Details
Director
Jonathan Glazer
Starring
Scarlett Johansson
Writer
Walter Campbell
Jonathan Glazer
Length
108 minutes
Plot
A young in Scotland drives around picking up men in a white van and then luring them to slaughter. She is monitored by a man on motorbike.
-Spoilers Follow-
Now I imagine the feelings I have toward Jonathan Glazer's latest effort are quite like most peoples original thoughts on Kubrick's 2001 and we all know how that turned out. However I really don't think peoples impressions of this movie will improve with time. I think we've already grasped it. And 'it' is that Under the Skin is sometimes thought provoking and sometimes beautiful but it's also only sometimes entertaining and never enthralling.
First up lets talk ScarJo's performance, although there is never a lot of dialogue what Johansson shows us here is interesting, that she can be strangely enigmatic and charming as this unearthly child and can snap round into cold-hearted manipulation at the flick of an eyelash. Her performance furthers becoming more vulnerable and inquisitive as this woman begins to lose her bearings and has no idea of the world around her.
Although boring in places and played out for too long Glazer's direction is strong, theres numerous shots of interest, such as the man racing on his motorcycle, breaking into a house, a baby on a beach, ScarJo running through the woods (on fire) and snow falling onto the camera. Whatever's happening in the opening sequence is amazing. Problem is this film follows like many before it, it starts off intriguing and builds but then as no development ever comes and the story is still just ScarJo walking through shitty Scotland streets it loses steam and the interest levels drop. Because all developments that happen are upon ScarJo's emotional ad mental stage, this lack of physical progression or lack of attempt at answers - most people will probably be unsatisfied.
The sound design on this film is amazing. The strange drum pop and scratching synths bring this film onto another level. I recently re-watched the trailer and its main motif came on in the background and I instantly had chills remembering parts of the film that accompanied it - those parts usually involved ScarJo, a poor bastard and a large pool of black goop.
As mentioned earlier, there are numerous points of contention after viewing such as how scary it was when the first victim dissolved or why the man with neurofibromatosis was included. (Yes I had to look it up) The fact that there does seem to be a lack of a message or a least one thats not apparent on first viewing (unlike you 2001) will frustrate some and you really are left to put the pieces together. Problem is that I'm not sure its worth a second viewing. At least not one soon.
3.5 out of 5
Director
Jonathan Glazer
Starring
Scarlett Johansson
Writer
Walter Campbell
Jonathan Glazer
Length
108 minutes
Plot
A young in Scotland drives around picking up men in a white van and then luring them to slaughter. She is monitored by a man on motorbike.
-Spoilers Follow-
Now I imagine the feelings I have toward Jonathan Glazer's latest effort are quite like most peoples original thoughts on Kubrick's 2001 and we all know how that turned out. However I really don't think peoples impressions of this movie will improve with time. I think we've already grasped it. And 'it' is that Under the Skin is sometimes thought provoking and sometimes beautiful but it's also only sometimes entertaining and never enthralling.
First up lets talk ScarJo's performance, although there is never a lot of dialogue what Johansson shows us here is interesting, that she can be strangely enigmatic and charming as this unearthly child and can snap round into cold-hearted manipulation at the flick of an eyelash. Her performance furthers becoming more vulnerable and inquisitive as this woman begins to lose her bearings and has no idea of the world around her.
Although boring in places and played out for too long Glazer's direction is strong, theres numerous shots of interest, such as the man racing on his motorcycle, breaking into a house, a baby on a beach, ScarJo running through the woods (on fire) and snow falling onto the camera. Whatever's happening in the opening sequence is amazing. Problem is this film follows like many before it, it starts off intriguing and builds but then as no development ever comes and the story is still just ScarJo walking through shitty Scotland streets it loses steam and the interest levels drop. Because all developments that happen are upon ScarJo's emotional ad mental stage, this lack of physical progression or lack of attempt at answers - most people will probably be unsatisfied.
The sound design on this film is amazing. The strange drum pop and scratching synths bring this film onto another level. I recently re-watched the trailer and its main motif came on in the background and I instantly had chills remembering parts of the film that accompanied it - those parts usually involved ScarJo, a poor bastard and a large pool of black goop.
As mentioned earlier, there are numerous points of contention after viewing such as how scary it was when the first victim dissolved or why the man with neurofibromatosis was included. (Yes I had to look it up) The fact that there does seem to be a lack of a message or a least one thats not apparent on first viewing (unlike you 2001) will frustrate some and you really are left to put the pieces together. Problem is that I'm not sure its worth a second viewing. At least not one soon.
3.5 out of 5
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