User reviews

7/10 - very campy, very funny, and memorable feminist horror comedy is Megan Fox at her best and is certainly worth of the cult following it has developed.

It has been some time since I've written a review on this site, but I felt this movie and its current underwhelming performance at the box office warrants some good press. "Jennifer's Body" is a very entertaining film, and is sure to be one that many discover in its DVD release, which according to interviews, director Karyn Kusama has material she is anxious to release.

Make no mistake, JB isn't an Oscar contender, then again, it's not trying to be. It is attempting to throw the viewer into a world of heightened teenage brutality, and in that it succeeded. Diablo Cody, who seems to draw a love her/hate her reaction from audiences, writes a script that perhaps has one too many pop culture references or quirky word choices. But, that is Cody's world. Why say someone is good looking when you can say they're "salty?" It may not make a whole lot of sense, but Cody captures "teen speak" in her dialogue and it is a lot of fun to watch her characters say such unusual things with such ease and normalcy. Cody's writing is what separates this film from other "evil-teen" horror films. Also impressive is when Cody is able to create some genuinely sincere moments between the characters amid the violence and chaos occurring.

This film does not apologize for its odd premise nor does it try to compensate for it. JB plays it straight, recognizing the plot is entirely superficial. This premise doesn't hold the film back. The plot throws enough fun details in the mix that drive this film forward, making it a fantastic platform for the starts of the film, obviously the cast and Cody's writing.

About the cast: As Jennifer, Megan Fox is quite great! Not only does she have the looks to support her character, she creates a girl you love to hate. Jennifer is the ultimate high school goddess, but underneath the sexy exterior and projected confidence lies a tortured soul...physically personified by the demon within her. Fox is sexy when she needs to be, but wrecked when it calls for it. One short scene has possessed Jennifer, disgusted with herself, smearing makeup across her face in a very desperate fashion, desperate to hide her insecurities from the world. It is an impacting moment. Fox is another love/hate personality these days who draws just as much backlash as praise. Say what you want about her prior efforts, but Megan took charge of her character and was creative with her.

Amanda Seyfried stood against Fox well. Naturally, Fox is a force to be reckon with these days and Amanda, playing the gawky, nice girl who hides her beauty, holds her own. The girl can act, and also creates a very sympathetic and relatable character. She manages to create some very humorous moments while being natural. Her admiration for Jennifer is quite clear and Seyfried manages to capture it nicely, without making the character seem obsessive.

The guys in the cast, most who are present so Jennifer can have a meal, are each unique. Props to Kyle Gallner who disappears in his emo-goth role. I had only seen him in the bland "Haunting in Connecticut." Adam Brody, who plays the lead singer of the band that sacrifices Jennifer, had a lot of fun with his role. He creates a character that is so selfish and evil, but seems like a guy who would be fun to have drinks with...if you knew he didn't want to kill you.

Finally, Kusama's direction is swift and competent. She captures the film well not overusing horror techniques and keeping the look of the film fresh. The film's soundtrack is also offbeat and unusual for the genre, but is filled with some great music. The song sung by Brody's band, "Through the Trees," has a great rhythm and lyrics. It's the sort of song that if actually released would undoubtedly be a chart topper.

Is JB the best film you will see all year? No. Is it the worst as many have been claiming? Not by a long shot. JB is different. It's star has been the center of a media obsession. JB is taking the brunt end of this. Behind the harsh criticisms of reviewers who seem to be shifting their disappointment lies a very entertaining and well-made film, despite its subject matter being quite superficial. Forget what you've heard against it, forget what you were expecting. If you like horror, Cody's style, clever films, character films or any combination of the above go see Jennifer's Body. This film deserves a better box office. I for one would like to see more films like this made, and that will only happen if people go see them. Make it happen ya'll.

Jennifer's Body - B+ (Memorable)

After reading multiple articles, and watching Megan fox and Diablo Cody's interview I decided to watch this movie again if it works this time and holds on. I was surprised that it actually works better, the dialogues are sharp and witty, the production value, actors performances, gore, humour works better than it was before as it definitely ahead of its time. I liked the movie before but didn't thought it was rewatchable but I have to say I was wrong. Megan Fox sure deserves better, She was sexy, witty, sharp and overall brilliant in the movie. You don't see anyone like that anymore who owns the screen unapologetically sexy and fierce.

