Under The Skin (2013)
A review by Shlomoh Sherman
July 20, 2025

Read about Under The Skin 2013 On the Internet Movie Data Base

Under the Skin (2013)
Plot Synopsis: The story of an alien in human form; part road movie, part science fiction. It’s a film about seeing our world through alien eyes. A mysterious young woman seduces lonely men in the evening hours in Scotland.
Director: Jonathan Glazer
Writers: Walter Campbell, Jonathan Glazer, Michel Faber
Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy McWilliams, Lynsey Taylor Mackay
Release date: April 18, 2014 (United States)
Countries of origin: United Kingdom, Switzerland, United States
Language: English
Also known as BAJO LA PIEL
Filming locations: Tantallon Castle, Auldhame, East Lothian, Scotland, UK(castle ruins)
Production companies: Film4, British Film Institute (BFI)Silver Reel
Box office:
Budget: $13,300,000 (estimated)
Gross US & Canada: $2,614,251
Opening weekend US & Canada
$133,154Apr 6, 2014
Gross worldwide: $7,494,387
See detailed box office info on IMDbPro
Runtime: 1 hour 48 minutes
Sound mix: Dolby Digital
Motion Picture Rating (MPA)
Rated R for graphic nudity, sexual content, some violence and language
Parents Guide: See below

Storyline:
What can I possibly say about the wonderful features of this movie except that there are none. As I write this review, I almost feel that if I use the word "film" rather than "movie", I am sullying my keyboard. First of all, Scarlett Johansson is one of my faorite actresses. I have seen her in several films where she plays a superhero with fantastic powers. Here she is a super villain whose powers do exactly what? She is an alien sent to earth to seduce young men and luring them to her apartment, strips them of their skin. But for what purpse? That isn't clear. After killing several men, she finds herself on a deserted beach, if I remember correctly, where she sheds her own human skin to reveal what she actually looks like. Soon after that, a man who has been following her and sees what she is, kills her. The movie is low budget and my daughter tells me that many of the actors in the film were actual residents of East Lothian, Scotland who were given roles of the victims. There is a lot of dead time in the movie; scenes of her driving along the road, looking for victims. These scenes just go on and on and are interminable. Even the scenes where where she is killing the victims are needlessly too long. The story plot has no real message unlike so many other scifi movies.
Don't take my word for. Listen to what other reviewers have to say.

As usual, I include in my movie reviews, an excerpt from at least one reviewer on IMDB.

TxMike
Scarlett in all her glory, Alien to me. I am a Scarlett Johansson fan, ever since I saw her in "Horse Whisperer" in 1998. Realizing I had not seen this one yet, I managed to find it via the Kanopy streaming service through my public library's subscription. It is not a mainstream movie, with a clear story and character motivations. It is a good watch for those who enjoy occasionally exploring alternative themes and filming styles. There is a vague opening, to suggest that an alien character has arrived and will explore Earth, in the process hunting down unsuspecting males. Scarlett Johansson plays the lead and is only known as "The Female." All filmed in Scotland, much of it outside towns and cities in the unusual and mostly beautiful countryside. There isn't much action, nor is there much dialog. The film is atmospheric and attractive, and when it ends it is very easy to think "so what?" I am glad I took the time to watch it but I will estimate that most lovers of clear-cut, mainstream movies will not enjoy it.

Gordon-11
It's beyond horrendous. This film tells the story of an alien who takes on human form, luring young men into death by mesmerizing them into a pool of dark water. I could not believe how slow the pacing is. I can easily watch it at double time and not miss a thing. The first dialog comes after thirteen minutes into the film, and everything is super slow. It feels as if this film is designed to test the limit of endurance. The plot is almost empty, there is really only enough story to fill twenty minutes of screen time. Those eerie sounding sound effects are annoying too, adding nothing to the weird atmosphere. "Under the Skin" is really beyond horrendous. I was bored thoroughly, and I wish I could get back my two hours of wasted time.

TheLittleSongbird
Gets under the skin. Despite being a box office failure, 'Under the Skin' was a critical success with a lot of critics citing it as "an unforgettable experience" and one of the best films of the year. Audience reaction, as one can see here, has been much more divisive. Seeing 'Under the Skin', much of it was very impressive. Can totally see why people disliked it. 'Under the Skin' to me wasn't perfect. Maybe it would have worked better as a short film. Can see why the slow pacing was adopted, for atmosphere and immersing into the world reasons, but there are parts that are a bit too drawn-out and meandering which doesn't always make the film as attention-grabbing as it could have been. People feeling that there are unanswered questions here will find that the book, which has much more depth and clarity, provides the answers. However, 'Under the Skin' does look amazing with some startlingly original imagery that really haunts the mind. The cinematography and eerie lighting, as well as the beautiful but austere Scottish landscapes, help make it one of the visually best-looking films that year. A big star is Mica Levi's electronic score that relies on drums and strings, this is one nerve-shredding music score with the freakiest use of strings for any film seen in recent memory. Scarlett Johansson is mesmerising here in one of her best performances, she's rarely been more sensual and she shows a mastery of conveying so much while saying little, very hard to do and under-appreciated by many. Adam Pearson also gives a disturbing but poignant performance. Other than them, the rest of the acting is competent but not standout-worthy or memorable while never being disastrous or bad. In conclusion, not mind-blowingly incredible and understandably divisive but one of those experiences that is hard not to forget. 7/10 Bethany Cox

