Jennifer's Body

John Chard

2019-07-21

50%

PMS isn't real Needy, it was invented by the boy-run media to make us seem like we're crazy. Jennifer's Body is directed by Karyn Kusama and written by Diablo Cody. It stars Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons, J.K. Simmons, Andy Sedaris and Adam Brody. Music is by Stephen Barton and Thodore Shapiro and cinematography by M. David Mullen. Plot finds Fox as a High School cheerleader who gets possessed by a demon and starts eating the boys from school. Seyfried is the homely best friend who tries to stop her. Women impacting on the horror genre from the directing or writing chairs is in short supply, sadly the team-up of Diablo Cody and Karyn Kusama has barely made a stain on this issue. The intentions, you feel, were honourable from the outset, an attempt to blend hip pop culture comedy with demonic horror, wrapped around the perils of High School sexual learnings, unfortunately the final product is decidedly tepid. Neither funny, bloody or scary, and with weak CGI into the bargain, film feels confused in trying to cover so many bases. The High School setting is lazy, Kusama isn't able to build suspense and Cody's writing misses the required emotional beats. Cast are fine, the odd gag scores some giggles and the film is often sexy, while the score literally does rock, but all told it's just too messy, too studio safe for its own good. 5/10

Rewatching Jennifer's Body reminds me why it left such an impression the first time around. The opening narration paired with the "before and after" sequence was a brilliant way to introduce the characters and set the tone for what was to come. It strikes a balance between ominous and quirky, pulling you into the strange, twisted world of Devil’s Kettle. Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried’s chemistry is one of the highlights. Their dynamic as Jennifer and Needy feels authentic, charged with tension, and full of layers. Megan Fox, often criticized for her emotional range, really brought something extra to this role. She captures Jennifer’s dangerous allure and underlying insecurities in a way that makes her both menacing and fascinating. And let’s be honest—Fox’s charisma and screen presence are off the charts here. What I like is that the movie has more going on under the surface. Sure, it’s about a demon-possessed cheerleader eating boys, but there’s also stuff about friendship, jealousy, and even how women are underestimated or exploited. There’s a lot of deeper meaning if you take the time to think about it (or look it up online, let’s be honest). The production overall was pretty good. The locations were well chosen, and the cinematography had some cool details, like those subtle shifts in perspective with handheld shots and close-ups. It really added to the tension without being too flashy. For me, Jennifer’s Body is one of those movies that just works. It’s fun, has great performances, and leaves you thinking a bit more than you’d expect from a horror-comedy. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely worth a rewatch—and yeah, Megan Fox totally owned this one.