Under the Skin review

Here's my thoughts on the science-fiction/horror art film Under the Skin.

Under the Skin is a strange film to witness. While all of it can be interpreted literally, much of it is at least initially mystifying. Its stripped-down narrative, low on dialogue, is definitely reminiscent of the stereotype of an art film, though that’s no accident: Under the Skin certainly qualifies as highbrow.

Scarlet Johansson stars as a nameless alien who has taken a female form in order to seduce men on the streets of Scotland. What motivates her? It’s unrevealed. A lot is unrevealed in this film, which revels in leaving blanks for imagination and interpretation to fill in. While much of it is a science fiction horror film, this genre fiction moniker is merely a disguise. In practice, while the combination of the haunting images and Johansson’s unsettling performance certainly fit the horror mold, the film has more avant-garde ambitions.

Under the Skin holds the loose narrative of this alien exploring Scotland, but a large amount of the film is based on singular events, connected just as much thematically as narratively. You see, Under the Skin is a sort of parable. At first, it seems like a sort of monster movie, and while soon the simple style of the movie gives the impression that it has some purpose beyond that, this purpose is obtuse and required me to search for other reviews and articles to understand it. The purpose of many scenes is initially unclear, and for some viewers the narrative may prove confusing.

However, in retrospect, it can be seen how the film communicates its themes. All scenes can be interpreted literally, but each one has a purpose and may even have metaphorical value. This film’s identity as a parable is still lost on me, but even then, the literal interpretations of these scenes still hold plenty of meaning. Aside from this, the direction is oftentimes haunting. Visuals are sometimes macabre, and the film is frequently disturbing. This alien is consistently otherworldly, and that she’s so shrouded in mystery is used to make us more afraid of her.

Under the Skin is notable for some very striking sci-fi imagery. For example, the introductory scene has both what appears to be a cosmic event, as well as what appears to be an eye. However, later on, the visuals are often made murky by the heavy use of shadows, making shots occasionally border on indecipherable. Finally, the soundtrack makes heavy use of drones. This is very appropriate for this film, but taken on its own it can get grating.

There’s a lot to be read from Under the Skin’s narrative-it’s just the reading that’s a challenge. Under the Skin is a valiant attempt at a deeper sort of alien invasion movie, and while it succeeds under the surface, that surface is thick enough to make the film too obtuse to be understood by some. Even then, it has visually striking images and atmosphere to make it a strangely compelling thriller, anchored by Johansson’s star performance. I’m glad I saw it, and I’ll be glad to discuss and debate it. It’s worth a watch.  

7/10

Extended thoughts [Warning: Spoilers]