The movie is supported by wonderful supporting cast Amanda Seyfried, Chris Pratt, Kyle Gallner, Johnny Simmons, J.K Simmons, Amy Saderis and Adam Brody.

I hope we get to see more unapologetic fierce characters on screen instead of politically correct characters. I sure hope Megan Fox gets some more roles with talented writers and directors and sure more respect from everyone.

Am I the only one that thinks Diablo Cody is a terrible writer? Though I did enjoy it, Juno was extremely overrated, and this piece of crap cements it for me. I hate Diablo Cody as a writer. Her contrivance and witty attempt at being hip and relevant just doesn't fly. I will give her credit for trying to look at dialog from left of center, but people don't talk like that....well except maybe Diablo Cody. But I didn't go to see a movie full of Diablo Cody's, I went to see a movie with moving characters you care for. If they die, I should care, which I didn't. and the "twist" ending made the Happening look like Citizen Cane, and I'm talking in this day and age where my future unborn children already know what rosebud is. It is still more of a reveal than this movie. It was a shame because there were same great actors in this movie and Megan Fox. Though I will give both Cody and Fox credit, because she actually fit the dialog well, but it doesn't make me hate it less. I found myself bored, and bored in a horror movie is unacceptable. I've seen some awful horror movies too, but never have I been this bored. I gave this movie 3 stars, one for Amanda Seifried, one for the (in my opinion) under appreciated Kyle Gallner, and one for the few interesting shots throughout the movie. Notice NONE for Diablo Cody!

I have to admit that I was initially fearing that "Jennifer's Body" was going to be another generic teenage horror movie. But luckily it turned out to transcend mediocrity and be more than an average teenage horror.

It was because of the cast that I had feared as much. I mean, Megan Fox, come on. But she actually stepped up to the plate and delivered where it counted, proving that she is more than just a pretty face.

The story is about a girl who catch a ride with some questionable Guys. And fearing her gone, her friend is relieved to find her coming back home. But Jennifer is not the same person anymore; she is so much more.

As for the story, well, it wasn't revolutionary to the horror genre by any means, but it was entertaining. And it delivered where it had to.

The practical effects were quite good, as were the special effects. The slow breakdown of Jennifer's body throughout the movie was particularly impressive.

I have seen this movie twice now, granted with years in between, but the movie does have enough contents to sustain more than just a single viewing.

Winning an Oscar for a first film is a perilous position for a screenwriter to be in, for with adulation comes high expectation, and with high expectation comes hype that is almost always self-defeating. Such is the case with "Jennifer's Body," the sophomore script from Diablo ("Juno") Cody, which takes an uncomfortable union of concept, content, and direction (by Karyn Kusama), and transforms it into a film I really WANTED to like, but in the end couldn't. Marketed as a hip, self-aware horror flick, it never delivers much beyond the norm of the genre (it follows firmly in the tradition of Kevin Williamson, who gave us "Scream" and "The Faculty" over a decade ago), and passages of heartfelt emotion are shortchanged for ridiculous horror segues (an indie band sacrifices a virgin to make a pact with the Devil, for instance) and Cody's own contrived linguistic quirks. The quirks worked for "Juno," which told a dramatic story populated by fully realized characters and peppered with moments of bittersweet humor. "Jennifer's Body" almost succeeds based on the strength of its central duo: the titular cheerleader (Megan Fox) and her bespectacled, dorky BFF, Needy (Amanda Seyfried), who undergo serious issues when Jennifer becomes a literal man-eater; the bond between them is so palpable and effective that it almost saves the film when it goes off into the realm of bloodshed and digital trickery. If Cody's script can't find a balance between the horror, the humor, and the pathos, director Kusama steers the film even more erratically, resulting in a tone that remains unsettled until the very end. Ultimately, "Jennifer's Body" has its share of visually arresting moments and fine performances (particularly Seyfried's), but it has much less to offer than its obvious (and far superior) influences: Jacques Tourneur's (and Paul Schrader's) "Cat People" and the "Ginger Snaps" trilogy (which took the metaphorical monstrosity of puberty and its own clever dialog into much more exciting territory).

