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Author Topic: Under the Skin  (Read 11132 times)

philip918

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Under the Skin
« on: April 14, 2014, 03:15:23 PM »
Man, this was so good until an ending that just fell flat. Every great story, and especially every great ending, has a feeling of inevitability. Unfortunately, the last 15-20 minutes of Under the Skin felt random and arbitrary, and the power that had been building fizzles out.

There's certainly a good idea in the hunter becoming the hunted, but I found the odds of the woman wandering into the forest and happening to cross paths with a rapist a bit of a stretch. And then when that rapist gets a glimpse of what she really is he has the will and determination to run all the way back to his truck, get some gasoline, run back, and light her on fire. I didn't buy it. Not at all.

It's too bad, because until this point the film is really something special. Great imagery, sound, score, and a stellar performance by Johansson.

Totoro

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Re: Under the Skin
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2014, 06:28:56 PM »
I have no problem with the ending.

That said, I don't think the film is strong as a whole. This is going to pretty divisive with filmspotting forums. It's pretty much this year's UPSTREAM COLOR. A stirring puzzler with beautiful surrealistic imagery. Cold, but maybe too cold? Possibly thematically shallow? Should that even be a problem?
« Last Edit: July 26, 2014, 05:42:51 AM by Totoro »

Alan Smithee

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Re: Under the Skin
« Reply #2 on: April 15, 2014, 12:28:41 AM »
Man, this was so good until an ending that just fell flat. Every great story, and especially every great ending, has a feeling of inevitability. Unfortunately, the last 15-20 minutes of Under the Skin felt random and arbitrary, and the power that had been building fizzles out.

There's certainly a good idea in the hunter becoming the hunted, but I found the odds of the woman wandering into the forest and happening to cross paths with a rapist a bit of a stretch. And then when that rapist gets a glimpse of what she really is he has the will and determination to run all the way back to his truck, get some gasoline, run back, and light her on fire. I didn't buy it. Not at all.

It's too bad, because until this point the film is really something special. Great imagery, sound, score, and a stellar performance by Johansson.

I just caught up with Sexy Beast and felt the same about that ending, i didn't need the coda with him buried.

St. Martin the Bald

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Re: Under the Skin
« Reply #3 on: April 26, 2014, 08:28:18 PM »
Just saw this today.
Was completely entranced by it. For me the idea of sexual violence was always just under the surface and was bound to be explored at some point.
Felt like Scarlett was powerful - it always seemed like she was experiencing the world for the first time. I was watching the screen the same way she was experiencing her world.
It was dead silent at the end (totally expected that) - this film was fearless in its approach. Glazer took risks and either you were onboard or not.
I totally was.
Hey, nice marmot!

Alan Smithee

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Re: Under the Skin
« Reply #4 on: April 27, 2014, 04:05:37 AM »
So what do you think the deal was with the elephant looking man did he escape did she let him go?

philip918

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Re: Under the Skin
« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2014, 01:14:14 PM »
She let him go. I thought the film did a great job of tracking her emotional arc.

Alan Smithee

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Re: Under the Skin
« Reply #6 on: April 27, 2014, 04:12:21 PM »
She let him go. I thought the film did a great job of tracking her emotional arc.

Who was the man on the motorcycle, her keeper? Was he coming after her, since she let him go?
« Last Edit: April 27, 2014, 11:10:49 PM by Alan Smithee »

philip918

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Re: Under the Skin
« Reply #7 on: April 27, 2014, 06:36:02 PM »
He seemed like her keeper/cleaner. I got the sense that he was looking for her to bring her back in, not to kill her.

Smiley

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Re: Under the Skin
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2014, 04:29:51 AM »
Apparently the book the film is based on is a lot more clear about the woman, who her employers are and what the men are being used for.

don s.

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Re: Under the Skin
« Reply #9 on: April 30, 2014, 07:27:24 PM »
Apparently the book the film is based on is a lot more clear about the woman, who her employers are and what the men are being used for.

I didn't mind filling in the blanks myself and think additional explication within the film would've sapped the mood. I saw the film this afternoon, then read the [basic] plot description on Wikipedia when I got home and found that it tracked exactly with what I understood to be happening.

This is going to pretty divisive with filmspotting forums. It's pretty much this year's UPSTREAM COLOR. A stirring puzzler with beautiful surrealistic imagery. Cold, but maybe too cold? Possibly thematically shallow? Should that even be a problem?

Well, I loved Upstream Color, which hit me like a ton of bricks. Under the Skin was fascinating, and I give Glazer credit for taking me someplace new, but I wasn't as emotionally engaged, for whatever reason. Still, it's a probable Top 10 candidate....
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