Under the Skin Why So Many Bad Reviews

Under the Skin (2013) Poster

7 /10

Gets under the skin

Despite being a box office failure, 'Under the Peel' was a critical success with a lot of critics citing it as "an unforgettable experience" and i of the best films of the year. Audition reaction, as 1 can see here, has been much more divisive.

One can encounter why. 'Under the Skin' is the sort of film that will captivate some and alienate others. Being somebody who does like science fiction (and often the more than polarising, unlike and critically acclaimed ones), who really enjoyed the more linear satirical book and was intrigued by the concept, there was the hope that it would be as skilful as the critics said (existence ane of the few on IMDb who doesn't resort to immature critic bashing and can see more often than not where they're coming from). Did prepare myself, judging by the divisive audition reaction and how vitriolic some of the negative reactions take been, for disappointment or finding it non equally good every bit fabricated out while however acknowledging its strengths.

Seeing 'Nether the Pare', much of it was very impressive. Tin can totally encounter why people disliked it, practice share a few of the complaints myself, simply can see fifty-fifty more why critics and many others loved it. Will non resort to the oh so common, overused and abused stereotypical phrases e'er spouted on people's tastes on both sides, wanting to be a fair and perceptive reviewer and not someone who thinks just their opinion is right and nobody else'south is (seen a lot around here).

'Under the Pare' to me wasn't perfect. Peradventure it would take worked meliorate as a brusque film. Can see why the irksome pacing was adopted, for atmosphere and immersing into the globe reasons, only in that location are parts that are a bit likewise drawn-out and meandering which doesn't always make the film equally attention-grabbing as it could have been. The story structurally is a very slight one and non a conventional narrative, this is not always a trouble in motion-picture show and it cannot exist denied that in terms of creating a mood and atmosphere that this is a triumph, sometimes information technology did feel too thin and while the basic concept is clear cohesion is not e'er a strength. Everyone feeling that there are unanswered questions hither will detect that the book, which has much more than depth and clarity, provides the answers.

However, 'Under the Skin' does look amazing with some startlingly original imagery that actually haunts the mind. The cinematography and eerie lighting, as well as the cute but austere Scottish landscapes, aid make it one of the visually best-looking films that year. A big star is Mica Levi'southward electronic score that relies on drums and strings, this is one nerve-shredding music score with the freakiest use of strings for any film seen in recent memory.

The film is a triumph of mood and atmosphere. At that place is a real sense of queasy horror, eerie chills and an otherworldliness. Standout scenes here are the jaw-dropping cosmic sequence, reminding ane of '2001: A Space Odyssey', the nightmarish and tension-filled beach scene and the poetic, sensual just pretty creepy seduction. Jonathan Glazer does a fine job directing, specially in immersing the viewer into this world. The script is minimal but hardly weak.

Scarlett Johansson is mesmerising here in one of her best performances, she's rarely been more sensual and she shows a mastery of carrying so much while proverb little, very hard to do and under-appreciated by many. Adam Pearson likewise gives a disturbing but poignant functioning. Other than them, the rest of the acting is competent just non standout-worthy or memorable while never being disastrous or bad.

In decision, non heed-blowingly incredible and understandably divisive just 1 of those experiences that is hard not to forget. 7/x Bethany Cox

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7 /10

Bizarrely Mesmerizing

From the kickoff shot of this film depicting lights and eclipses, we volition already see that this will not be just some other run-of-the-factory flick. When we see a nude Scarlett Johansson for the showtime time in that pristine white room, we definitely know we are in for a different sort of ride.

A woman drives around Scotland. She strikes upwardly conversations with various men she picks up along the way. She will seduce them into coming with her and they follow her into her black void of a house. Withal, as this woman encounters more men, she will also realize and discover new things about herself.

Despite the presence of a large name star Scarlett Johansson, this is not a mainstream film. The techniques are unmistakably art-house, with long stretches of silence, of Johansson simply driving effectually, of random people just going about their daily routines. It is said that to be realistic, the flick makers shot Johansson picking up real men off the street (non actors) and interviewed them without a script as they were driving around. The thick Scottish accents may be unintelligible.

Many audiences may only dismiss this as a fruitless waste matter of 100 minutes, since on newspaper, the plot seems to be uncomplicated plenty for a single "10-Files" episode. Withal, serious cinephiles will exist enraptured past the pic'south baroque cinematographic beauty, deeper symbolic meaning and recall films by hallowed directors similar Stanley Kubrick or David Lynch.

At that place are advisedly orchestrated shots of seduction, very effective (of class with Johansson in diverse stages of undress) and mysterious (with that pitch black shiny room and that eerie piercing music by Mica Levi). At that place was a scene with a couple, their baby and their dog on an isolated windswept beach which will disturb you lot. There was a scene involving a man with a disfigured face which will haunt you.

"Under the Skin" is a unique artistic picture show feel which will polarize audiences. Manager Jonathan Glazer has created a bleak masterpiece which will visually mesmerize and thematically baffle his viewers. So, are you seduced to take up this challenge? 7/x.

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vii /10

The film that truly proves what a visual medium movie is

I implore everyone that has seen this movie once, and non liked it, to sentinel it over again. This fourth dimension, however, take into account that film is a visual medium. Instead of expecting a narrator or a grapheme to hands explain to you what is happening try paying attention to what is happening. Examine and truly THINK nigh what is expressed visually. The brilliant office about Under The Pare is how well it tells a story without dialog, without running commentary, and without the fundamental character proverb much at all.

Think most the purpose of what the female graphic symbol is doing. The unabridged story tells itself so easily if you let it. The problem with the modern movie-goer, and absolutely myself, is that nosotros desire things explained to us. We're happy to be treated similar ignorant flatheads that don't know our butts from our elbows. Look at any other review here on IMDb and pay close attention to what is existence criticized. They are mostly the same things over and over again.

