Under the Skin
Scarlett Johansson plays an alien predator stalking men in Glasgow
The brief
Jonathan Glazer turns what could be a trashy alien seduction flick into something genuinely unsettling and alien, with Scarlett Johansson giving her most fearless performance as a predator who moves through Glasgow like she's studying a different species. The film crawls at a hypnotic pace, building dread through eerie soundscapes and long stretches where you're never quite sure what you're watching unfold. It's less concerned with plot than with creating an atmosphere of creeping wrongness that gets under your skin and stays there. Perfect for fans of Annihilation or anyone who wants sci-fi that prioritizes mood and existential weirdness over explanations.
The verdict
If you crave atmospheric sci-fi that prioritizes eerie mood and existential dread over traditional plot structure, this is a hypnotically disturbing experience that will haunt you long after the credits roll. If you prefer straightforward storytelling with clear explanations and steady pacing, this glacially slow alien study will likely frustrate you with its deliberate ambiguity.
Watch with
- 👤 Solo viewing for maximum immersion
- ⚠️ Skip if you need plot-heavy narratives
Heads up
- Sexual predatory behavior and implied assault (moderate)
- Male frontal nudity in clinical context (brief)
- Body horror and skin-related imagery (moderate)
- Men disappearing/being consumed (implied)
Credits
- Director
- Jonathan Glazer
- Cast
- Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy McWilliams, Lynsey Taylor Mackay, Dougie McConnell, Kevin McAlinden, D. Meade, Andrew Gorman
Official synopsis
'A seductive stranger prowls the streets of Glasgow in search of prey: unsuspecting men who fall under her
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with You Were Never Really Here (2017)
Both feature isolated protagonists hunting through urban landscapes with haunting psychological weight.
Total runtime: 1h 48m + 1h 29m = 3h 17m
