Jennifer's Body (2009)
Last Watch Date - February 12, 2025
Total Times Watched - Twice
Comments
I remember this movie being a bit of a cult thing around when it came out. My guess is that it has something to do with it having both Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried. I saw it on something like HBO in what I assume was 2010 but who knows. It's been long enough now that although I was vaguely familiar with it, I needed a refresher. Oh, and also someone mentioned it being a mutual friend's favorite movie.
This movie really focuses around those two, their relationship, and a demonic possession. An unlikely pair for best buds? The hot slutty girl and the .. hot dorky girl? "Are you guys rapists?" There's nothing more Satanic than a pop band, by the way.
I've mentioned before my love of witch movies and I think this one sort of qualifies, although it does NOT fit in with my general preference for that stuff. I like my witches to be ladies or at least not dorky musicians, preferably. Why does everyone want to be rich? Is it strictly to avoid the crushing depression of daily work? A lot of people seem to want fame, too, but I can't stand when people notice me out and about. I can't even imagine if it were a bunch of randos.
Let's get back on track here – this movie is labeled as horror and comedy. I would say it's more like dark and silly? Horror feels like a stretch and comedy also doesn't seem to be the right label. You're not likely to guffaw or even snicker, but you might smile a couple times if you're lucky. The closest I got to a chuckle was 867-5309. You'll see I guess.
For a movie that's only around 102 minutes, it sure felt a lot longer. I'm not sure what exactly about it doesn't hit for me, but even with some relatively consistent kills, it's slow. The acting is pretty good overall I suppose? Megan Fox's character is kind of stupid and she hams it up a bit, but it works for the most part. Seyfried is underrated because of some of her goofier roles, but she's good in this too. It does help that she's the main character carrying this movie on her back. There are a few pretty short roles from bigger stars in this movie as well, like JK Simmons, Amy Sedaris, and AIDS Ted from The League. You may think he wants us to know him as Adam Brody, but you'd be wrong. Oh yeah, Andy Dwyer is in this briefly too. I really want to complain about the Nightmare on Elm Street remake because of the main dude in that being in THIS movie too, but I'll restrain myself.
There's some reframing of this movie as a feminist movie, some sort of "no you just didn't get it, it was really ___" revisionist sort of thing. I don't buy it. I think they were trying to make a goofy horror movie and that's kind of where it ends. You can read what you want into it I guess, but it's more of a monster movie than anything else. This is basically a teen movie in the form of horror.
Recommended?
Nope. It's not bad, but sorry ZANE – this one doesn't do it for me.
