In Under the Skin Scarlett Johansson plays an alien (in the skin of a beautiful woman with an English accent) who drives around Scotland in a white van picking up single men, who she then takes back to a house where she traps them in a mysterious black alien dimension. The first half of the film sees her navigating the streets of Glasgow, which - seen as though through her eyes - appears to us as a strange, unfamiliar world. Periodically, she stops and asks men for directions, then offers to give them a lift. Once they are in the passenger seat she engages them in conversation. Apparently, at least some of these strangers were genuinely unsuspecting members of the public, and it is fascinating to watch their responses to Johansson's gentle flirtation (some don't respond and look away, others engage eye contact). We watch these interactions from a variety of viewpoints, thanks to hidden cameras in the van.
Once these men have been lured back to the alien's house, we see them in an extraordinary shiny black environment. They appear entranced by Johansson's alien, but as they walk towards her they sink beneath the surface of a strange gelatinous substance, where they remain trapped. Johansson herself is able to walk atop the black surface. It's an incredibly striking piece of cinematography.
In the second half of the film the action moves to the Scottish countryside. We see the alien at a windswept coast, where she watches blankly as a human tragedy unfolds in front of her. Later, a crisis of sorts occurs and the alien finds herself stranded and vulnerable. She is taken in by a helpful stranger and there is a nod here to the television watching scene from The Man Who Fell to Earth (David Bowie's character sits watching an entire bank of televisions). However, it is a very British and a very funny nod - the alien sits impassively, and uncomprehendingly, watching Tommy Cooper performing his spoon-jar jar-spoon routine. In fact, this is just one of several scenes that are actually very funny, though how well that humour will be picked up by viewers outside of British shores is hard to say (apparently, at film festivals Under the Skin has been nearly unanimously well-received by British reviewers, but less so by others).
Eventually, the alien leaves this refuge and finds herself in a forest, where she finds that she is no longer predator but prey.
If you are the kind of person who likes to have things explained to you and wants loose ends tied up, then it is fair to say that this might not be the movie for you. However, if you enjoy poetic movies in which fantastically strong visual images conjure up a variety of thoughts, then you won't find better than this. The strong cinematography is enhanced by a terrific and unsettling musical score.
This is the best film I have seen this year.
Once these men have been lured back to the alien's house, we see them in an extraordinary shiny black environment. They appear entranced by Johansson's alien, but as they walk towards her they sink beneath the surface of a strange gelatinous substance, where they remain trapped. Johansson herself is able to walk atop the black surface. It's an incredibly striking piece of cinematography.
In the second half of the film the action moves to the Scottish countryside. We see the alien at a windswept coast, where she watches blankly as a human tragedy unfolds in front of her. Later, a crisis of sorts occurs and the alien finds herself stranded and vulnerable. She is taken in by a helpful stranger and there is a nod here to the television watching scene from The Man Who Fell to Earth (David Bowie's character sits watching an entire bank of televisions). However, it is a very British and a very funny nod - the alien sits impassively, and uncomprehendingly, watching Tommy Cooper performing his spoon-jar jar-spoon routine. In fact, this is just one of several scenes that are actually very funny, though how well that humour will be picked up by viewers outside of British shores is hard to say (apparently, at film festivals Under the Skin has been nearly unanimously well-received by British reviewers, but less so by others).
Eventually, the alien leaves this refuge and finds herself in a forest, where she finds that she is no longer predator but prey.
If you are the kind of person who likes to have things explained to you and wants loose ends tied up, then it is fair to say that this might not be the movie for you. However, if you enjoy poetic movies in which fantastically strong visual images conjure up a variety of thoughts, then you won't find better than this. The strong cinematography is enhanced by a terrific and unsettling musical score.
This is the best film I have seen this year.