Scarlett Johansson is revisiting one of the most unconventional roles of her career as Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin returns to theaters. The 2013 science-fiction thriller is part of Regal Cinemas’ Classic Movie Week 1 lineup, with a screening scheduled for November 6.
Unlike her action-heavy performances as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Johansson takes on a much more unsettling role in the film. She portrays an alien who disguises herself as a woman and preys on unsuspecting men across Scotland.
The story behind Scarlett Johansson’s unsettling sci-fi movie
Directed and co-written by Jonathan Glazer, Under the Skin follows an unnamed alien, credited as the Female, who drives around Scotland in a van scouting isolated men. She uses her appearance to lure them into encounters before taking them to an eerie black void, where they meet a horrifying fate.
The film is loosely based on Michel Faber’s 2000 novel of the same name. However, Glazer takes an unconventional approach to the adaptation, relying heavily on atmosphere, visual storytelling and unsettling sequences rather than traditional science-fiction explanations.
One of its most distinctive production choices involved hidden cameras. Glazer filmed Johansson interacting with unsuspecting members of the public in real Scottish locations. It captures genuine reactions that give several scenes a documentary-like quality. Cinematographer Daniel Landin helped create the film’s cold, observational visual style.
Johansson’s performance also changes as the story progresses. Initially detached from human emotions, “the Female” gradually develops curiosity about the people she encounters. That shift turns the film into a disturbing exploration of identity, vulnerability, and the experience of becoming human.
Despite earning approximately $7.2 million against a reported $13.3 million budget, Under the Skin received strong critical recognition and holds an 83% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Regal’s Classic Movie Week 1 lineup also includes Oldboy, The Handmaiden, Incendies, This Is England, and Portrait of a Lady on Fire, with Under the Skin scheduled for November 6.
Originally reported on ComingSoon.
