Scarlett Johansson’s Greatest Sci-Fi Movie Is Now Streaming for Free
Chris Tilly is the Deputy Movies Editor at ScreenRant, having previously worked as writer/editor/manager/presenter at the likes of IGN, Fandom, Time Out, Dexerto, and HotDog.
Chris also helps program film festivals, hosted the movie podcast Clash of the Titles, and his hands briefly appear in Shaun of the Dead, while outside of work he's a huge supporter of Crystal Palace FC.
Scarlett Johansson's career has segued between critical darlings like Ghost World, Lost in Translation, Jojo Rabbit, and Asteroid City, and the many Marvel movies in which she played Black Widow.
Throughout that period, Johansson has also become known for science-fiction, thanks to titles like creature feature Eight Legged Freaks, Michael Bay joint The Island, action hybrid Lucy, Spike Jonze's cerebral drama Her, and the live-action remake of Ghost in the Shell.
But Johansson's best sci-fi movie is Under the Skin, a feature with little dialogue or plot, but unforgettable sound and imagery. And with the film now streaming on Tubi, it's set to receive a freshlease of life.
Under the Skin Was A Box Office Failure
Following a successful festival run in 2013, Under the Skin hit screens in 2014 to much critical acclaim, earning a Rotten Tomatoes score of 83% in the process.
But in spite of Under the Skin's largely positive reviews, the film failed in cinemas, grossing less than $7.5 million at the global box office, from a budget of nearly double that. Similarly, the movie's audience score currently sits at just 55% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is thoroughly undeserved for a movie this good.
Based on the 2000 novel of the same name by Michael Faber, Under the Skin was directed by Jonathan Glazer, from a script he co-wrote with Walter Campbell. But the duo ripped out much of the story's plot, resulting in a film that feels less like a traditional Hollywood narrative, and more akin to a waking fever dream. One to which mainstream audiences didn't respond.
But a cult has gradually built around the movie over the intervening years, meaning it's now considered something of a sci-fi classic.
How Under the Skin Provides An Alien Perspective On Humanity
Under the Skin's early scenes play out on the streets of Scotland, with Scarlett Johansson's unnamed alien driving from town-to-town in a van, picking up men, taking them to a mysterious domestic location, removing her clothes, encouraging them to do the same, and luring her unsuspecting victims into a thick black liquid where they seemingly meet their end.
What's special about these scenes is the early interactions are real, with hidden cameras picking up Johansson's unscripted conversations with locals, who were then told they'd been filmed, and asked by production for permission to use the footage.
That approach gives the scenes a documentary-like feel, with Johansson's co-stars more genuine and grounded than your average Hollywood actor, and their responses genuine, honest, and frequently funny. Making it all the more heartbreaking when they enter that void.
It also sets Under the Skin apart from most sci-fi movies, which traditionally look at aliens from a human point-of-view. Here however, Glazer is examining us from an extraterrestrial POV, which is a fascinating twist on the genre; one that's frequently disturbing, as the audience is forced to consider our strange customs, bizarre behaviors, and the darker side of humanity.
Scarlett Johansson Delivers A Powerhouse Performance
Under the Skin is also elevated by Scarlett Johansson's central performance as the alien in question, and it was a big swing for the actress at the time, as she'd just started her Marvel journey as Black Widow in Iron Man 2 and then The Avengers.
Under the Skin asked much of Johansson, from perfecting an English accent, to appearing nude onscreen, to learning how to drive a van through Glasgow's streets. But she delivers a jaw-dropping turn as 'Female,' stripping away almost everything recognizable about her superstar persona to play an outsider observing humanity with eerie detachment.
She's effectively a serial killer during Under the Skin's early scenes, while the character does something so shocking midway through proceedings that you might not want to finish the film.
Yet Johansson brings an innocence and vulnerability to Female that has you rooting for her in spite of those acts, and willing the character to survive during Under the Skin's devastating final few reels.
So if you missed Under the Skin during its theatrical run, don't make that same mistake while it's streaming for free on Tubi, as Jonathan's Glazer's stark, abstract direction –paired with Johansson's uncompromising central performance –ensure it's a film that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled.
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