Under the Skin: Character analysis

Under the Skin: Character analysis

The woman in Under the Skin portrayed by Scarlett Johansson is meant to be a mysterious figure whose intentions are not quite clear to the audience. At the start of her film, we see her repeatedly lure men into her van and then her house in order to seduce and have sex with them. The reasoning behind it are unexplained leaving the audience to have to imagine and assume an answer for themselves. Throughout the film the character is cold and emotionless; that gives her an inhuman-like persona. However, she is clearly portrayed as approachable as many people are able to walk up to her and converse with her without feeling uncomfortable or on edge. The conversations that she has with people are simple and quiet and it is clear that they are kept on her terms. She is always the dominant figure in the relationships and has a powerful status over the types of men that she meets, who are usually hitchhikers, wanderers or people who would not be missed if they disappear.

The second half of the film changes the character. When she meets the disfigured man, her cold and ruthless nature becomes one of sadness and compassion. When they are talking it is clear that she fills sorry for hims so she compliments his hands. Whilst this may seem like a harmless comment it is clear that it pleased him, possibly because nobody has ever complimented him before. This is the first moment of her humanity showing. She releases him and then slowly walks around, as if she is on a journey of self-discovery. The fact that she loses the van shows that she is progressing as a character. She becomes more vulnerable, as seen when she is looking at herself naked in the mirror as if she is questioning who she is. Whilst at the beginning of the film we are encouraged to side with her victims over her, as the narrative progresses we sympathise with her more. This is made most clear by the film's ending when she is sexually assaulted and has her skin torn apart to the point where the figure inside is forced to come out.


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