Under the Skin - A-

Quick Hit: A beautiful, mesmerizing, confusing film that is better suited for cinephiles (and aspiring ones) than the general public.

I consider myself a film lover. Not only a lover, but a student of it. I have been ever since I started watching the media as a child. I love talking about them, owning them, and reading about them. I find that I enjoy the traditional popcorn blockbuster, as well as slow burning horror.  I enjoy superhero flicks, romantic comedies, and small indie films that seemingly have no plot at all. I have read a lot of film criticism, as well as just movie news and reviews in general. Sometimes films come along that you consistently read about, over and over, and you just can’t help but wonder about them.  

​Which brings us to 2014’s Under the Skin starring Scarlett Johansson. Over and over I read about Jonathan Glazer’s new film, and glowing review after glowing review that followed it.  I always try to not let my opinions of things be tainted by 

what I read, watch, see, am told, etc., but that isn’t always possible. Hopefully, as everyone will continue to read Shannon and I’s pet project here, you will come to respect our opinions of films, and they may sway your opinions. This is the beauty of our massively shared, connected society.  

Back to Under the Skin. This movie is just breathtakingly beautiful. Set in Scotland, the deep fogs of the lochs show through and send us in a direction that is distinctly science fiction. The images that begin the film instantly draw parallels to Kubrick’s 2001. They are unexplained and sleek, just like the giant black monolith from that film. As the film continues, you notice more and more beautiful filmmaking stylistic touches. Again, from near the beginning of the film, the stripping of the woman’s clothes and 

 the completely white background behind them is a distinctive touch. The black scenes with the men (including an absolutely terrifying scene where a guy… I don’t know, just watch it and find out) also employ the use of a monochromatic background to devastating use.

​You just can’t help but feel eerie from the beginning of this picture. The score by Mica Levi is just fantastic. It is rhythmic and otherworldly. Sometimes it gets loud and shrieks, much like a John Carpenter horror film. Other times, it is smooth and seductive, just like Johansson herself, who is excellent in this film. he ability to turn from blank and alien to a flirtatious wanderer in a moments blink is something that should be awarded – not all actresses can turn 

on a dime (I actually found out after I watched the film that the men in the film are all people that ScarJo just picked up. That awkwardness is real because it was all being shot via hidden camera. If that isn’t daring, I don’t know what is).

The final thing about this film is its message. It seems (I think – admittedly, I don’t always see things as clear as I’d like) (and no one can truly know about this film – it’s that out there) to be saying something about the way our society sees a woman’s beauty and sexuality. Despite the fact that Johansson is now probably best known for her leather charades as Black Widow, she is presented here in clothing that is plain and ordinary. She is presented not as a sex symbol, but as a woman who is beautiful.

You may have noticed that my blog has quite a bit fewer pictures than usual. That's because this film has some of the most strikingly terrifying and also amazingly beautiful scenes that I have watched in quite some time. It is ABSOLUTELY NOT for every viewer. You have to go in knowing what is in store to truly enjoy it, but I just can't spoil this one for you. Watch it yourself, if you think you are ready. It’s with this warning, my Constant Followers, that I give this film an A- rating.

I'll be honest here - my whole post I fluctuated between an A and a B. Guess I knew what I was talking about when I put that paragraph about letting things sway your natural opinions.

Want to know more about this film? Check out IMDB.