They don't criticize what is conveyed through the moving-picture show's imagery. Instead, they say things similar "Not plenty was explained." "This motion-picture show had no plot." "The pic went nowhere." or "Zippo happened." At the risk of sounding smug, I volition say that these people are looking for the wrong things in this movie, or any movie. When going into whatever new film information technology'southward important to remember the medium you lot're choosing to entertain you. It's not like a book on tape, or music. Movies can explain the plot, story, grapheme motivations, and roles without having to have a character, or narrator explain information technology to you.

I was one of those people that didn't "get" this film and gave it an extremely low rating of 1 star. But I decided to change to a 7 later much reflection on the content and thoughts it provoked afterward. After reading over 5 or half dozen positive I got curious. Why do so many people think this pic is fantastic and innovative? I implore you to look upwardly the video review past Renegade Cutting.

This one video, in addition to Nether The Skin, made me rethink what I call back a movie should be. It can be artistic, and dissimilar, and entertaining without following the well established formula for modernistic movies. Personally, I feel like people in full general are too harsh. A ane star rating should be reserved for terrible films, with nothing to say at all. Well, that's non this film. Information technology certainly has plenty to say about what it's like to exist an outsider, and what a souvenir it truly is to be human.

A ane star rating should be reserved for the most thoughtless trash in being. This isn't even close to that. Was it for me? No, but I certainly "get" it. I become what the bulletin is, and what it was trying to do. That I had to think to myself "What did I just watch?" was enough for a 7 star rating. It fabricated me recall, re-evaluate, and wonder. As much equally I like Guardians of the Milky way, or Indiana Jones, I have to enquire myself "Did either one of those films make me feel this style?" No, they didn't.

And also, do films necessarily accept to exist for entertainment? To which I as well say no. Films tin can be nigh raising a question, or provoking a idea, or experiencing emotions. Maybe the tedium of a scene evokes boredom, just what if that's the betoken of the scene being shown? Look past your eyes, think about what the director's intent was, and I recollect yous'll savour this one fashion more on a echo viewing.

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Feeling for the alien

Alarm: Spoilers

In the motion picture Under the Skin there is no story line or development of character(as in the book), the almost not-existent story must be created from what we see. Johansson plays a blank,humanoid void of personality, filling in (like us) the blanks of what she knows with what she sees. The stroke of genius was dropping an A-list star into the streets of Glasgow and her mixing with non actors using a Kiarostami-blazon -10 arroyo to filming in and from the white van, with all the sounds of the street filtering through. I wonder how much this motion picture traded on Reddish Johansson'southward celebrity glamour rather than her acting skills as she seems similar a passive observer, near mute, apart from a few encounters with stranger choice-ups on the streets, where the recognisable husky voice and seductive tone reels some other unsuspecting victim into her lair. There are some brilliant,stunning visual effects, making the picture show realise the the alien presence with the eye image from the spherical earth, to the birth of her homo identity in the all-white space, where she dons the victim's clothes and identity. The heroine knows how to drive a car and turn a sentence, and the employ of carmine lip-stick as she kerb crawls.

The chipper lad, the cocksure charmer, the deformed lonely hearts are all lured in past this femme fa tale, siren of film noir luring them( friendless) into the cave of blackness of her squat. The victims wade into a black intergalactic gloo every bit she walks on enticingly higher up. A mystery biker speeding the Scottish highways seems to aid and abet her, or monitor and supervise her. Is he her controller or is he her drone? All is accompanied by Mica Levi'due south eerie ominous drums and strings soundtrack. We don't know who she is, she doesn't even have a name. She has a mission, some of which she may not know herself. She even kills one victim with a rock when he's washed up on a embankment trying to save two people in the sea. I'm not sure how much we are supposed to projection onto her opaque performance glimmerings of consciousness, east. G. when she picks up a man at night suffering from facial disfigurement, whose loneliness and longing announced to affect her and she lets him live, then afterward she takes off for the Scottish highlands, her growing human sensation and vulnerability allows her to feel briefly a relationship and sexual practice which shocks her. She is seen to explore her naked body, to wonder about its effects in a mirror. The ending is both matter-of-fact and tragic.

Glazer fabricated it clear on this project of 9 years, he didn't want to brand the novel, just brand a film on what it means to feel human. The clever ploy is using the alien gaze to show us our own alienness dorsum to u.s.. How alien we would seem to an alien equally how strange an conflicting would be to us in any come across. He's on slippery footing. We cannot gainsay the beauty of not-verbal images, but this has no substance without a narrative thread. Every bit a former director of music videos and Idiot box commercials there is a slickness, he creates atmosphere and mood, but lacking dialogue or narrative, what does happen has a certain repetition and tedium, blankness and incomprehension, emptied as the story is of its intellectual content and relevant details. Still its Johansson's best yet. A very anti- Scarlett performance where she takes risks.

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four /10

Someone kept pausing the film....no look they didn't.

I would like to start by saying i am a fan of films that are "different". I don't need a million gunshots or explosions to entertain me. I am non set on proficient guy vs bad guy and good guy winning. I like thought provoking films; i enjoy them much more than the soul sucking films that are manufactured on a daily footing. So i was intrigued past this ane. The trailer was dark and seemed full of suspense. The critics had made assuming comparisons with Stanley Kubrick, which in itself is a massive compliment. And equally someone who lives in Scotland it had a little sentiment to it.

Just for me it was dull. Every time i thought it was going to pick up the pace, information technology decelerated. It was and then slow information technology may too have been going backwards. At that place are far also many scenes that are prolonged. I am fully aware of its intention to focus on aesthetically driven scenes. But five/6 seconds is enough to appreciate it, not 10/15 seconds. At some points i idea the reel had maybe stuck and was expecting a CineWorld employee to come pacing round the corner to explain that there was something wrong. Information technology just pauses at points that don't demand that much attending. I am also aware of the symbolic nature the flick carries. It is clearly a picture y'all demand to look further to understand it in more depth. That is fine; i welcome that, merely the problem is that it does this without conviction. I don't need to run into the masses of drunkards who swarm Sauchiehall Street xx times. What is the purpose? To let us know that nosotros, every bit people, blindly walk through life intoxicated not appreciating the finer things in life? That Under the pare we are empty? I assume that is a candidate for its meaning.