RaveReviewerzzz
If your open minded give it a try. I am surprised by the amount of negative criticism about this film as I found it mesmerising and intriguing. If your expecting some Hollywood movie about a sexy alien killing lots of dull characters in a gory and sensationalised way (with lots of explosions thrown in), then you will be disappointed. The pace is slow however I felt that this contributed to the whole feel and atmosphere. I liked the use of Scotland as a setting especially the way it contrasted the natural beauty of Scotland with some of the urban ugliness that exists. I also liked the way Scarlett Johansson played the main role - cool, sexy and almost emotionless. I am glad I didn't watch this at the cinema as watching it at home meant I could discuss the film during the many periods of calm. There were a few arty scenes in the film but I did not feel these were pretentious or contrived, again they added to the feel of the film. The ending was a little disappointing in my opinion but I still feel this film is classy, original and will make most people think!

KUDOS TO Scarlett Johansson as The Female. I don't know anyone else in the movie to whom I can give praise. The acting was competent enough for this one.

Trivia:
Championship motorcycle road racer Jeremy McWilliams was cast as the motorcyclist to handle the treacherous driving conditions of the Scottish Highlands.
Scarlett Johansson talked about her deciding to go nude for the film during a press conference. "I think in some ways you have to look at the nudity and sort of assume that it's going to be a screenshot for someone, and you kind of have to weigh the value of the risk that you're taking. You know, 'Is this gratuitous? Is this a vanity project? Is this an important part of this character's journey to self-discovery? What's the gain?" She ultimately decided it was right for the character and worth the risk. She then added, "I'm not a provocative person. It's not like I live to be photographed in the buff or anything like that." And not being provocative led to some apprehension when being asked to strip totally naked. "It really made me aware of when I was doing it, all the kinds of judgments and all of these things we place on ourselves. How self-conscious you can be about the way you look, your own vanity. It was really challenging but it was interesting like, 'I really am self-conscious about this or I'm holding on to this idea I should look like that.' We all have it. I guess as a woman, we have it more, I don't know."
Jonathan Glazer did not want to use make-up for the man with neurofibromatosis. Adam Pearson was cast after the production team contacted Changing Faces, a charity supporting people with facial disfigurement. His ideas about how Scarlett Johansson's character could seduce his character were added to the script.

Goofs:
When Laura is walking down the street before she trips, you can see reflections of a crew member in a high-vis vest helping the camera follow her down the street.
When Laura first gets in the van at the flats, she doesn't shift gears at any point. Her left hand is seen on the wheel even though the engine can be heard changing. As she turns in front of the stadium, it can be seen that the van has a manual-transmission.
(At around 1h 38 mins) The black latex under the fake human skin is ripped and in folds, revealing The Woman's actual skin at the tail bone.
Frequently, the main character is shown putting on her seat belt, and many times she is not seen taking it off.
In one scene, she puts on her seat belt twice, in a single conversation, without taking it off.

Crazy credits:
None of the characters are named in the closing credits: the cast-list is only a list of actors' names.
In the end credits, Barnaby Smyth is listed twice as Foley Editor.

Soundtracks:
Real Gone Kid Performed by Deacon Blue Written by Ricky Ross Published by Sony/ATV Music Publishing (UK) Ltd. Licensed courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited
C90 Performed by Soundtree Written by Luis Almau (as Almau)/Peter Raeburn (as Raeburn) Published by Soundtree Music Publishing Ltd Licensed courtesy of Nowever Records
Sandstorm Performed by Darude Written by Darude and Jaakko Salovaara Published by Universal Music Publishing MGB Ltd Licensed courtesy of 16 Inch Records

