The Film
Blood, entrails, indie rock and a lesbian lip lock; what more could you want? Hopefully nothing, since Jennifer's Body offers little else -- oh except 102 minutes of getting to stare at... well, Jennifer's body.
Jennifer (Megan Fox) is the super-hot high-school chick that every guy wants -- and apparently, some get. In an effort to win the affections of an indie rocker (Adam Brody), she claims to be a virgin, only to be sacrificed by the band ("Do you know how hard it is for an indie band to make it?" he asks). Apparently, Satan rejects the offering and reincarnates Jennifer as a slutty, blood-sucking demon.
Now teenage boys are starting to disappear. Jennifer's gaunt appearance (from hunger) and her new habit of puking up black stuff doesn't appear to deter any of the young local yokels.
It just goes to show you how far hotness can go. While the town is mourning the maulings, Jennifer's slightly nerdy BFF "Needy" (Amanda Seyfried) seems to have it all figured out.
The script is by stripper-turned-Oscar-winner Diablo Cody. While some of the
Juno dialogue is evident here, it's hardly a heartfelt tale. It actually plays off more like a chick flick. That's doesn't mean it's not fun though. After all, how many of us haven't wanted to maul a man on occasion?
Want another look at the film? Check out Lexi Feinberg's review of the theatrical release of
Jennifer's Body.
The Picture
Hello... is there anybody out there? Expect this 1.85:1 transfer to swing with Jennifer's moods and feeding schedule. Sometimes, there is a lot of dark imagery. In fact, there are a few points in the movie where you may want to shine a flashlight on the screen. However, it is intentional and never seems to drown out any of the film's detail. It's hard to imagine young boys getting eaten under buffet lights. Rest assured, though, when it comes time to see the two female leads make out, the image is as bright and clear as can be. Jennifer's skin is particularly beautiful (as is the rest of her). Needy's prom dress is probably a color that we didn't need to know existed, but it looks great, as do all of the other colors presented here.
The Sound
Jennifer's Body does have its comedic moments. However, it's mostly about the horror, which punches you in the face, courtesy of the DTS-HD Master Audio track. When Jennifer has a feeding frenzy, the "crunch" really kicks through the front speakers. The opening fire sequence is one of the most impressive, as well as frightening, using all speakers for the flames and frantic screams. Overall, you should find plenty of moments throughout the film designed to make you jump. However, none ever trample on Cody's quirky dialogue.
The Extras
Don't expect extra nudity or lesbian scenes from the film's Unrated version, which is presented alongside the theatrical release. Still, Fox provided a very "salty" (as Jennifer's says) selection of extras, including two commentaries, deleted and blooper scenes, a nice set of video diaries, promotional materials, and the super-obvious "Megan Fox is Hot" featurette.
Final Thoughts
If you winced at the dialogue in Juno, expect lightening to strike twice. Jennifer's Body has a similar sound. However, if you have your Diablo-Cody-to-English dictionary on hand, it should be easy to navigate through her sea of sometimes-silly dialogue and pop culture references. Love Cody or hate her, it was hard to have high expectations for the movie, when so much of Megan Fox's press has been centered around her physical attributes. When it comes to Jennifer's Body, that's a good thing. As a result, it's fun -- as well as highly functional as a Blu-ray. If you're into ogling, this one may be worth the investment.
Product Details
- Actors: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons, J.K. Simmons, Amy Sedaris, Adam Brody
- Director: Karyn Kusama
- Audio/Languages: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (English), Dolby Digital 5.1 (French, Spanish. Portuguese)
- Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, Portuguese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Thai
- Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
- Region: A
- Number of Discs: 2
- Rating: R
- Studio: 20th Century Fox
- Blu-ray Disc Release Date: December 29, 2009
- Run Time: 102 minutes
- List Price: $29.99
- Extras:
- Theatrical and Extended Versions
- Commentary by Director Karyn Kusama and Writer Diablo Cody (Theatrical Only)
- Commentary by Director Karyn Kusama (Extended Only)
- Deleted Scenes
- Gag Reel
- Jennifer's Body: The Dead Pool
- Video Diaries
- Megan Fox is Hot
- Megan Fox "Peer Pressure" PSA
- Fox Movie Channel Presents "Life After Film School with Writer Diablo Cody"
- Trailers
- Digital Copy