Jennifer and Needy have been friends since childhood. Now in high school, people can't believe that the two are friends, Jennifer, the hot cheerleader, and Needy the geek. All seems well until Jennifer drags Needy to a club to see a band. A fire erupts, and Jennifer is taken with the band. When she comes back, she seems different, she occasionally gets uglier, she always acts like a bitch, and she wears pink and acts all happy while everyone else is morning the loss of some of the students. Why does she act this way, because she has been possessed by a demon. The only way she is able to stay pretty and young is to feed on teenage boys. Now Needy must find a way to rid her friend of the demon, before anyone else is killed.

I enjoyed this movie, and talk about a shocker, I thought this movie was going to be just Megan Fox killing people. And to be honest, I wasn't that far off. It's both scary and funny.

By no means a great movie or even a very good one, but a movie that does not get credit for being an effective horror-comedy. As time goes on, I'm sure Jennifer's Body will be seen in a higher light and will gain more popularity in the film community. Megan Fox is actually very good in the film and shows that she does have some charisma that can be utilized in the right film.

Any clout that Diablo Cody earned by winning the Academy Award for "Juno" have been officially erased by "Jennifer's Body." The problem with "Jennifer's Body is that it is not funny enough, scary enough, or sexy enough to make anyone happy. After this, Diablo Cody will not be able to sell scripts for "B" films, let alone major features.

When you have Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried as the leads, it is hard to go wrong but it does go wrong. At it's best, "Jennifer's Body" could have been an episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" but the problem is that there are no characters to care about and that is the fault of the screenplay.

Megan Fox is easily the sexiest actress around today and in this film she shows that if she works really hard, she might one day achieve the status of Jennifer Tilly. Her character has no personality whatsoever. Amanda Seyfried is actually pretty good but she has more to work with in the script. Apparently J.K. Simmons has signed a contract to appear in every Diablo Cody film. He is good but does not have a very large part.

"Jennifer's Body" is a watchable film but it is disappointing. If it had one-tenth the humor of "Juno," I would have been happy. Sadly, it appears that Diablo Cody was a one hit wonder.

The writer, Diablo Cody, has stated that she never meant for this to be categorized as a "horror" film, which is precisely what happened. This movie is a fine example of a dark comedy. The dialogue is very quotable, and, if you have a twisted sense of humor and enjoy sarcasm (as I do), you will enjoy this movie. The "scary" scenes aren't scary; there is a lot of over the top gore. Essentially, this movie mocks teen horror flicks. It plays off of the emo trend to create ironic humor, and the laughs come when you least expect them. It also has a respectable soundtrack. If you've yet to see this, I recommend it as a rental for a night in. You will be entertained. Please realize that this is a comic gem full of snark and wit, and don't expect to be frightened. Sit back and enjoy it for what it is; entertainment.

When Jennifer's Body was first announced to me, I met the idea with cautious curiosity. The idea of Megan Fox playing an evil high school beauty queen who eats the boys she seduces sounded... interesting, to say the least. When the trailer finally emerged, I got excited. Seriously. The combination of thrilling and funny hadn't been explored well at the theater in a long time.

Unfortunately, it still hasn't been explored well; at least not very well. The movie understands what it's going for: a comic horror film with just enough gore and jumps to be jarring and plenty of witty dialogue to stay fresh. The problem is, the two don't seem to meld together very well at any point. It's hard to say whether this has more to do with Diablo Cody's script or Karyn Kusama's direction; neither is at it's full potential here. Although, on recollection of the film, the too-random use of humor sometimes seems to have been the biggest problem.

But let's talk about what works. The leads are both very good. It was Megan Fox who got lots of good buzz about proving she could actually act, but Amanda Seyfried really impressed me more with her edgy role. The performances of both are worthy of accolades. They bring honesty and realism to what could have become total caricatures, and their performances help paint the deeper themes of the movie quite well.

Yes, there are deeper themes. It's not too hard to spot what Ms. Cody is trying to talk about here: The relationships girls have with each other. The whole 'Frenemies' idea that so defines high school girls. It's an interesting concept to examine, and it could have made for a truly entertaining AND thoughtful film.

But it simply isn't. While it wants to get there, it gets too lost in trying to be hip and current and 'alternative' to really become a film. And while the tension builds decently toward the finale, it all leads up to a climax that... doesn't really climax.

