Scarlett Johansson has made a significant impact across various genres, from Sofia Coppola’s intricate dramedy <em>Lost In Translation</em>, to the warm and sonically captivating A.I. Samantha in Her, and as Natasha Romanoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Her ability to transition effortlessly into such diverse roles is supported by a broad skill set, including impressive action abilities, precise comedic timing, and the capability to portray a strong emotional range (as seen in <em>Marriage Story</em>, for example). However, her most remarkable showcase came with the masterful 2013 sci-fi horror film Under the Skin, directed by Jonathan Glazer, known for The Zone of Interest.
‘Under The Skin’ Is A Surreal Nightmare, Thanks In Large Part to a Stellar Scarlett Johansson Performance
Under the Skin features Johansson as a mysterious woman in Glasgow who drives around town, luring men into her van. She takes these men, her victims, to a place that conceals a featureless void that submerges them in a mysterious liquid, revealing that she is (spoilers!) an extraterrestrial being disguised as a human seductress. As the alien begins to empathize with her human prey, complications arise regarding her role in the aliens’ plans. The film builds towards a surreal and unforgettable conclusion, showcasing Glazer’s talent for telling captivating stories through imagery and subtlety, largely due to the layers Johansson adds to her otherworldly character.
Much of Johansson’s dialogue in Under the Skin is intentionally trivial. They consist of mundane pleasantries, such as asking for directions or offering a ride to pedestrians. This design is disarming and inconsequential, relying on the notion that men would not fear an attractive young woman (and would likely accept a ride). This creates an intriguing reversal of the typical predator-prey dynamic often present in such scenarios. She laughs at their silly jokes and inquires if they have girlfriends or if they think she is pretty. Before they know it, they find themselves driven into a pitch-black room, then… nothing.
‘Under the Skin’ Is a Haunting Take on an Alien Tale
In a performance that relies more on nuance and visuals than on exposition or introspective dialogue, Johansson masterfully conveys complex character development and transformation through subtle expressions: the twitch of an eye, the complexity of a pause, and so forth. This is crucial because when we finally see her true form… what’s under the skin, you might say. She appears as a nearly featureless, pitch-black alien entity. The personhood she displays is rehearsed, just as we hear voiceover practice in the film’s captivating yet abstract introduction… preparing the human disguise and linguistic skills they will use to attract men.
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“The past is just a story we tell ourselves.”
What makes Under the Skin so unsettling is how effectively Glazer and Johansson capture this alien quality. It becomes evident that she is luring men to their demise. The reasons remain unclear. We do not understand how this space operates or how it captivates men to such an extent that they willingly walk into the dark void. This dark room seems to process these men into skin suits alongside a river of liquefied flesh. Do they use our skins for their disguises? Are we their food? Where are ‘they’? We can infer that this is a regular practice among aliens, but it remains an otherworldly enigma! With minimal concrete information available, what makes it compelling is Glazer’s stunning and surreal world-building, coupled with Johansson’s ability to create and sustain a complex character.
Under the Skin is available for streaming on Kanopy and Hoopla in the U.S.
- Release Date
- April 4, 2014
- Runtime
- 108 minutes
- Director
- Jonathan Glazer
- Writers
- Jonathan Glazer, Walter Campbell
