Jennifer’s Body (2009)
A mix between a teen drama and a horror movie.
Laura’s Rating: 2.5/5 Stars
Plot: Hot girl Jennifer gets possessed by a demon and starts targeting her male high school classmates. Her nerdy friend, Needy figures out what’s going on and vows to put an end to the terror.
Opinion: This movie feels very 2009. It’s like a horror version of Mean Girls. The outfits are ridiculous, the dialogue is mind numbing, and insensitive jokes reign. The feminist undertones are interesting but barely there, and the concepts could have been executed better.
Of course, Megan Fox is the titular character and the movie really makes her into a sex symbol, with plenty of suggestive camera shots. Fox’s character barely seems real and there is no character development for her, even after her vulnerabilities are revealed. Timid and shy Needy, played by Amanda Seyfried, is the real star, pushing the narrative along and giving the viewers someone to root for.
The juxtaposition between a mindless teen movie and a disturbing horror film is interesting. I’m not sure either part totally works without it feeling campy (in a bad way). Despite the violence and gore, the horror never quite felt scary through the screen of teenage drama and angst. And I couldn’t really tell if it was supposed to. The movie struggles with tone and doesn’t strike the right balance between funny and scary in my opinion. Despite its potential as a fresh take on horror, Jennifer’s Body feels dated and lacks depth and focus.
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