Under the Skin | DVD review – Scarlett Johansson’s kerb-crawling alien is compelling and unnerving

A wrong-footing blend of sci-fi mystery and realist grit, British director Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin is compelling and unnerving in equal measure. Scarlett Johansson stars as a kerb-crawling alien prowling the shabby streets of present-day Glasgow for male flesh. As she chats up potential victims – many of them played by unwitting locals filmed by hidden cameras – her extraterrestrial-eye view of our world is unsettling and thought provoking. What happens after she lures her pick-ups back to her lair has a skin-prickling fascination and eerie beauty – accentuated by the dissonant score. Johansson’s casting is a real coup. Even in a black wig and ratty fake-fur coat, her otherworldly allure is intact, confirming any suspicions you may have that Hollywood stars belong to another species.

Certificate 15. Runtime 108 mins. Director Jonathan Glazer.

Released on Blu-ray & DVD on Monday 14th July by StudioCanal and available on digital platforms.

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