Scarlett Johansson doesn't have a lot to do in this film; basically make small talk and get naked, all the while with a plain face. And considering how ridiculous the Scottish actors are made to look, maybe she is due some credit for maintaining that straight face. There are a few things that bug me even so; similar she can walk downwards your average staircase, but panics with a spiral staircase. In that location is a definite point to this film, only with the layout, with there being no real culmination, no real explanation, it leaves y'all feeling you have been robbed of a motion-picture show that could take been more. Could have told a meliorate story. And for whatsoever Americans who watch, not all Scottish people talk like that, or wear horrible purple shirts, unnecessarily tucking them into our over elevated jeans. We don't all support Hibs and when a van is parked not all of us will gang up and attempt to intermission into the van. So experience free to visit. It is a squeamish place after all. Although the film had some stunning scenes and promotes Scotland visually, information technology doesn't exactly put the people in a great light.

I wanted to enjoy this film, but i couldn't. I wanted to agree with comparisons with Kubrick, simply i certainly won't. You tin can throw arguments of it was beautifully crafted or had symbolic placidity, merely at the terminate of the day it is ho-hum, uneventful and lacked culmination.

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9 /10

Jonathon Glazer continues his ascent with another fabled movie that will entirely separate its audition

Warning: Spoilers

Y'all have never seen a flick even remotely like this.

It's been a long fourth dimension coming. 10 years in development, to be precise, and I've followed the saga throughout.

My interest was based on my honey of the source novel by Michel Faber which is a mod classic.

Conspicuously the ten year development period demonstrated the difficulty with which the novel would translate to the screen simply, in my opinion, it was worth the effort, and the await.

When I heard that it was in Jonathon Glazer'southward hands (Birth and Sexy Beast) I was encouraged, and when I constitute out that Scarlett Johansen was to play the central character Isserley (unnamed in the movie but credited as Laura for some reason) my center skipped a beat.

I was not disappointed, but let'due south make no mistake, this is a Marmite movie.

My wife was bored to tears. And I can see why one IMDb reviewer headlines his review "Slow. Thoughtless. Empty. A failure in all ways." But I disagree entirely. It's fair to say that the pace is laconic, but it'southward a thing of beauty and a motion picture packed full of ideas, unique special effects and greatness.

If you haven't read the novel you might be forgiven for request what the hell is going on in this story and, yep, there are elements of it that are fully explored. The long section of the movie where Isserley combs the streets of Glasgow, looking for her victims, with the aid of subconscious cameras bringing a documentary feel to the whole proceeding, is long and a trivial repetitive. But it'due south necessary to show the exhaustion of her task and her eventual disintegration. What'south more, it does not paint the urban center in an entirely positive lite. To that end Creative Scotland should exist commended for supporting it. It'southward a picture packed with visual metaphor. There are some moments of horror but they are far from gratuitous and all completely emotionless which is to be expected given that Isserley is an alien, devoid of emotion, sent to earth to farm unattached males for her dwelling planet (not that you lot'd piece of work that out).

From the opening sequence in which Isserley's eyes are created, to replicate humans', the imagery is breathtakingly disconcerting. It'south underpinned by an outstanding soundtrack by Mica Levi.

Johansonn is magnificent. Isn't she ever? She is brave to accept on a role this opinion dividing, and she manages to exude a total lack of emotion throughout in such a fashion that, unbelievably, you kind of empathize with her role as human culler.

Glazer is magnificent. Simply he always is. Nativity is a much underrated moving picture and anyone who saw his debut, Sexy Animate being, cannot fail to dear the guy.

This is a great movie. Rammed to the rafters with original idea. It's simply a great pity so many of you volition dislike it then much.

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four /10

The problem here...

The problem with movies similar this is that you have the people who hate irksome, mysterious movies and it's automatically i star because there were no car chases or dubstep, and the people that feel they take to defend anything quiet and ambiguous similar this and give 9 or x stars. "And so ho-hum" vs "You just don't get it, man". These types of films always just get 1 or ten ratings. Really, it'southward not possible to make a so-so version?

Sometimes people try to make moody, interesting, thought provoking, unlike kinds of movies and just don't do a great job. This flick was correct upward my alley in every way, but in the end I just said "meh". Information technology wasn't atrocious, but it did experience a little ho-hum and needlessly drawn out, seemingly considering at that place just wasn't enough to say to make full the time. At that place also wasn't much to go, really people, it's not that deep or birdbrained.

If there had been more eye candy (too the obvious) I could have dealt with the other weaknesses easier. But I didn't recollect the visuals were all that interesting as a lot of people seem to. The whole thing was very film schoolhouse and didn't totally experience similar the work of a mature manager, only if you lot told me it was a student film or something a first timer made on credit cards I would have believed you and said "hey nice endeavour, keep at it".

I would like to give it more than a 4 merely because it'south totally my kind of moving-picture show, just it actually didn't deserve it, and as I said, that's the problem with these kinds of movies, people voting for what kind of pic they like instead of how good this item one was.

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ane /10

Long shots and long silences

Warning: Spoilers

The terminal time I was this bored in a movie house it was during the era of the French New Wave: films like Final Year In Marienbad and Hiroshima Mon Flirtation, which were all most Style (if you can phone call it that) rather than Substance.