However, this is not to say Jennifer's Body isn't worth watching. Hell, I was entertained, and there are some sexy little scenes in there. The disappointment lies in thinking about what the premise promised, a promise that sadly wasn't quite fulfilled... 6/10 stars

Jay Addison

I appreciate all types of horror, from the intelligent and atmospheric to the plain dumb and gory, but in the case of Jennifer's Body, I have to admit that I just don't get it: I can't identify with the characters; I fail to understand their motivation; I don't appreciate their idiotic 'hip' language; but most of all, I just cannot comprehend what the film was trying to be. Did writer Diablo Cody intend Jennifer's Body to be a straight-up horror, a dark comedy, a teen drama, a pro-feminist tale, an allegory, or even perhaps, a mixture of all of these? Whatever the intention, it doesn't really work.

Veering awkwardly from one poorly constructed scene to another, Jennifer's Body offers very little in the way of scares, laughs, or emotional content, and if there is a deeper meaning to the film—and the inclusion of recurring imagery does support this idea—then it's virtually impossible to decipher, making it all rather redundant. Even those who choose to watch in the hope of seeing Megan Fox in the altogether will be disappointed: despite playing a sex-mad schoolgirl slut who becomes a seductive boy-eating succubus, she fails to flash the goods.

Of course, there is the much touted lesbian clinch with nerdy best friend Needy (played by Amanda Seyfried, who is much hotter than Fox in my opinion) to keep the lads (or ladies) momentarily happy, but a little girl-on-girl action alone does not make a good film.

Okay, people, this movie is simply proof that this woman's Oscar was a sham. Had Megan Fox been cast in Juno, would DC have won the Oscar for the screenplay? Of course not. Juno was a mediocre film on the page, brought to life by the amazing performance of Page and direction of Reitman, with the quirky music and and the quirky acting of Cera helping it feel "fresh" when it wasn't. But what do the stupid Oscar voters do? They give DC the Oscar and ignore the fact that she was CARRIED by the others, while denying Page and Reitman Oscars. Probably because of DC's personal story of sex worker turned "genius", as Hollywood loves to reward the sleazy people, and DC had a sleazy life.

So now we have this movie, where there is no strong director, no strong actors, and we see that DC is a mediocre writer. Not awful, but not great either. Predictable and clichéd in places, just like Juno. Anti-men, just like Juno. Oscar nomination? Ha, not just like Juno. ;)

I think that if Megan Fox wasn't at the top of the hottest women list when this came out, it would have gone straight to DVD. Even as a DVD, it's hard to recommend a rental even if you're a big fan of Ms. Fox's charms. She's pretty enough but the sex-appeal is somewhat lacking, which is bad considering the true nature of her character. The hottest scene would be a kissing one with her best friend Needy (yes, that's right... Needy). As for nudity, look elsewhere although you'll see her naked back, naked legs and some quick cleavage. With that superficial stuff out of the way, I felt the tone was wrong throughout the movie. It already starts really badly by showing us the main character (Needy played by Amanda Seyfried) in some kind of institution and we soon realize that the movie is going to be one long flash-back sequence. This setup destroys any little suspense this movie might have had as we know she survived and a picture tells us what happened to another protagonist.

Jennifer's Body really wasn't scary or sinister even though it tried with some relatively tame gore and with some badly done scare jump scenes with the volume cranked up. I found Megan covered in blood more perplexing than unnerving. Considering the soft horror elements, the swearing (several F-words) felt out of place and also gave a R-Rating which prevented most teens from seeing this. There was a fire early on in a bar, and honestly I didn't know if they were trying to horrify us (with people on fire) or amuse us by the way it was filmed. The reactions afterwards just didn't feel believable or even credible. There was something that struck me as unconventional in an American movie as there was an attempt at showing normal safe sex, but contrasted with Jennifer's aggressive "seduction" of an innocent. As a b-movie comedy, it failed as the dialogue was just on the verge of being cheesy enough but not quite. It wasn't clever enough to compensate either. No really funny situations, other than perhaps the (unintentionnally?) lame dress and hair Needy wears at the end. It doesn't work as a teen movie, as we don't care about any of the characters, nor does it delve in teenage angst or problems. The special effects are rather minimal and unimpressive as the transformed Jennifer looks a bit artificial. The "fights" were lame especially the last one.

