Title: Jennifer’s Body Director: Karyn Kusama Starring: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Studio: 20th Century Fox Genre(s): Horror Rated:         (For sexuality, bloody violence, language and brief drug use)   Buy From Amazon.com: Soundtrack / Soundtrack (MP3) / Poster   Buy From iTunes: Soundtrack / Soundtrack [Deluxe Version]

CONSUMER ADVICE

Parents, there is graphic violence, sex, and language. Recommended for ages 17 and up.

There must be over thirty horror films that are released each year. Of those thirty I can usually barely muster up the need to see just one. This year it’s “Jennifer’s Body,” which has been hyped beyond the usual horror film for two reasons. The first is that this is the follow-up film from Diablo Cody, who you may remember won an Oscar for her writing in 2007's surprise hit “Juno.” The second is because it’s a star vehicle for Megan Fox who...is supposed to be the next Angelina Jolie I guess. The movie revolves around Needy (Amanda Seyfried) who is the Plain Jane of her high school. Though she is plain she appears to have a good life, a boyfriend, and she goes on Girls Night Outs with her best friend Jennifer (Fox). Then one night Jennifer comes to her house covered in blood as a result of an underground band trying ti sacrifice her to Satan.

Well, I may not be the expert on slasher films, but try as I may that’s the most interesting demon creation explanation I’ve heard recently. It’s still stupid, but at least she wasn’t turned into a vampire (there’s only so many of those bloody things I can take each year). So Jennifer now kills people. Particularly boys. She kills them by ripping open their stomachs and feasting on their intestines. And keep in mind a woman wrote this screenplay. An Oscar-winning woman. So the next time I hear any of you girls claim “boys are so gross” I want you to watch this movie and tell me how much grosser they could possibly be. Oh wait, there’s the “Saw” movies. Never mind. Anyway, the movie plays out almost as you’d expect a horror film to, but it’s very diluted in any purpose as far as I can see.

Several scenes are very clever and funny, but they are too few and far apart to have a lasting impact. The killing ratio is very small compared to most horror films, thus not living up to the promise of the advertising campaign. The acting is also dreadful. I find it amazing that Megan Fox doesn’t have to do much to make a role like this work and she still finds a way to fail. Her acting is all flat and one note. Watching her act feels like watching a prep girl talk about her pink nail polish; neither enticing or interesting in the least. The standout is Amanda Seyfried who is given a nothing role but still manages to be likable. Maybe it’s the fact that she’s obviously plain but not over-dramatically unhappy, but I grew to like Needy. I wish her character was in a better movie.

In fact, I wish this movie was better in general. There are moments where the dialog is very funny and quirky. Enough moments in fact that some people may walk away with the impression that this is better then they thought it would be because unlike most horror films they actually enjoyed some of it. But the screenplay still doesn’t work. I was laughing at some points because the dialog was funny, but sometimes because it was bad. The story wasn’t anything special and most of the actors are just phoning it in. The best stuff truly involves the Satan worshiping rock band because it’s so original and unexpected. On a whole though the movie doesn’t live up to these brief moments, and we have a film that will make $20 million at the box office on opening weekend and then head straight for Blockbusters discount bin.

Spaceriffic Review