Scarlett Johansson plays a mysterious adult female who preys on hitch-hikers and dropouts in Glasgow and the Scottish Lowlands. Information technology isn't confirmed until the end that she'southward a PREDATOR-style conflicting being, but the critics have non kept this "spoiler" from us, so I guess information technology's okay to mention it. Based on a cult novel and with a cult managing director (Jonathan Glazer: SEXY Animate being), the flick is full of long shots and long silences. It's too filmed in virtually-total darkness, presumably to go along down the toll of special furnishings, just this means the viewer tin can't actually tell what'southward going on well-nigh of the time. Is she but killing her victims or is she 'assimilating' them? Don't know and - sorry! - don't care.

I can't imagine why they needed a star of Johansson's magnitude for this low-budget tosh. Nor can I imagine why she took the role. The SPECIES movies covered the storyline more thrillingly and more viscerally. If this is meant to exist a pretentious "art-house" flick nigh an conflicting predating on alienated members of Scottish society, all I tin say is it definitely alienated me!

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i /10

If you fall asleep you volition have missed nothing.

Warning: Spoilers

At the terminate of this film someone shouted out "What a load of old pony" and a cheer went up from a fair proportion of the audience - that role that either hadn't left before the end or hadn't fallen asleep. To keep the metaphor and then this film is upwardly there with the old nag that Steptoe and Son proceed in their back 1000.

The opening minutes are pretty indicative of what'due south to come. A nonsensical light prove that signifies what precisely? Throw in eerie soundtrack music. And then extend information technology way beyond the powers of concentration of the most devoted of viewers.

Motor-bike man runs into a night ditch and picks upwards a woman who looks dead. Next, another woman strips the dead woman. Next, she is driving around Glasgow in a white van. The combination of darkness/semi-light and Glaswegian accents which are more or less indecipherable merely serves to make whatever's going on on-screen even more confusing. Somewhere along the line the Elephant Homo has escaped from another film and gets picked up by Johanssen. He doesn't drown like the previous ii men that she seduces just runs off naked across the moors. Motor-bike man catches him and puts into the boot of a car. He drives off. Don't know what happens to the car or Elephant Human. Past this time people were leaving, my neighbour was sound asleep and I had 2 scarlet-hot pins ready to stick into my eyes.

I can't fifty-fifty be bothered to run over the residue of this bottomless, tedious story. Shots were held for always in the mistaken belief, I presume, that we gave a damn nigh we were seeing. Aught happened.

Information technology's at present the next morning and I'yard notwithstanding angry at forking out £10 and wasting 2 hours of life to come across this pile of dreck. Beany-hatted, sandal-wearing academics volition just love this motion-picture show and will witter on endlessly to their poor students about the "significance" of it all. Believe me, there is none.

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ten /10

The non-spoiler trailers represents this wonderful movie perfectly

Did any of the 100+ '1 star' 'worst film ever' reviewers see the trailer for 'Under the Skin'? If they had, they would have known exactly what they were in for. I'm just guessing that the prospect of seeing Scarlett Johansson naked had many of them them throw caution into the wind. And then they felt cheated. Serves them right.

The trailer perfectly captures the mood of this film, without giving anything away. Distancing, common cold, slow, with a continuous sense of doom, terrifying, but also heartbreaking. Some scenes (on the beach, the concluding passenger, the two guys) will stay with me forever.

An astonishing performance by Scarlett Johansson, who was given very niggling dialogue and had to act non-verbally for most of the running time. Superb soundtrack, editing, and cinematography. It takes some effort to go along upwards and fill in the blanks (an easy film this is not), merely the rewards are ample. But please, come across the trailer commencement.

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vii /10

If your open minded give information technology a try

I am surprised past the amount of negative criticism about this film as I establish information technology mesmerising and intriguing. If your expecting some Hollywood movie well-nigh a sexy alien killing lots of tiresome characters in a gory and sensationalised fashion (with lots of explosions thrown in), so you will exist disappointed. The pace is slow however I felt that this contributed to the whole feel and temper. I liked the utilise of Scotland as a setting especially the way information technology contrasted the natural beauty of Scotland with some of the urban ugliness that exists. I also liked the style Scarlett Johansson played the main role - cool, sexy and nigh emotionless. I am glad I didn't sentinel this at the cinema equally watching it at home meant I could talk over the film during the many periods of calm. There were a few arty scenes in the film simply I did not feel these were pretentious or contrived, again they added to the feel of the film. The ending was a piddling disappointing in my opinion simply I still feel this film is classy, original and will make most people think!

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eight /10

An intriguing film that probably requires a second viewing

Warning: Spoilers

Equally this film opens a motorcyclist drives forth a remote Scottish route and retrieves the body of a woman from a field and takes in to a white van. We then run across her in a pure white infinite where a naked woman gain to undress her and then put on her wearing apparel. She then drives the van to Glasgow and starts asking men for directions, as she does so see asks if they are local and accept friends or family unit… when one doesn't she offers him a lift. She and then lures him back to a dilapidated house where, in what can best be described as a black space, they start to undress. He walks towards her just gradually sinks into an oily liquid without noticing. She continues this emotionless behaviour until she finds a disfigured man; for some reason he is spared. She then heads to the highlands where she abandons the van and meets a man on a bus. While they spend the night together the motorcyclist, who has 'dealt with' the man she spared, is driving north towards her location.

Having just watched this moving-picture show for the outset time I'm unsure merely how to feel; I expect I'll need to lookout man it again to be certain. That may sound like a bad thing only I think in this case it is a sign of how intriguing I found information technology. The story was told in a very detached fashion we are not told why this woman is doing what she does or why nor are nosotros told what her connexion to the mysterious and somewhat sinister motorcyclist is. The dialogue is thin and what there is doesn't really tell united states of america much almost the characters. The only existent exception was when she picked upward the disfigured homo; this scene was tender and showed that the protagonist was developing emotions… in stark dissimilarity to an earlier scene where she left a babe on a remote beach after seeing its parents drown and clobbering a would be rescuer with a rock. Scarlett Johansson was cracking in the leading role making is believe that her graphic symbol was simultaneously a dangerous predator but could also exist as vulnerable equally whatever ordinary adult female. The balance of the cast, mostly non-actors, are also impressive in a fashion that adds to the feeling that they are real people. The cinematography adds to the foreign experience of the film; it gives a sense of detachment as well every bit a sense of danger. There is a fair amount of nudity but information technology is all fairly affair of fact rather than overly leery or erotic. Overall I'd recommend this but admit information technology certainly won't be for everybody.

