Under The Skin certainly lives up to its name. I've been thinking about it and reading others thoughts on it ever since I got out of a screening just over an hour ago.
I sat there, transfixed to the action on screen. I didn't know what
to expect from this film, but in some ways it's not what I had in mind at all. I had been thinking something more in the way of a gory sci fi horror, instead it was more pyschological horror. But,
I didn't not like this movie. It's an exercise in art film. The kind of
film that most audiences will be "What the fuck?" with.
Scarlett Johansson plays an unnamed character, an alien, that seems to devour men like they were prey. She is
cruising a metro area of Scotland in a big white van, asking
unsuspecting men for directions, whilst at the same time asking them
questions about their life (single, married, family etc). She targets
the unattached men, or men that have nothing to go home to. Luring them
to her place, which is like some sort of dark room with infinite space,
their desire takes over as they walk into an almost black abyss.
This film is designed to be deciphered, but I don't even know if I
can truly understand what is happening here. Perhaps you're not supposed
to. This is just one for provoking your thoughts, and creating
discussion - of which it certainly does....but there is no one meaning
or answer.
The music and photography is used to good effect. I do admire what
the director has produced here. Scarlett is very good. She plays that
fish out of water (an alien) very well. As I said before, I was probably
a bit disappointed, but I understand why some people are loving the
shit out of this film. Although there is little dialogue, the story and
events taking place on screen were still quite engaging. It's no
masterpiece or excellent film for me, but overall I think it is quite
well made. I'll revisit it one day, even if to try and decipher it
some more.
Rating:
3 out of 5.
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