The best moment might be when Needy runs in the woods towards the inevitable confrontation. The stirring guitar music helped a lot but even that scene felt flawed. Amanda Seyfried is obviously a good actress wasting her dramatic talents here in this shoddy story. Megan Fox plays it mostly deadpan, superficial and egocentric although she shows glimpses of real acting ability (when she's scared). Structurally wise, other than the spoiling start, it also feels as if it should end sooner as the last part is lame and drags on. Overall, it's a pretty weak movie in all aspects. Weirdly, I think it had potential to be much stronger with better writing and fleshing-out of the ambiguous relationship between Needy and Jennifer both before and after Jennifer's "trauma".

Rating: 3 out of 10 (weak)

A wild ride from start to finish. A unique storyline with a strange sexual grossness, and corny lines from the late 2000s. Seyfried and Fox are perfectly cast and sell this crazy mess for all its worth.

The film has no objective method of approach. It's neither horror, nor comedy. It's satire (bad satire, at that.) The film enjoys constant displays of ideas and images that correlate to the country (red, white and blue; burning flag) and religion (Town's name is "Devil's Kettle" religion is referenced many times.) matched with some of the admit-tingly hilarious dialogue of Diablo Cody, and of course, Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried (who bring us guys a VERY likable bedroom scene.), to bring you one of the weirdest experimental teen horror flicks that tries to make a statement at the same time. The narratives that form the message are in your face at some times, and subtle and barely registering, at others. The film tries to say one thing, but is so clearly the other. The film then so, became herky jerky and inefficient. I left the theater in a state of sugar daddy comatose wanting more from the two leads and less from the so called "statement (which I didn't get any more of anyway.)

What we have here, is a failure to communicate-a direct result of the writer, Diablo Cody, herself! This film is illogical and messy in it's attempt to display teen horror in a satirical manner. It doesn't move much past the opening, when the logic and reason are thrown out in a bizarre series of events that almost don't make sense. It then goes to play itself with a new breed of 'lingo' that writer Cody obviously thinks the new-age audiences will thrive off of. It's a high-school horror movie doing bad stand -up comedy, or rather, it's Darren Steins "Jawbreaker" with a satanic twist. The story introduces some harsh events that will only disable one's thinking ever more...

But when it all comes down, we have two genres slugging it out by the flagpole. It's easy to see, no one is going to get this movie. Those who will like it, will not so, for the reasons they should, and those who do NOT like it, will so because they don't get what Cody is trying to tell us. What's that? You got us. The film is a cross between political statement, and social anxiety of religion, particularly in a school setting. This could have been a keen idea for the new generation of 'R' rated horror films, but Cody tries to make the film too appealing, getting lost and indulged in the dialogue, the social dynamic, and Megan Fox. Therefore, the film has no direction. It's lost early on, and the film misses the mark. The film had a few merits, such as Amanda Seyfried who delivers the only genuine performance. Hers is a solid, character remaining a stable element that (barely) holds the film together in it's best moments. But when it all comes down, the film is hindered by the story, the plot (there is a difference between the two) and characters, all of which take a back seat to the muddled "message" of the film and the film suffers from inconsistency.

This movie is misunderstood. i watched it for the first time in theaters, and i completely misunderstood it. i went in for the wrong reasons (hotnesses) and judged it as a regular horror movie. i was a noob.

after seeing it recommended as a dark comedy by a few youtubers, i gave it a second shot. this movie is awesome. so funny and clever. interesting story. great music. cool horror scenes. i basically liked it all. and i will watch it again (2 viewings, 2/13/2021)

Seriously, what were they thinking? "Hey, let's have Megan Fox play up her no-talent-just-a-pretty-face card as a killer she-demon and throw in trendsbian (girls who claim to be "bisexual" so pathetic dudes can go "Cool!" and make them feel special) scenes because suckers will go see it!" Oh boy, what is this world coming to? Megan Fox will age, guys, just like all the rest of them. Hopefully she'll cope will it in a decent manner and not do anything, "stupid", I'll just say!

This film was boring, obnoxious, and "just another" idiotic teen horror romp with a hip lesbian angle to try to rope in its audience. You would be better off watching water freeze or grass grow to try and have a good time. Or wait for "Transformers 3" if you really are into seeing some hot girl you know you don't have enough money for galavanting on a giant screen!