“Under the Skin” is a return to thought-provoking art house science fiction that is so bold, it will make a small amount of people fall under its dark spell, while most people will just want to get up and leave. Here is a film with unforgettable sound and imagery, yet almost no story exposition. It baffles you with terrifying thoughts and upsetting scenarios which, to be corny, got under my skin. I’m not sure what the function of these happenings was supposed to be, but I don’t think the movie is interested in explaining anything. I also saw the big budget sci-fi, “Transcendence,” which made the fatal mistake of trying to explain too much.
“Under the Skin” follows Scarlett Johansson as an alien, taking the form of a human as it drives around Scotland in a van, seducing men. I’ve read that many of Johansson’s interactions with the locals are genuine and were captured with hidden cameras. She put on a little weight for the role (the amount that makes her look less like a movie star) and dons a curly brunette wig. It’s interesting that she went unrecognized in the takes they used. Among the rehearsed and scripted segments of the film, she takes men back to what appears to be a flat. An unsettling doom awaits these men, which is so original in concept and special-effects execution that you’ll have to see it to understand its power.
The film’s director, Jonathan Glazer (“Sexy Beast” and “Birth”) has crafted something perfectly mysterious in the tradition of Kubrick or Tarkovsky, which deserves the kind of conversation a nightmarish painting could inspire. What it may be saying about gender, sexuality or just plain human identity is worth too much time and thought to play a role in this review.
Christopher Nolan’s regular cinematographer, Wally Pfister, who shot “Memento,” “The Dark Knight Trilogy” and “Inception,” makes his directorial debut with “Transcendence.” It is about a dying technological genius, played by Johnny Depp, who has his mind uploaded to a computer in an attempt to preserve his soul and continue his work. The program he becomes is an infectious superpower-accumulating endless knowledge, which leads to the creation of advanced nanotech cells that can cure people of illnesses. The program quickly becomes regarded as a deity, inspiring followers and an already-active anti-technology militia to act against the movement.
Pfister sticks to his guns when it comes to preserving the beauty of a movie shot on film, so it looks good. The movie, however, is an unsuccessful blend of high-concept sci-fi with mindless obligatory conflict that generates action scenes. It has great ideas which are cheapened by conventional formulas and technophobic attitudes. The constant amount of expositional dialog is also a condescending aspect of the film. Morgan Freeman contributes to this. It’s his job, after all.
Both films rely on star power. “Under the Skin” does this effectively through Scarlett Johansson alone. She mostly stares and rarely speaks, but her presence is hypnotizing. “Transcendence” has a lot of famous, talented people, with Johnny Depp as the top-billed star. His name is bigger than his contribution to the character he plays. I can imagine so many other actors who may have elevated this material. Depp is a good actor who doesn’t seem in the mood lately to take on roles that offer the challenges he’s suited for.
These movies are products of my favorite genre. One was boring at times, but was effectively unsettling and left an impression in my mind. The other held my attention with bold concepts, but just kept embarrassing itself. Neither one will win over a lot of people.
If you want to see something truly charming, the American release of France’s “Ernest and Celestine” is currently in theatres. This Oscar-nominated hand-drawn animated film from last year is about a friendship between a bear and a mouse. It is creative, silly, heartwarming and, unless I missed scenes of succubus-like murder or radiation-poisoned bullets when I walked out to go to the bathroom, it should be enjoyable to anyone who bothers to see it.
No one is bothering. Go see it.
Bennett Duckworth is a film fanatic who lives in Louisville and goes to see a movie in the theater at least once a week. He has kept a movie review blog since September of 2011 with the mission of writing about every new release he sees, as well as new trends in filmmaking and classic films he loves. You can read more of his reviews at www.bennettduckworth.blogspot.com.