Starring Scarlet Johansson, this slow-burning ethereal horror film perfectly captures the ethos of a methodical and heartless serial killer. Taking place in Scotland, the plot follows an unnamed mysteriousfemale character as she seduces men and lures them into her home.Assisted in part by an unnamed and silent motorcyclist, she continues adding men to her collection. The conflict develops as she starts to demonstrate a sort of incongruity within her current lifestyle. The habitual killing gives her power, but at what cost?
Under the Skinis dark and minimalist, making sequences that would normally feel mundane, incredibly potent. Some parts of the film are captured using hidden cameras, adding a layer of uneasy realism. In conjunction with the unnerving score throughout the film, Under the Skin leaves its viewersfeeling both unsettled and wanting more.
Scarlet Johansson takes on a new level of acting in this performance. Her emotionless effect is uncanny and her succinct and direct delivery of lines throughout the film gives her character a sort of alien quality. She is a solemn drifter who observes the world around her rather than participating in it. Johansson’s acting and the unique style displayed throughout the film make it a greatserial killer movie with a thought-provoking sci-fi twist.
Related:‘Under the Skin’ Movie Review - Rolling Ston
Chilling Acting
It is difficult to find an apt comparison for Johansson’s acting in this film. Her distinct line delivery and mannerisms are immaculate cultivation of the behavior you are likely to see in an estranged psychopath. Calling the behavior emotionless is undercutting the truly otherworldly quality that she projects through this character. When alone and not in close proximity to others, the character appears only to be an observer, she scans the world around her and is noticeably devoid of any sort of engagement with the world that surrounds her. It is only when she is prowling for victims that her otherwise expressionless face fills with life and emotion. Johansson demonstrates her acting ability quite cunningly as she switches from cold and disengaged to flippant and trustworthy as she interacts with her victims.
Although Johansson may be the most experienced and well-known actor cast in the film, others among her shine uniquely and fit very well into the story. Many of the men that she interacts with are not professional actors. Their responses to Johansson are genuine and candid. These unscripted interactions with Johansson’s character as she attempts to lure them into the car are incredibly unsettling. They demonstrate just how easily a person with ill intentions could manipulate a victim.
Since dialogue is sparse throughout this film much of Johanson’s acting relies on nonverbal communication. She is able to effectively convey a tremendous amount of meaning without uttering a single word. Her body language, or lack thereof, changes dramatically over the course of the film. The movie also contains a significant amount of nudity. Throughout the film, Johansson’s character is seen thoroughly inspecting her own body. She is seen both delighted by her form and filled with consternation.Noah Gittell of the Atlantic writes about the nudity, saying “The way the film frames it — with Johansson having removed almost all of her personality from the character — it doesn’t play as even remotely sexual.”
Related:Under the Skin’s Weird Feminism
A Fitting Setting for a Killer
The setting where the story unfolds adds to the creepiness that envelopes the entire film. We see grand landscape shots which showcase the stunning Scottish countryside. Throughout the duration of the film, these landscapes are portrayed as cold, dreary, and dark. These remote and rural areas are perfect hunting grounds for a serial murderer. One scene, in particular, demonstrates this quality. Johansson’s character is witness to a couple frantically trying to rescue their dog who swam too far from the shore. The couple is struggling to keep themselves afloat and is helplessly screaming in anguish. Johansson’s character stares at them blankly while they suffer. In this small isolated bubble of chaos, the drowning couple is too far from anyone who would be able to help. Days later, Johanson’s character listens to a report on the radio detailing one of the bodies found onshore.
When we are introduced to scenes that take place in the city, the areas shown are often deserted and sparsely populated. Showing that even in urban areas, there are many who are alone. In one scene, however, while following a lone man in the night, she surprisingly finds herself in an underground rave. But even here, although there are many people congregated in one place, she is able to find a man that is all by himself and effectively removes him from the crowd to take back to her home.
Like the cities and countryside, the entire film has a minimal quality to it. From the dialogue to the score, the viewer is not given much. This makes every instrumental piece and line spoken that much more meaningful. The film gives little exposition and raises questions that don’t always have explicit answers. In many ways, the movie is unorthodox, but it does a superb job of portraying the way a serial murderer might live and what type of place they would be successful in carrying out their immoral deeds. It is both horrifying and a great insight into the peculiar behavior of a person who can kill without remorse.
