It's interesting when get on radar because of something that should not be the reason for it being there. The media whipped itself into a frenzy about this film for one reason Scarlett Johansson flashing her tits. This is a pretty negative thing, without this would we even have heard of this film? I don't know if anyone heard anything else about it and that's a huge problem. Jonathan Glazer isn't an easy director to take when he makes a film you sit up and pay attention. Unfortunately he's only done this 3 times and the last time was 10 years ago. For me that's a more interesting angle to promote a film with. The directors previous 2 films were unique experiences. Sexy Beast was pure genius and Birth was very special. When you put all this together with the fact that the genre of Under the Skin is SCI-FI drama, then you kind of understand why so many young actors clamored for the opportunity to get leading roles. Scarlet Johansson won the role, returning a little to the art world after diving into the comic book world and is genius in the role. The story: An alien takes the body of an attractive young woman and travels Scotland in a van picking up men. As she lures her victims into a trap with the promise of sex, the men are immersed in liquid and their flesh is harvested. She is monitored by another alien, who has the body of a male motorcyclist. When she seduces a lonely and sexually inexperienced man who has facial neurofibromatosis disfigurement, she takes pity on him and begins to feel more conscious of her human body. She is helped by a man who takes her to his home, cooks for her, and gives her a room. Right off the bat let me say that Under the Skin is a genius film and exactly like what you would expect from a director like this, but it's not for everyone. The average viewer will probably find it boring and a little out to left field but that's kind of what can be expected from Glazer. There isn't a whole lot of dialog in the film the pictures drive the story instead. The cinematographer did an amazing job not to mention the set designer. You can feel the influence of other directors, but obviously it's not a sin to use the ideas of the greats especially if you make something good in the end. The films music is another thing that stands out as it beautifully underscores the pictures. Though the film is surreal, but maybe that's why it's not like anything we've seen before. For me that's one of the biggest virtues of a film if they can make something that hasn't been seen before. That's really asking for a lot though in the age of sequels and remakes. The film is an adaptation of a book that's been declared a modern day classic. It takes you on a ride sometimes it's tempo is calm sometimes the pictures rile you up so much they get under your skin. All in all the film is an original SCI-FI but that doesn't mean that it's just the fans of the genre, more like for film and art film fans. The film is filled with metaphors and they'll enjoy it. It's not an easy film, but it will give you an interesting experience. 8/10 https://www.youtube.com/user/Videodromeblog
Review of Under the Skin