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three /x

Deeply disturbing and ultimately, depressingly pretentious.....

Warning: Spoilers

Johannson plays an alien,who is sent from her planet to harvest Scottish men,considering they are the nearly tasty.

The gimmick Glazer has hither, is that some of the men she approaches are actors, and some of them are existent life real people!!!

On her journey, she becomes more in the know about humans, and begins to empathise our emotions, and misery is the summit of the emotion list.....

Information technology'due south non that I didn't get the film, I did, I understood the connotations of the motion-picture show, and I enjoyed some of the soundtrack and some of the sublime imagery, only the film is simply also darn depressing to give information technology false praise.

Films are Suppose to entertain, and to challenge the old grayness thing, not ruin your day, which this moving picture did, and I'm not exaggerating on this.

Its a dull Scotland through the eyes of Glazer, and its cold, with ironically equally much emotion equally the conflicting.

Even though information technology does spark an emotion from the alien, the scene with the baby is one that doesn't just shock, it offends likewise, and no corporeality of stark imagery or psychedelic music could bring me back to side.

The kind of film that makes you lot sigh unhappily when you lot think about it.

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8 /10

Mortal skin

Alarm: Spoilers

Although we are used to movies that interruption from the conventional, thanks to filmmakers such every bit David Lynch and Denis Villeneuve, Jonathan Glazer'southward "Under the Peel" pushes the boundaries even farther. Information technology'south a motion picture that allows us to view humanity in another light – the proficient along with the bad.

An alien takes human course every bit an alluring woman (Scarlet Johansson) who preys on lonely males in Glasgow. She leads them into some other dimension where they are seemingly consumed. At first impersonal, she begins to feel emotions well-nigh some of the men.

This is specially so with the moving come across with a disfigured, socially challenged man (Adam Pearson), and later with a human with whom she has an affair. She begins to question herself and becomes disorientated. When she meets a man with darker motives it triggers a stunning ending. This is a film that absorbs you as completely every bit the hapless men are captivated as they eagerly follow Scarlett's impressive, denim-clad hips into the void.

Scarlett Johansson gives a brave performance. You lot tin't ignore the fact that at that place is a lot of nudity in this motion picture. I guess she thought if I'm going to do it, I'yard really going to do it – forget the body double.

Her torso is a big part of the consequence. She sheds her apparel to reveal a shape that is the very definition of globe female parent – a woman combining maternal and sensual qualities – although giver of life is the directly contrary of her grapheme'south deportment.

The Glasgow setting and the apply of real people from the streets gives this moving-picture show an unusual edge. However, even having dozens of episodes of "Taggart" nether my chugalug didn't prepare me for some of the Glaswegian accents in the moving-picture show.

Withal, it'south a modest point, there really isn't much dialogue in the film at all; nigh of the ideas are communicated through the visuals and the silent interaction of the characters. The virtually sterile sound of Mica Levi's score with its synths, strings and drums helps communicate unspoken thoughts.

There take been many movies where aliens in human form have developed a taste for Human being sapiens: "Species", "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and "The Thing", merely "Nether the Skin" is far removed from them. I think information technology is more than like "2001: A Space Odyssey". Mayhap it was all those spheres confronting the calorie-free at the beginning, but it is more that Glazer challenges u.s. to take a journeying to another level of storytelling in much the same manner Kubrick and the Star Child did over 40 years ago.

"Under the Skin" has tension but no easy resolutions, we need to connect the dots ourselves – and the beauty of information technology is that that they tin exist connected differently each time.

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8 /ten

Foreign and hypnotic.

With its art house experience, this picture delivers something very unconventional and intensely strange. If you expect action and gory horror, you will certainly be disappointed. Merely maybe you lot will end up hypnotised by the eerie world Scarlett Johansson traverses. The gritty, bleak environment feels like a mixture of grim reality and shadowy nightmare. At times it feels like a surreal dream y'all desire to wake upwards from, only i that is so compulsive, you tin can't resist continuing.

Scarlett Johansson is captivating and her English accent spot on. There are many sights, sounds, and characters that become together to create the overall nightmarish dreamscape experience. The direction, creative flair and overall blueprint, brand this moving-picture show very dissimilar from the norm.

I came away feeling very affected past the intense experience this pic delivers. I will watch it again at some point, but only when my listen is ready, because it really took me to a night, disturbing place.

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Amazing just not for everyone

Warning: Spoilers

This is a flick that will divide audiences, for sure - simply, don't forget, and so did 2001: A Infinite Odyssey when information technology came out. Despite the presence of a mainstream extra, and a science fiction premise, this is an fine art moving picture 100%, inviting a very subjective response from audiences. Which isn't to say information technology doesn't take a plot, though. Addressing the confusion of previous IMDb comments - the men that Johansson's conflicting traps accept their innards sucked out and transported through a catholic portal. Ane scene makes that pretty hard to miss! The moving picture is nearly her developing a morality based on her actions, and trying to escape the purpose on world that she's functioned for, that her overseers (the people on motorbikes - as well aliens in human form) make sure she goes through with)

A super-creepy music score, amazing visuals and a brave & mesmerizing functioning from SJ combine for a moving picture that will be talked nearly for years to come up. Ignore whatever y'all read about information technology - peculiarly the bad comments here, which are completely ignorant - and go in with an open mind.

