Under the Skin

One of this year’s strangest sci-fis, Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin promises to be weird and wonderful. The narrative follows a seductive alien named Laura (a Brit-accented Scarlett Johansson) and her penchant for enticing smitten men to their doom. If you feel like you’ve heard this before (1995’s Species), rest assured this is no glitzy, sci-fi slasher. Indeed Glazer was intent on not wanting ‘to deal with the design of science-fiction’. What follows is a film told from Laura’s point of view; earth experienced through alien senses.
Although the film is based on Michel Faber’s novel, the script has been thirteen years in the making. Johansson herself signed up early (hardly a gamble in the light of Glazer’s phenomenally successful 2001 culy-classic Sexy Beast) and the subsequent discourse between her and Glazer helped shape the movie.
Glazer’s directorial flair is met with a striking performance from Hollywood stalwart Johansson and a fitful, menacing score from the very talented Mica Levi (from the band Micachu). Don't miss this sci-fi with a difference.