You may hate Under the Skin. You may utterly love it. Either way, it is a slice of cinema guaranteed to shake you up. Polarizing films should be admired for their ability to provoke debate, more often it is the more challenging features that make the average film-watcher think a little deeper and question what it is they’re watching rather than something that just washes over them. A film that requires patience, a film that requires thought, a film that can be unnerving or challenging, a film that perhaps gets…under your skin?
Jonathan Glazer’s (Birth, Sexy Beast) newest film opening is surreal and mesmerizing, showing us the arrival (or birth?) of a mysterious woman (Scarlett Johansson) who we soon follow, cruising the streets of Glasgow, Scotland seeking out lone men. Under the pretense of asking for directions, she picks them up in her van and begins a seduction resulting in her luring them back to a house whereupon stripped naked they walk towards her in a pitch black room, gradually sink into the floor and become trapped. The woman returns to the streets and begins seeking her new prey. Each capture serves to increase her awareness and empathy for the men she prays upon and she eventually breaks free from her cycle and ventures into the city and then Scottish wilderness while her “handler” tries to track her down.
Glazer has turned in an enthralling piece of work. Under the Skin perhaps verges on choosing mood over a conventional plot, it is something that feels like a slice of the experimental 70s, a companion piece to a work such as The Man Who Fell to Earth. A film pushing boundaries and unconstrained by the mainstream in the vein of Kubrick or Lynch. It is audacious, bold, unsettling and beautiful. At time is is reminiscent of a horror film while working in themes of lust and power. Voyeuristic in nature, the audience has an outsider’s perspective on the events of the film. Aided through the use of undercover filming while Johansson picked up unaware men around Glasgow. The exchanges are real and largely improvised by the actress and are fascinating to behold. It is fascinating that the backdrop of a gritty region of Scotland could play as setting to one of the most alien films in recent times. Like the film it is a place that is both beautiful and ugly and jarringly combines with surreal effects for some of the more extraterrestrial themes. Overlaid with the visuals is an unsettling electronic soundtrack by Mica Levi which only adds to the unease. Aggressively disconcerting and intimately moving. A film that gives a welcome rattling of the senses.
Of course special mention must be made of Johansson, whose work is the centerpiece of the film. It is a performance very much in keeping with the alien tone of the film. It is unnerving how effortlessly she engages men and yet remains so abstract. Starting as a cold and methodical being, regurgitating lines to elicit the desired response from her prey. But each “collection” seems to strip a layer from her character. Empathy, emotion and inquisitiveness come through and Johansson delivers this incredibly well. She speaks in an English accent, the men in thick Scottish accents. This only serves to highlight her as a foreign entity to us as much as the men are to her. A conscious decision to exclude subtitles from these scenes may frustrate some but only emphasizes the intent of the setting. Her reactions and words are all you need to figure out the conversation anyway. Johansson took a risk here, literally spending time in a van with strange men in Scotland, but also in the context of her career. It was a bold step to take on such an unusual portrayal and reveal much of herself within the film. Yes, the often discussed nudity is present however in a way this is not the most sexual thing about it, the dance, the pursuit is imbued with sexual tension, the actual nude scenes often more closely resemble that of a spider encircling it’s prey trapped in a web. It is the quieter moments beguiling the men she has picked up that come across as far more seductive.
As mentioned, the film will not appeal to everyone. It is hard to digest, some may find it a little too stripped down and shallow or perturbed by some of the imagery and actions. What it is, is a glimpse into a process, not a complete perspective on a tale. The film explores what it means to be human as well as playing on the viewers own humanity. You will run the gamut of emotions from shock at the coldness of the protagonist, notably during one scene at the beach, to sympathy for her plight as she tries to break free from whatever it is she has been tasked with. A particularly brutal ending speaks to some of the worst qualities in ourselves as the protagonist starts to embrace some of our better ones.
The Quality
Under the Skin is a release from Lionsgate Home Entertainment on a single disc with a 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. For the most part it looks great although the film is very dark in parts so some contrast issues do come through. This is likely due to the wide range of cameras used for different scenarios during filming, notably scenes in the van using small hidden cameras. As such I did notice a lack of crispness in some scenes but it is very reflective of the theatrical release. Overall, with the way the film was shot being taken into account it is a solid transfer. Dialogue comes through clear but I am sure some will welcome the included subtitles to make more sense of the thick Scottish accents.
THE PACKAGEAn Ultraviolet copy is included for watching on alternate devices and on the go. The disc does include a lengthy featurette looking behind the scenes of the movie. It touches on aspects such as casting, camera work (especially interesting given how some scenes were shot), locations, poster design (a stunning piece of work), the outstanding music and more. It is a film that leaves you with much to ponder concerning the creative decisions made, especially in regards to the differences to the book on which it is based . As such a commentary track would have been most welcome, sadly this is absent. For a film as creative and enthralling as this, sadly the blu-ray offers little more in the way of expanding the background behind it’s creation. Considering Glazer has been tinkering with the project for nearly a decade only compounds the disappointment. But overall the featurette is a nice addition for most.
The Bottom Line
Under the Skin is stunning, hypnotic, seductive and disturbing in equal measure. It functions as a thrilling experience for the senses as much as it does a film. As a piece of cinema it feels like a throwback to the 70s, almost an experimental piece. There is much to digest and reflect upon, it is a film that will provoke a visceral reaction, it depends on how receptive you are to this bold piece of work. A solid Blu-ray release for a film that will no doubt be amongst my favorites of the year.
Under the Skin is available today on Blu-Ray and DVD at Amazon and basically anywhere else media is sold.