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7 /x

Foreign, troubling, merely artistically special pic

Warning: Spoilers

I was intrigued by this picture: the (UK) Times reviewer gave it five stars; the Sun Times reviewer gave it 1 star. Such multifariousness of view has to be investigated! Allow'southward get one affair directly before we start; Under the Skin is very much an 'fine art business firm' film, then don't go and see it if you are looking for a nice, linear 'popcorn' movie. Information technology starts very much in '2001' style (or, actually, Close Encounters style) and the affiche commentaries about director Jonathan Glazer ('Sexy Beast') existence 'the new Kubrick' are not misplaced. The starting time is decidedly abstract, as is much of the rest of the flick.

Under the Pare tells the strange story of an alien being who - for reasons barely explained - disguises him/her/itself equally an attractive woman (Scarlett Johansson) who picks up single men in and around Glasgow. These men will non be readily 'missed', and she uses her sexuality to lure them to a - literally - viscous end.

She is aided and abetted in this goal by another alien in the form of a menacing biker, who 'cleans upwardly' evidence after her activities. Her mission really depends on her being inhuman in every sense of the word, and the picture show shows the journey of Johansson every bit she starts, almost imperceptibly, to capeesh the comings and goings of the ant-like Glaswegians that she is preying on. Ultimately this desire to sympathise more and get 'closer' is her undoing: hunter becomes prey, with members of both species out to get her.

Scarlett Johansson is excellent as the emotionless alien, treating events like a yob attack with curious puzzlement rather than fright or anger. I'd like to say I can hardly see plenty of Johansson: but actually at that place is substantial (and brave) nudity in this motion picture, and she is a 'existent' woman in every sense of the discussion. This actually is a starring role, since almost of the other characters in the film make very fleeting appearances, with - merely to fifty-fifty the balance - pregnant male nudity involved too.

Whilst the story is relatively slight, the film is executed with meaning mode, with some atmospheric landscapes and a roving camera around the streets of Glasgow observing (presumably) everyday Glaswegians at piece of work and play. One marvellous scene shows Johansson's face as a transparent layer observing a mosaic of street scenes that build up on the screen: it is so impressive it makes me want to swoop for Terminal Cut X and attempt to replicate it.

A shout out should also get to the stunt team, for 1 specially unsafe-looking (and very harrowing) scene on a deserted embankment. If there is i scene that is likely to stick with you lot long subsequently the film has finished it is the final shot of that beach and the troubled soul upon information technology.

Music by newcomer Mika Levi is strangely conflicting as befits the movie, full of atonal sounds and (once more) beingness reminiscent of Ligeti'due south every bit strange music in 2011: A Infinite Odyssey.

You might guess already from my comments that I'1000 non going to give this 1 star. But I'm besides not going to give it 5 stars either. My criticisms fall into a couple of areas. Firstly, setting the film in Glasgow is very atmospheric, simply some of the dialogue is (I'one thousand sorry) pretty incomprehensible: and my English ear is better tuned than the American or rest of the world marketplace will find it! (Ane tin only promise that a 'Yes' vote for Scottish independence in September might get films similar this classed as 'Foreign Films', and subtitles can be provided!) More seriously, the ending of the picture show irritated me enormously. Woman meets man in lonely woods and immediately becomes the target for a sexual assault. Manifestly. "They're all request for information technology". This is lazy and mysogynist plotting, letting the overall movie down. I guess the director was trying to compare and contrast the hunter/hunted switch through the film, but in my humble stance the film could have reached its denouement in a much more elegant and believable way.

For this reason, I knock a few points off the score.

(If you enjoyed this review, please become to bobmann447.wordpress.com and sign up to 'Follow the Fad'!)

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Scarlett in all her glory, Conflicting to me.

I am a Scarlett Johansson fan, ever since I saw her in "Equus caballus Whisperer" in 1998. Realizing I had not seen this 1 still, I managed to find it via the Kanopy streaming service through my public library's subscription.

It is not a mainstream moving-picture show, with a clear story and character motivations. It is a good watch for those who savour occasionally exploring alternative themes and filming styles. There is a vague opening, to suggest that an alien character has arrived and will explore Earth, in the process hunting down unsuspecting males. Scarlett Johansson plays the lead and is simply known every bit "The Female."

All filmed in Scotland, much of it outside towns and cities in the unusual and generally beautiful countryside. There isn't much action, nor is there much dialog. The film is atmospheric and attractive, and when it ends it is very easy to think "so what?"

I am glad I took the time to watch it merely I will estimate that almost lovers of clear-cutting, mainstream movies volition not enjoy it.

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10 /10

Information technology's OK to exist unlike, it's OK to do your own thing.

Warning: Spoilers

Interesting how it worked out for Scarlett Johansson this year: first, a voice-simply role in 'Her,' then this ane where she's highly visible but says almost nothing. Merge the two, and you have a full-diddled talkie.

Under the Peel is the sort of picture show that gives critics a bad name, because information technology's really good and they invariably dearest information technology and get perceived every bit abstract art snobs. I too get annoyed with experimental movies that try to seem profound past dumping a load of nonsense on the viewer and counting on apophenia to do their job.

However, there's a huge difference between deliberate obfuscation and 'show, don't tell,' and Under the Skin is a fantastic instance of the latter. It's bleak, quiet and depressing, and most people who see it volition probably hate information technology, but they should anyway, but to help them realize how much redundant clap-trap there is in almost of our movies.

Nether the Skin may not have a single line of exposition, simply is easy to follow. The story fits in a tag line: alien sexual activity siren lures men into its creepy lair and sucks out their essence; but somewhere along the line, begins to take doubts.

Much of it is shot documentary-manner, with paw-held or concealed cameras. ScarJo drives a rapevan around Glasgow, trying to pick upwards devious men. She brings them back to a firm, stripping slowly every bit they hop after her on one human foot to get their pants off. Once they're nude, they sink into the ground without a trace.

