like Nolan's Interstellar. It's a film that requires attention and interpretation, so it's definitely not for everybody, not even all sci-fi fans. But, for those who can watch it on its own terms, it is one of the recent greats.
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Great film with an amazing soundtrack. Really neat concept.
Is it... How to say this? Too artsy? Too slow? I wanted to see this movie a number of times but always hesitate because I'm afraid I'd lose patience after half an hour. Don't get me wrong, I like deep and thoughtful movies, but not ones that like to consider themselves that, but in reality fall flat.
Whether it is too artsy or too slow is going to be a matter of opinion. I did not think so. It was artistic, and Glazer really did let you soak up the visuals. It's a heavily stylized film. Much of the movement is choreographed to the soundtrack (you can get a taste of it in the trailer), so it really goes along quite nicely. Definitely much different than Sexy Beast, which was quite fast. The pacing has a purpose though. It creates mood. It makes you feel very unsettled.
Whether it is slow or takes its time is a matter of opinion. But it certainly doesn't fall flat. If you let it it will leave you breathless. Anyone who says that it is just trying to be artsy without actually being art is a bit out of touch, in my opinion. It's not meant to be liked by everyone, but it certainly achieved what it wanted to from an artistic perspective.