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The online film magazine Combustible Celluloid offers new movie reviews, DVD reviews, film reviews, actor interviews, actress interviews, director interviews, film books and all things cinema related for the thoughtful and passionate. Online for ten years! Over 3000 reviews!

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Jennifer's Body (2009)

Rating: 2 Stars (out of 4)

Demon Deeds

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy Jennifer's Body on DVD

The superhot, vacuous Megan Fox finds her footing in a role as a bitchy special effect (rather than as a romantic lead). But unfortunately, Diablo Cody's much-anticipated second script (following Juno) is a dud, and director Karyn Kusama (Girlfight, Aeon Flux) can't find a way to stitch it all together. Fox is Jennifer of the title, but the main character is a nerd nicknamed "Needy" (Amanda Seyfried). For some reason, the nerd and the hottie are best friends until an incident involving and fire and a rock band at a roadside bar; after that, Jennifer likes to feed on human blood and needs it to keep looking her centerfold best. It's up to Needy to solve the problem and restore order to the world. Cody attempts to sprinkle the script with more rhythmic slang, but this time the rhythm is off; the dialogue does not sing. Jennifer's Body is not funny, nor is it sexy (the girls keep their clothes on), nor is it scary (it's all just special effects). It's very close in mood and theme to Heathers (1989), but without any of that movie's daring or attitude. Cody presumably borrowed the title from a 1994 Hole song, though the song and the movie have nothing to do with one another.

DVD Details: Fox released the DVD with both the theatrical and extended cuts (the extended cut doesn't have any more sex or nudity, so don't even bother). Cody and Kusama contribute a commentary track for the theatrical cut, and Kusama provides a solo track for the extended cut. Also available on Blu-Ray.

With: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons, Adam Brody, Sal Cortez, Ryan Levine, Juan Riedinger, Colin Askey, Chris Pratt, Juno Ruddell, Kyle Gallner, Josh Emerson, J.K. Simmons, Amy Sedaris, Cynthia Stevenson
Written by: Diablo Cody
Directed by: Karyn Kusama
MPAA Rating: R for sexuality, bloody violence, language and brief drug use
Running Time: 102 minutes
Date: January 5, 2010