Awards:
American Society of Cinematographers, USA 23 wins & 113 nominations
American Society of Cinematographers, USA 2015 Nominee Spotlight Award
BAFTA Awards:
Mica Levi 2015 Nominee BAFTA Film Award Best Original Music
2015 Nominee Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film
Jonathan Glazer at an event for Birth (2004) 2013 Nominee British Independent Film Award Best Director
Scarlett Johansson 2013 Nominee British Independent Film Award Best Actress
Scarlett Johansson
Feature Stuart Howell (camera operator) Critics Choice Awards
Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
Best Adapted Screenplay Walter Campbell, Jonathan Glazer
Mica Levi 2014 Winner CFCA Award Best Original Score
Mica Levi 2014 Winner European Film Award European Composer
Jonathan Glazer at an event for Birth (2004)
2015 Nominee Independent Spirit Award Best International Film
London Critics Circle Film Awards
Scarlett Johansson 2015 Nominee ALFS Award Actress of the Year
Jonathan Glazer at an event for Birth (2004) 2015 Nominee ALFS Award Director of the Year
Jonathan Glazer, Mica Levi 2015 Winner ALFS Award Technical Achievement of the Year
Mica Levi (score) London Film Festival
Jonathan Glazer at an event for Birth (2004)
2013 Nominee Best Film Jonathan Glazer
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards Mica Levi 2014 Winner LAFCA Award Best Music
Online Film Critics Society Awards
2014 Nominee OFCS Award Best Picture
Jonathan Glazer at an event for Birth (2004) 2014 Nominee OFCS Award Best Director
2014 Nominee OFCS Award Best Adapted Screenplay
Walter CampbellJonathan Glazer 2014 Nominee OFCS Award Best Cinematography
2015 Nominee Empire Award Best Horror
Johnnie Burn 2015 Nominee Seattle Film Critics Award Best Visual Effects
Jonathan Glazer at an event for Birth (2004) 2015 Nominee Chainsaw Award Best Limited-Release/Direct-to-Video Film
2015 Nominee COFCA Award Best Cinematography
2015 Winner EDA Special Mention Award Best Depiction of Nudity, Sexuality, or Seduction
Mica Levi 2014 Winner IFJA Award Best Musical Score

PARENTS GUIDE FOR UNDER THE SKIN (2013)
Motion Picture Rating (MPA)
Rated R for graphic nudity, sexual content, some violence and language

Certifications:
Australia MA15+ Brazil 16 Canada 14AAlberta14ABritish Columbia13+Quebec Egypt RDVD rating Finland K-16 France Tous publics avec avertissement Germany 12 Hong Kong III Iceland 12 Ireland 15A Israel 18self-applied Italy VM14 Japan R15+ Lithuania N-18 Luxembourg 16 Mexico B-15 Netherlands 12 New Zealand R13 Philippines R-16 Poland 16 Portugal M/16 Singapore R21 South Africa 16 South Korea 18 Spain 16ICAA Sweden 15 Switzerland 16 Thailand 15 Turkey 15+self-applied United Kingdom 15 United States Rcertificate #48792 United Arab Emirates 15+video rating

SEX & NUDITY: Severe
Graphic sexual assault and attempted rape.
Contains full frontal male and female nudity. A woman lures a man towards her for sex. He strips naked and his erect penis is briefly seen. In another scene another man is lured the same way, and he walk towards her fully naked and his fully erect penis is shown for about 10 seconds, but it's from a far distance away. (although his erect penis is still visible). No female genital nudity is visible at all/no explicit female genital nudity.

VIOLENCE & GORE: Moderate
The film includes an attempted rape scene and an immolation scene that are intense.
A man and a woman drown, leaving their infant on the beach.
A woman hits an unconscious man over the head with a rock
A woman trips and falls on a sidewalk.

PROFANITY: Mild
Fuck and shit are used sparingly.

ALCOHOL, DRUGS & SMOKING: Mild
Alcohol and tobacco use.

FRIGHTENING & INTENSE SCENES: Severe
There are "harvesting" scenes. One man witnesses another "deflate" like a burst balloon leaving only the skin surface floating, followed by what appears to be a large stream of blood.
After a violent attempted sexual assault scene and being set on fire, the protagonist removes her human skin revealing her true alien self. The human face is still blinking and in motion.

Top cast:
Scarlett Johansson ... The Female
Jeremy McWilliams ... The Bad Man
Lynsey Taylor Mackay ... The Dead Woman
Dougie McConnell ... Pick-Up Man
Kevin McAlinden ... First Victim
D. Meade ... Leering Man
Andrew Gorman ... Second Victim
Joe Szula ... Man at Club
Krystof Hádek ... The Swimmer
Roy Armstrong ... Father at Beach
Alison Chand ... Mother at Beach
Ben Mills ... The Baby
Oscar Mills ... The Baby
Lee Fanning ... Motorcyclist #1
Paul Brannigan ... Andrew
Marius Bincu ... Scott Dymond, The Nervous Man
Stephen Horn ... Gang Member #1

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