The art house meets the grindhouse as Pedro Almodovar delves into body horror territory in the engrossing and disturbing The Skin I Live In.

Almodovar is a filmmaker who can push boundaries into icky territory, yet it’s the way he does so with some sense of tactfulness which is key to his success. The Skin I Live In shows that formula in effect.

The film marks the return of Antonio Banderas, who starred in many Almodovar films in his native Spain before embarking on a successful Hollywood career. Here he stars as Dr. Robert Ledgard, a successful plastic surgeon who - haunted by the fiery death of his wife- creates a synthetic human skin impenetrable to disease and wounds.

Banderas hasn’t been this good in a long time. The Spaniard funnels that smouldering intensity into an angst filled performance to create one of the more disturbing portrayals of obsession gone insane.

Starring alongside Banderas is Elena Anaya. She plays both the object of Robert’s obsession and Guinea pig in his mad science. No more can be said since The Skin I Live In is a film best seen with as much mystery to its plot points as possible.

Anaya is an actress of striking, hypnotic beauty. Almodovar knew that in order for this film to work, we (especially men) have to fall in love and lust with her in order to feel the full ramifications of the reveals which Almodovar has in store for us.

This is where The Skin I Live In enters disturbing, fascinating and contentious territory. There is a twist in this film that will repulse and surprise, yet again we come back to the tactfulness which Almodovar utilises to make it work.

In lesser hands The Skin I Live In could have been exploitive trash and to some it might still be the case. But there is a heartbeat here that is followed by heartbreak. These characters are worth caring about, in spite of their actions and the monstrosities that stem from it.

This is a horror story only Almodovar could conjure. It’s filled with his style of melodrama and love for the disenfranchised, not to mention a seedy undercurrent that is sure to turn off some. A film for strong minds and sturdy hearts.