Rated R for sexuality, bloody violence, language and brief drug use.
C
THE OPENING
Jennifer's Body was a so-so film that couldn't decide if it was a horror film or a comedy, and ultimately ended up being neither.
THE STORY
Needy and Jennifer are the best of friends, even if they don't seem to have anything in common. One night they go to a concert where Jennifer attempts to seduce the lead singer of a new band. When the venue burns to the ground in a freak fire, Jennifer takes off with the band leaving Needy to herself. Jennifer returns, but is no longer the same person she once was. The difference? She now how the powers of a God and needs to eat humans to survive. Needy is willing to sort of go along with this until Jennifer sets her sights on Needy's boyfriend. You don't mess with another woman's man. Will Needy have what it takes to stop Jennifer?
THE REVIEW
Megan Fox. That's pretty much all that you need to say about this movie. It rests completely on her shoulders. This is her first starring role in a movie that is marketed completely around her. So the big question is, does she live up to the hype? Well, yes and no. She's obviously gorgeous, and the filmmakers do a good job showing her off are her not-so-innocent best. As an actress she's not bad, but she's paired up with someone much more talented in Amanda Seyfried, so she doesn't come off all that well. But I think the biggest problem she had was the material she had to work with. The movie was written by Oscar winner Diablo Cody, so I think there was a certain sense that the dialogue would be witty and the story would be interesting. And while there were lines here and there that were funny, the movie as a whole wasn't very interesting to me.
Let's take the plot for one. The movie is bookended with Needy in some kind of mental institution where she mentions how popular she is. But I don't recall the movie ever saying why. Needy is the real main character as the entire story runs through her point of view. And her character is the only one who has a real arc so from that perspective she's OK. But the focal point of the film is really Jennifer and her character's arc is just plain weird. She goes from being this hot, sort of slutty girl to being this hot slutty girl who eats people. But there's no reason for any of this. Why does she become this man-eating devil child? Because the band she hooked up with decided to sacrifice her to the Devil so that they could succeed. Except that they needed a virgin for the sacrifice and well, Jennifer was definitely not one. So when that happens, things apparently can go wrong. Not for the band - they manage to become a massive hit. But Jennifer, instead of dying from multiple stab wounds, comes back to life with these great powers, but a need to eat people in order to stay healthy. It's a plot that could have been funny but instead they played it in a much more serious vein, and that turns the movie into a horror film. But as a horror film, it wasn't remotely scary.
As a horror film there are the requisite horror moments. Jennfer at one point throws up a bucket of some strange black substance that almost seems to have a life of its own. She jumps out of the shadows, covered in blood. She manages to unhinge her jaw to take bites out of people. All what you might expect, but it was all so predictable. There was nothing new from this movie in terms of horror. So maybe it was meant to be a horror-comedy? My guess is that's what the intent was. To have a movie that was a little absurd, full of funny lines and self-aware characters, but at the same time a movie about a ridiculously hot girl who eats people. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough comedy to make it work. In fact, were some other woman starring in it, I may have even dozed off at points. However Fox has enough appeal to keep me awake.
For the guys out there, the best scene in the movie, by far, is when the two leading ladies have a little makeout session in bed. It goes on for much longer than you expect and is totally worth the price of admission. Or, at the very least, to own on DVD when it comes out. Visually the film was actually decent. It had a nice, ghostlike quality to it. It was very moody with the right sort of shadows and lighting. The acting was so-so from the supporting cast but nothing to write home about. The soundtrack was pretty good and arguably the best non-kissing part of the film. I'd say the soundtrack is worth checking out now, and the movie is worth checking out on DVD.
THE BOTTOM LINE
So overall, I was disappointed with Jennifer's Body. I know it is being released in a month not typically known for having great films, but with Diablo Cody as the screenwriter, I expected more than a run-of-the-mill psuedo comedy-thriller.
As a horror film there are the requisite horror moments. Jennfer at one point throws up a bucket of some strange black substance that almost seems to have a life of its own. She jumps out of the shadows, covered in blood. She manages to unhinge her jaw to take bites out of people. All what you might expect, but it was all so predictable. There was nothing new from this movie in terms of horror. So maybe it was meant to be a horror-comedy? My guess is that's what the intent was. To have a movie that was a little absurd, full of funny lines and self-aware characters, but at the same time a movie about a ridiculously hot girl who eats people. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough comedy to make it work. In fact, were some other woman starring in it, I may have even dozed off at points. However Fox has enough appeal to keep me awake.
