DVD Reviews

Jennifer's Body

• Rating:
• Director: Karyn Kusama
• Starring: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Adam Brody, J.K. Simmons
• Details: US/102mins (16)

Further proof, if any were needed, that Megan Fox is really good at playing slutty teenagers.
Coming from the brain of Oscar winning Juno writer Diablo Cody, there was always going to be a certain air of anticipation for this horror/comedy. Throw in a scantily-clad Megan Fox acting out a storyline that (literally) involves her chowing down on some hormonal teen boys after luring them with a promise of sex, and this has all the ingredients to be one of the biggest hits of the year. Yet, it tanked at the box-office Stateside. While Cody's script is often amusing, the direction from Karyn Kusama is indifferent and unsure, creating a dreary, uneven tone when a consistent hand could've seen the source material shine. Amanda Seyfried is introverted teen, Needy, who is BFF's with Megan Fox's vampish, Jennifer. When emo band Low Shoulders come to town, Jennifer convinces Needy to go see them. Once at the gig she sets her sights on the bands lead singer, played by the OC's Adam Brody, who is looking for a virgin to sacrifice so that the band can hit the big-time, "like that guy from Maroon 5." But Jennifer is no virgin, so instead she's turned into a flesh-hungry zombie that must feed upon the, eh, meat of boys to keep her looking all beautiful. There are many flaws with this production, and not all of them are Kusama's fault; although in retrospect, she was an odd choice as director. Cody's script has an underlining sharpness, but plot wise it's a bit of mess, relying far too much on the tried and tested rudiments of the horror genre - after initially giving the impression that it was better than that. While the horror element is a complete miss, the fun element of Cody's script does shine through on occasion. Particularly whenever Brody is on screen, which isn't nearly enough. His narcissistic Brandon Flowers-like lead singer is an absolute hoot, and fits perfectly with Cody's words. There are moments when Jennifer's Body is an extremely entertaining watch, they're just sandwiched between some sloppy storytelling and absent direction. Thankfully, Cody still knows how to write dialogue.

Review by Mike Sheridan