Jennifer’s Body (Unrated)

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Rating: Unrated and R

Starring:
Megan Fox as Jennifer Check
Amanda Seyfried as Needy Lesnicky
Johnny Simmons as Chip
Adam Brody as Nikolai Wolf

Directed by Karyn Kusama

Special Features:
– Includes Both the Original Theatrical Version and Unrated Version
– Audio Commentary on the Theatrical Version with Director Karyn Kusama and Writer Diablo Cody
– Audio Commentary on the Unrated Version with Director Karyn Kusama

Other Info:
Widescreen (1.85:1)
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Spanish and French Language
Running Time: 102 Minutes

The Details:
The following is the official description of the film:

“Sexy temptress Megan Fox is hotter than hell as Jennifer, a gorgeous, seductive cheerleader who takes evil to a whole new level after she’s possessed by a sinister demon. Steamy action and gore galore ensue as the male student body succumbs to Jennifer’s insatiable appetite for human flesh. Now it’s up to her best friend (Amanda Seyfried) to stop Jennifer’s reign of terror before it’s too late!”

“Jennifer’s Body (Unrated)” is not rated. The theatrical version is rated R for sexuality, bloody violence, language and brief drug use.

Mini-Review:
I’m not a big horror fan, but I have to admit that I was curious to see what writer Diablo Cody would do in the genre. Hot off of the success of “Juno,” “Jennifer’s Body” sounded like a film she could really have some fun with. A lot of people criticize her for her ‘hip’ dialogue, but before this movie I didn’t have a problem with it. However, as the characters started spouting their hip lines, I started seeing their point. It did get pretty annoying. Despite this, there was still some undeniably clever writing. “Jennifer’s Body” follows the fun premise of the popular girl at school becoming possessed by a demon, then killing boys from all the basic cliques in grisly, sexy, and comical ways. To take things up another notch, her uncool friend is the only one that can take her out. It then turns into the classic battle of cool vs uncool.

The movie really seemed to hinge on the performance of Megan Fox as Jennifer Check. After all, the movie was named after her character and she’s on all the ads. I figured that would be fine at least until she opened her mouth to deliver dialogue. Based on “Transformers,” she seemed to me to be long on looks and short on acting ability. But I’ll admit that her acting seemed a lot better in “Jennifer’s Body,” probably because she had a better script and a better director to work with. She certainly won’t be winning any Academy Awards, but she did an adequate job in this movie.

The real star of “Jennifer’s Body” is Amanda Seyfried as Needy Lesnicky. I’m impressed with the range of this actress. She went from a twenty-something, singing, bride-to-be in “Mamma Mia!” to a geeky high school girl in “Jennifer’s Body.” She was equally convincing in both roles. Not only that, the role of Needy required her to go from meek wallflower to a tough, kick-butt demon killer. Again, she did both with seeming ease. It’s going to be really interesting to see this actress in future roles.

While on the surface “Jennifer’s Body” has a lot going for it, the biggest problem with the movie is the basic plot. It is very predictable. You could probably guess every beat of every act and be correct. There are no significant twists or turns or even major scares. The only question is how the movie will end, and that question is answered in the opening 5 minutes of the movie as the rest of the story is a flashback. It’s a bit of a disappointment.

I would recommend “Jennifer’s Body” to anyone that would be interested in seeing an R-rated “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Both set horror stories in a high school setting and have strong female leads. This movie just has a bit more blood, sex, and language. If that doesn’t interest you, then you’ll want to pass on this.

They really skimped on the bonus features. You only get three audio commentaries and the unrated version of the movie. If you want deleted scenes, making-of featurettes, or any other standard DVD goodies, you’re out of luck. They may be holding back for some sort of special edition in the future.