Cheerleaders are man-eaters. No-one understands the pain of the teenage girl. Yes we get the metaphor. That doesn’t make Jennifer’s Body a better film because of it.
Jennifer Check (Megan Fox) is the sexy, popular captain of the high school cheerleading squad. She is kidnapped and sacrificed by an out of town rock band hoping to make it big. When the ritual goes wrong, she comes back to life as a demon who gains her power by feasting on the town’s teenage male population. Only her ‘frumpy’ best friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried) can stop Jennifer from eating more of her classmates.
Coming form the pen of Oscar winning scriptwriter Diablo Cody, the film promised much. Well written lead roles for women are still a rarity but it’s sad to say this isn’t one of those. The snappy dialogue of Juno fails to fly off the page and outside of Fox and Seyfried, the supporting cast are given very little to do except look stupid or die a grisly death.
Two decades ago, Heathers with Winona Ryder and Christian Slater dealt with the subject of rebellion and high school in a much smarter and funnier fashion. Watching Jennifer’s Body try and see the ironic side of teenagers only made me remember Heathers more fondly.
The film’s other main flaw is the casting of Fox. She is undoubtedly sexy but also looks as old as the cast of One True Hill. A teenage cheerleader – I don’t think so! When she seduces Needy’s baby faced boyfriend Chip, the age difference seems almost creepy. As for her acting ability, maybe she should stick to staring in Transformers, robots united.
Short on mirth and scares- Jennifer’s Body probably should not have come back to life in the first place.
beccahutson
2 months, 3 weeks ago
I havent read ONE good review of this film, itneresting! It sounds like a really heavy handed attempt at vaguely exploring the female experience of adolesence etc - but i really dont need loads of blood and virgins to spell it out for me.
I had high hopes for hte film in one sense, due to the directors previous successes, but the critique surrounding this film has put me off seeing it at all.
Great review, i think you gave it a good shot!