GETTING UNDER MY SKIN
DVD, Blu-Ray & Streaming – “Under the Skin”
Review by Ray Schillaci
There are movies that come around every so often that are mind bending/expanding tour-de-forces. Some are hallucinogenic experiences that take us on a trek across a foreign place or they can be filled with multiple meanings that puzzle the mind, yet keep our attention, having audiences discussing their journey long after the last flicker leaves the silver screen. Many of us have had the opportunity and appreciated such unique perceptions from visionaries that have brought everything from “El Topo” to “2001: A Space Odyssey”, and may I even go as far as suggest “Donnie Darko” (the theatrical edition, not the directorʼs cut). And, every so often we get posers. Films that lay claim to be artistic, but are more vapid than visionary, like last year’s “Only God Forgives” and now this year’s “Under the Skin”.
I know I am going against the grain with many critics, but I also place myself in the average audience seat which finds if a film is confounding, confusing and boring even with Scarlett Johansson nude throughout, then there is a problem. Some have compared this pretentious pablum to Nicolas Roegʼs “The Man Who Fell to Earth,” and thatʼs the closest to being accurate. For even in my artsy-fartsy days, I found Roegʼs film a slow, pretentious piece of pseudo-science fiction that nearly put me to sleep. Yes, both provide some fascinating cinematography and set pieces, but that does not make up for their lack of cohesive storytelling.
Directed and co-written by Jonathan Glazer (“Sexy Beast” and “Birth”), “Under the Skin” unfolds the tale in slow (snore) burn fashion of an alien played by Ms. Johansson that travels around Scotland picking up unsuspecting men with no ties to friends or families and disposing of them in her own unique sexual way. Sounds interesting, cool, unique and it is all downhill after the first ten exhaustive minutes.
Itʼs like sitting through the first semester of film school with students who are smoking sativa, high out of their freckinʼ minds, spouting how much more clever their ideas are than the average filmgoer and they are determined to prove it. We see so many weird goings-on with little, if no, explanation. Not that we need them. Sometimes itʼs fun to figure out whatʼs going on in the filmmakerʼs mind. But when we are left with no clues at all, just a bunch of bizarre scenes that are strung together just because someone thinks it looks “cool,” itʼs aggravating.
We see a mysterious motorcyclists that aids Johansson in her clean up, but his character does not get any more detailed than a tall dark Igor sidekick that shows up every so often just out of convenience. Johansson plays the perplexed alien that only demonstrates emotion when she is about to lure her victims in, otherwise she is a pale abstract searching for God knows what. She shows no signs of satisfaction once she reaches her goals…if she even has any.
I wish I could be more detailed about the story, but there is little if any to be found. If your a fan of pseudo art films, then by all means gorge yourself with director Glazerʼs high-minded mental masturbation, ejaculating all over this mess. Perhaps I am a bit harsh with this review, but his artistic handling of this half-baked story gets under my skin and goes completely against my credo. My only beef is boredom, retreads and a story that has nothing to say. Lifeʼs too short not to be entertained.
“Under the Skin” is available at Redbox for just under $2 or if youʼre too lazy to get in the car, you can get it via VOD and pay more for this sleep aid.
Directed by: Jonathan Glazer
Release Date: April 4, 2014
Run Time: 108 Minutes
Rated: R
Country: USA/UK/Switerzerland
Distributor: Film4
