I spend a hot wet afternoon watching Jennifer’s Body. I discovered quite a few things. I discovered that:
· - Megan Fox has the ability to make even women drool over her.
· - Megan Fox can act…huh!
· - An illogical plot can become watchable due to good script, editing, story-telling and acting.
· - A tale of friendship, love and revenge which should be ideally ingredients of a drama can be used to make a horror movie successfully.
· - Modern fads can be inserted as comic elements in a plot and used as comic relief…sounds Shakespearean?
Jennifer’s Body is the story of Jennifer (Megan Fox) and her BFF or best friend forever Needy (Amanda Seyfried). The story is in flashback with Needy as the narrator. She tells the sad and miserable tale of how her life changed in the last two months.
The element of contrast and irony have been used effectively in this movie. Some examples:
Needy calls Jennifer happening and herself a bloke when in reality Needy is the more sensible, smart and tough girl and has a regular boyfriend who truly loves her. Amanda does a good job playing the nerdy and affectionate Needy who transforms and grows as a person throughout the movie.
The character Jennifer played by Fox is possessed by a demonic entity and transforms from a happy go lucky cheer leader into a femme fatale. However the biggest massacre of the story is not committed by her but by the quiet and sweet Needy. Needy’s boyfriend is given a sort of pepper spray to him by his mom to keep him safe. Well generally pepper sprays are carried by girls and it’s Needy who uses this spray on Jennifer. Needy is happy making love to her boyfriend but thinks about Jennifer and totally is distracted. Though the thoughts are not amorous but the two girls almost end up making love later.
Jennifer is possessed by a demon and hurts and kills people but never hurts Needy except one bite on a shoulder but is constantly hurt by Needy, who knocks her down with a car, tries to drown her, cuts and stabs her to death
The theme of friendship and love is also explored seriously. Girls seldom have long-lasting friendships…thanks to jealousy and individuality. Needy and Jennifer’s friendship also hits the rocks when Jennifer attacks Needy’s boyfriend and is later on accused by Needy that she was never a good friend. It’s only Needy in whom Jennifer partly confides her experiences leading up to the demon taking over her but gets no support or consolation from Needy. Needy totally destroys her when she tears off the Best friend pendant from Jen’s neck and when she kills her; she thinks that she is only hurting her. But ultimately it’s her best friend who takes Jen’s life. However, Needy proves that she loved her best friend truly when she takes bloody revenge at the end.
Comic elements are also abundant in the script and come out as natural dialogue. The most notable of it is Jennifer asking Needy for a tampon to seal a mortal wound on her stomach. Megan Fox sizzles as ever and the lady is totally a great kisser and is well supported and given a competition by co-star Amanda Seyfried. The two ladies share a lingering intimate scene which does not look sleazy or titillating at all. The director perhaps wanted to bring a vampirish kind of sensuality to the friendship or show the very common fact of two very close girls just exploring.
I wonder if Karyn Kusama, the director is a David Lynch admirer. The movie brought back memories of the television series ‘Twin Peaks’. Same small town ‘Devil’s Kettle with a huge waterfall, demonic possession, love, friendship, betrayal, murder and great looking girls. I was kind of wondering about the choice of the name Jennifer. Was it chosen because it rhymes with Lucifer? May be you can tell me and if you have not watched the film yet, remember to see the end credits because the director draws the conclusion there.
Jennifer’s Body does not match the calibre of Poison Ivy part 1 but is watchable.
The title is surely misleading like ’Dirty Dancing’ and there are couple of good songs.