ALIEN HORROR SUMMER - NO. 21: UNDER THE SKIN (2014) MOVIE REVIEW
This 2014 alien horror oddity is unlike anything else on our list; if only it stayed in that rarified existential air instead of looking to shock and sensationalize.
by Nate Lemann
Jonathan Glazer’s 2014 Scarlett Johansson starer had the promise of being something truly transcendent. I haven’t seen a filmmaker come closer to that clinical and meticulous filmmaking of Kubrick until watching the opening minutes of this absolute oddity of a film. We are dropped in media-res as a group of aliens are preparing a female to take on the cover of a seductress to lure unsuspecting lonely men in Glasgow to their horrific deaths. We have no context on how these aliens communicate, what their goals are, or if they are even aliens.
Johansson does a lot with very little dialogue, holding the frame with mesmerizing intensity. She is able to switch from doe-eyed seductress to cold-hearted predator with such unnatural ease, it will make you wonder if she truly is of unnatural origin. We aren’t even all to sure she is an alien or just some unnatural being herself. As the story goes along, we see more layers of this creature present themselves. She is beginning to question her design and her actions. The shocking third act is a great subversion of the film we initially thought we were watching, taking unexpected twists and turns as it rushes to its conclusion.
That said, Galzer loses the thread on what was turning out to be a transcendent piece of existential art, leaning into the more gortesque and shocking story elements. Without getting into spoilers, the beach scene (and its horrific fallout) was a bridge too far for me and pretty much took me out of this. To me, it felt like shock-value for the sake of shock-value; it just didn't feel of one with the rest of the piece. There are characters introduced only for the seeming purpose to have them meet horrific endings, without a thought or purpose to give their suffering. I am even okay with the below the black water scene and how the truly dark end to her suitors plays out. Incidental death and suffering just feels exploitative and unnecessary to tell this story.
However, this is essential viewing for the alien/existential horror genres. There is so much promise and filmmaking style in this to inspire future filmmakers. A baton needs to be passed from the captivating opening moments of this film; they are that good.
FINAL RATING: 3.5/5 Stars (Captivating Kubrick-ian visuals and filmmaking make this a must-see)
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