Under the Skin

What stands out first about Under the Skin is the confidence with which Jonathan Glazer establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Under the Skin asks Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy McWilliams to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Under the Skin is established with useful clarity: A mysterious young woman seduces lonely men in the evening hours in Scotland. That direct approach lets Under the Skin use its 1h 48m running time for character, atmosphere and consequence.

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Rather than summarise every event in Under the Skin, it is enough to note how Scotland places However under growing pressure. Scarlett Johansson gives that tension a face, which stops Under the Skin from becoming a mechanical sequence of developments. Walter Campbell uses the central character to widen the stakes of Under the Skin without losing sight of the original problem. Where an important relationship becomes predictable, Under the Skin recovers interest through the consequences surrounding it.

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The directorial personality of Under the Skin comes from Jonathan Glazer remaining careful about tone and generally effective when the premise invites excess. Within Under the Skin, Jonathan Glazer repeatedly favours readable choices over attention seeking flourishes. That discipline explains why the film delivers more often than it misses in Under the Skin rather than appearing only in isolated scenes. Where Under the Skin becomes less convincing, the middle loses a little urgency, and the loss of control is noticeable without becoming fatal.

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The thematic thread that gives Under the Skin weight is fear, isolation and the moment familiar spaces stop feeling safe. Scarlett Johansson grounds that thread so Under the Skin never has to choose completely between entertainment and reflection. A recurring focus on However gives the ideas in Under the Skin enough dramatic pressure to matter. Under Jonathan Glazer, Under the Skin works best when viewers are invited to notice the theme before any character explains it.

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Performance is the clearest human asset in Under the Skin, beginning with the committed centre provided by Scarlett Johansson. Jeremy McWilliams keeps Under the Skin from settling into one emotional register by approaching the material from another angle. The presence of Lynsey Taylor Mackay gives the surrounding world of Under the Skin additional texture without distracting from the main line. When Jonathan Glazer holds on a reaction, Under the Skin communicates more efficiently than another explanatory exchange could manage.

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A close look at Under the Skin reveals how uneasy framing carries information that the dialogue wisely leaves alone. Under the production banner of Film4, Under the Skin treats uneasy framing as part of its storytelling grammar. Patiently built dread gives Under the Skin a stronger sense of place within its United Kingdom context. The technical departments of Under the Skin remain coordinated, so polish supports involvement instead of creating distance.

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For horror viewers who prefer atmosphere to constant shocks, Under the Skin is ultimately a likeable film whose strengths survive its limitations. Its most persuasive combination in Under the Skin brings Scarlett Johansson together with patiently built dread under the direction of Jonathan Glazer. The fact that the middle loses a little urgency prevents Under the Skin from being entirely seamless. Even with that reservation, Under the Skin has a clear point of view and enough genuine feeling to justify the journey.