The movie switches between subconscious camera footage, damp naturalistic sweeps of forests and ocean waves, and nice non-representational effects, similar the opening where color beams and circles slowly morph into a human eye, over foreign disjointed vocalizations that bring to heed a mollusc practicing English.

While we're on the subject field of English spoken by creatures information technology wasn't meant for, the Scottish accents are insurmountable. Information technology's like Britain's Cantonese. And there are no subtitles. Typical dialog:

ScarJo: "Exercise you alive alone?"

Guy: "Elxzap zlflasd opvejcf kljndjk gjsgs csdag."

ScarJo: "That must be difficult."

Guy: "Akhadks lklsdgsga erlifsd, h aha."

ScarJo: "Heh."

Luckily, nosotros're not missing much hither - nearly of the talk in this movie is the same kind of noise-making that goes on betwixt couples in bars, to fill up space while the real conversation goes on via body language ("You want to bang?" "Aye.")

Why should you encounter this movie? Considering it's actually beautiful, shows you lot visuals you've never seen before, tells a tragic mystery without burying you in exposition, and holds an absolutely unselfconscious confidence. It shows beauty and ugliness equally a matter of fact, without constantly checking to make sure we grasp which is which. It uses special furnishings to quietly augment reality and pigment the fantastic into the corners of ordinary scenes. It may leave y'all weirded out and uncomfortable, merely if you're tired of noise and crave a film experience that's tasteful, minimal and pure like a Tschichold volume cover, run and come across it at present now now.

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4 /10

Brilliant cinematography can't salve empty vessel sci-fi art-firm script

Alert: Spoilers

Jonathan Glazer waited 9 years earlier coming out with his next movie, "Under the Skin," and one wonders why he couldn't have spared united states and waited another 9 years. The project merely shines in the visual department equally in that location's some beautiful cinematography by Daniel Landin, particularly of the Scottish Highlands. Glazer based his script on the novel of the same name by Michael Faber.

The story is a thin one: Scarlett Johansson plays an unnamed adult female driving effectually Scotland in a van, picking upward various men and bringing them to a house where they follow her naked into a black void. The men stop up being killed with only their skins remaining. At outset you wonder who is this adult female simply it soon becomes apparent that she'south some kind of alien.

There are a few variations when information technology comes to guys Johansson picks up (some are played by non-actors who were initially filmed by hidden cameras). Ane of the men is a swimmer who tries to save a drowning couple. Johansson knocks out the exhausted swimmer and he ends up as another one of her victims, back at the house of horrors. A crying toddler is left to fend for himself on the beach by Johansson's alien.

More strange stuff: another one of the conflicting's victims is a sexually inexperienced homo with a facial disfigurement. He escapes from the horror house, merely to be recaptured past a homo on a motorcycle, apparently an accomplice of the alien female.

The climax arrives when a human spots the alien in distress after she's reeling from eating a piece of cake at a restaurant. The man puts the alien upwards for the night, brings her to a ruined castle where they kiss and back at his abode, they begin to take sex. The alien, yet, freaks out and wanders into a woods. We don't know why only a logger tries to rape her and when he strips off her wearing apparel, he discovers her torso is not human. Then inexplicably, instead of running away in fear, he sets her on fire.

The "big payoff" turns out to be the revelation that the alien is wearing an exoskeleton and she looks more similar a lizard with black, leathery skin. What exactly is Glazer'due south indicate? We never find out "why" the conflicting is bringing these men to the house with the weird blackness void and what it'south attempting to proceeds past killing them. The effort to convey some kind of temper of dread or terror is lost by the unintentionally comical ending, where the alien is plant to take no power and is dispensed with by a most unpleasant homo rapist.

Glazer likewise doesn't realize what a brunt it is having to heed to all the natives with their Scottish brogue—most of information technology is unintelligible. Subtitles should accept certainly been in order.

"Under the Skin" once again proves to be a project that undoubtedly will not advance Scarlet Johansson's career. Relying on her adept looks alone is not enough to sway a critical audience that expects more. Glazer'southward "folly" consists of some brilliant cinematography coupled with an empty vessel of a script that leads nowhere.

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10 /10

A truly disturbing masterpiece

Oh the sweet anger of the morons who stumbled into this looking for another vacuous blockbuster. Finally some revenge for all the promising sci-fi films lately we've been duped into hoping would exist something interesting.

This film is difficult to describe. It is dark, atmospheric, unsettling, terrifying but utterly captivating. It'southward tone reminded me of 2001, although information technology's fifty-fifty more sparse than that. Just that is equally good a reference point as any to get a sense of this film, and it's that practiced. Crimson Johansson is wonderful. The score is perfect and it's stunningly shot.

A truly unique motion picture.

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Completely Fresh and Original Sci-Fi

Under the Pare (2013)

*** (out of four)

Director Jonathan Glazer's bizarre yet fascinating science-fiction movie about a young adult female (Scarlett Johansson) who comes to World and seduces lonely men and leads them to their deaths.

You could show UNDER THE SKIN to a hundred different people and you'd probably become a hundred different versions of what the story is or what it'southward trying to say. This is the type of film that really doesn't have a traditional story to it and instead we're just taken on a journey. This journey is told in a visual sense, an audio sense and an emotional one. The visual sense is certainly the dazzler of Johansson. The audio sense is the haunting score past Mica Levi. The emotional sense is the one where most viewers are going to be divided and I'm sure one viewer'southward connection to the emotion in the film volition exist hotly debated past another viewer.

I'm not going to sit here and try to explain what the story meant. I think to practise that you'd need to see a film like this at least iv or five times and I think information technology's fair to say that even after a dozen viewings y'all might however take something different away from it. Dissimilar some, I didn't beloved the film merely at the same time there's no question that managing director Glazer has created something quite assuming, fresh and original. I've heard people compare this to the work of David Lynch and Stanley Kubrick, which is something I'd certainly agree with. There's a lot of great stuff about this film simply it goes without saying it's going to exist very subjective equally to who wants to relish it and stick around for everything.

