Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
A seductive stranger prowls the streets of Glasgow in search of prey: unsuspecting men who fall under her spell.
Under the Skin is a genuinely singular piece of cinema — Glazer's adaptation strips the source novel down to something visceral, abstract, and deeply unsettling. Scarlett Johansson's performance is remarkable, particularly given how much is communicated through physicality and silence, with much of the film shot guerrilla-style using hidden cameras with real Glasgow pedestrians. The cinematography is hypnotic and alien, with the black void seduction sequences being among the most visually arresting images of the decade. Its Novelty is exceptionally high — there is simply nothing else that looks, sounds, or feels quite like this film. The plot is deliberately sparse and elliptical, which serves the film's mood but limits its narrative ambition. The ending, while tonally consistent, arrives somewhat abruptly and risks feeling more inert than profound for some viewers.