‘Under the Skin’ is an Amazingly Creative Film (Review)

Written by: Matt Molgaard Directed by: Jonathan Glazer Cast: Scarlett Johansson If you’re after an artistic film that efficiently operates under its own set of technical rules, look into Jonathan Glazer’s latest sci-fi horror piece, Under the Skin. This isn’t the kind of picture that’s going to win over every viewer out there, as it is indeed a slow burn creeper. Having noted that, there’s a wonderful climax in waiting, a few stunning scenic visuals, and let’s be real, gazing at a fully nude Scarlett Johansson doesn’t seem like anything to complain about.

Everything in the picture is minimalized, and I think that’s a direct product of the film’s crux. Johansson plays the unnamed lead female. She’s up to something strange, making her way through Scotland targeting horny strangers at random. She’s obviously something of a Black Widow, and we get a glimpse of what she has in store for these unfortunate fellows. Exactly what the hell it is we see happening remains somewhat… murky (it looks amazing though!), but it is more than evident that you don’t want to be a man with an erection in a room with this woman.

Under the Skin is very well shot. Aesthetically it’s top notch despite a general lack of big pulse pounding, special effects heavy sequences. The final moments of the pic are mesmerizing, and as a guy who feels confident saying he’s seen damn near everything under the sun (well, in direct regards to film exclusively), this wrap caught me off guard in a fantastic way. Scarlett Johansson completely won me over in this film, and that’s a surprising thing as I’ve never been all too impressive with her performances and she’s really not afforded much in the way of dialogue here. Her effectiveness comes in the way of almost exclusively physical acting. And she’s stellar with the body – not only does she look amazing, she manages to make a flat persona menacing through pure movement and physical quirks. Great job from Scarlett and an amazingly creative film from promising filmmaker Jonathan Glazer. An instant Best of 2014 pick from me.

If you’d like to read a more in depth review of the film, check out my extensive coverage right here at Best Horror Movies. If you’re fed up with reading, watch the movie – it’s available on VOD right now.

Rating: 4/5