I thought there were some extremely haunting moments scattered throughout the film. The majority of these take identify during the commencement 60 minutes including a vivid sequence on a beach, which is i of the almost nerve-wrecking scenes y'all're going to witness all year. Another terrific moment takes place within the abandoned house where the female takes her victims. The seduction sequence is different anything we've ever seen before and the poetic nature of it is quite fresh and haunting. Of course, the highlight of the motion picture, to me anyways, is the downright chilling music score, which perfectly puts yous in the right mood for such a moving-picture show and information technology builds up such a creepy atmosphere.

Johannson got a lot of press for her nude scenes but afterward the motion picture released this hither wasn't about every bit talked about as her actual performance. She doesn't have as well much to say in the flick. In fact, she mostly asks innocent questions and listens to the men answer. Acting without words is some of the hardest stuff to practise and the actress really shines and especially towards the end when her grapheme's emotions offset to come out. The supporting cast all fit their roles nicely and aid bring a realistic nature to the picture.

UNDER THE SKIN is a film that volition probably be debated for decades to come. It'due south certainly going to exist loved past some and hated by many only any motion-picture show daring to be original and try something new is going to accept this type of reaction.

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6 /10

Not for everyone...

Warning: Spoilers

Until I read someone's caption of the opening of the movie, there was no mode I was going to understand information technology. It culminated in an eye (which I kind of anticipated). Beyond that, I was clueless, merely knew that I was in for an "interesting" xc minutes.

I review I read elsewhere stated, "If you lot desire to meet Scarlett Johansson bulldoze effectually in a van for xc minutes... go for it!" While not entirely inaccurate as far as reviews go, it's not all she does in the film. Having been disappointed once more and again by her interim, it made perfect sense to cast her as an emotionless alien predator. In many means, this is just some other take on the vampire genre. It has sci-fi elements scattered virtually the place, but it's mostly a beautiful exposition of early bound-time Scotland and a terrible characterization of Scottish people.

Almost entirely devoid of language, barring the odd, "Do yous accept a girlfriend?" or, "I'yard trying to become to the M8," it relies almost entirely on imagery and action to tell the story.

Having said that, you lot may be fooled into thinking that I didn't like the movie at all. I actually enjoyed it. I "got" the plot without whatever problems, though a reading of the novel would definitely fill in some gray areas. But I can't get over the idea that a lot of the plot went on in Scarlett's character's head. Her ultimate empathy for the human race and her desperate bid to break gratis of her ghoulish task are only partly explained.

All in all, non plenty plot to cover the time allotted, but I didn't feel scammed or that I'd entirely wasted my time. But definitely not a "redefining of what it means to be human" equally i reviewer put it.

I also have to note that my goggle box turned itself off nigh halfway through. That's never happened before. Was it trying to tell me something?

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9 /10

Superb

I don't usually write reviews, this is more a answer to the negative comments - considering I'm a contentious little man.

The plot has been criticised as not-real and this but isn't the case...All you need to know is there's some kind of experiment going on, could exist a prelude to an invasion, but information technology doesn't matter - there'southward enough of research that has been done that isn't condoned (or known) by the whole of society and well is the Alien society homogeneous and united in cause? Hmmmm..run into information technology would take an eon to become into all this item most the organising principles of some other world and the plot simply doesn't need information technology, neither exercise you: she's doing a job and leading a life that she becomes deeply conflicted about and her desire for change drives the plot inside the crucible the poor Alien finds itself.

Enjoy the wonderful soundtrack, sublime photographic camera piece of work, the eeriness and Reddish'southward stunning functioning (all actors were dandy) and all the nuances and themes. A motion picture is the sum of its scenes and this 1 has some fantabulous, splendid scenes. The visuals alone are to die for.

The pace? The film I felt was excellently paced, with one small judder at the cake part, but that's entirely minimal and I probably imagined it.

Scots take criticised the portrayal of Scots - it's not a tourist commercial though is it... and isolation (on which she preys) is an like shooting fish in a barrel bed fellow of poverty and other difficulties. It just works. Delight encounter this excellent movie, there is and then much going on and information technology is wonderfully dark and desolate.

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A modern classic and a true gem of a film

Alert: Spoilers

As Nether the Skin began, I felt a rare tingle of excitement. Watching this film took me dorsum to viewing the likes of Nicolas Roeg'south movies every bit a youngling. All the same, Under the Skin is more just today's equivalent of The Man Who Fell to Earth.

Similar one of the characters in the movie, I felt I had to compression myself during the proceedings. The fact that Under the Peel exists is quite surprising in itself. We have Film4 to thank for backing this production, this is then far removed from Hollywood equally the main protagonist is from her domicile.

And all the same...we have the mind extraordinary sight of Scarlett Johansson's character touring around Scotland in a white transit van, propositioning real people as well as actors. When I read a brief summary of what this motion picture was about, I imagined something low-res and cheap on the screen, all grain and poor hidden photographic camera footage. The motion-picture show delivers instead a remarkably visual caricature of sight and sound whilst contrasting scenes of the incredible with those of the everyday reality. I never, in a one thousand thousand years, thought I encounter Scarlett Johansson wandering effectually a shopping center, passing the likes of Claire'southward and Boots on her quest for her next victim.

The film could have been a disaster, a caffeine fuelled idea that failed dismally when the concept was transferred to the screen. Instead, it'southward a stroke of genius and a genuinely unnerving experience. There is i moment in item that had my peel crawling, a horrific and yet surreal death that fabricated me jump and shudder.

Beautiful, moving, gritty, surprising and totally hypnotic, Jonathan Glazer's movie is unmissable. Information technology'due south not your average horror movie and some genre fans will hate information technology but, for me, this is an instant classic and one that will be well regarded in years to come up.

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