JENNIFER'S BODY

Funny, sexy and smart are the first words that spring to mind when I think of this highly entertaining, kick-ass, girl-power-infused horror-lite offering from director Karyn Kusama (Aeon Flux) and screenwriter Diablo Cody (Juno).

Megan Fox scores the best role of her career thus far, and one that will surely up her ante in the Hollywood game, as the titular maneater – a hot, sought-after and shockingly likable high schooler who becomes possessed by a demon. How? It’s one of the film’s funniest plot points, so I won’t spoil it... but suffice it to say it involves the misguided dreams of a pretentious emo band led by an eyeliner-ed Adam Brody (in a fun supporting turn).

Soon, Jennifer’s on the prowl for meals, since the only thing that will satiate the demon inside her is, literally, flesh and blood. Specifically, the flesh and blood of teenaged boys, whom she begins to pick off voraciously. When she’s “full,” she’s gorgeous, and radiant and superhuman; when she’s “hungry,” she’s pasty, and pimply and decidedly meh. The only witness to her unsettling new tastes is her longtime best friend, Needy (Amanda Seyfried), who loves Jennifer... platonically and, sort of, in a girlcrush kind of way. Needy’s sweet boyfriend (Johnny Simmons) is slightly jealous of the girls’ closerthanthis friendship, so it’s not long before he’s in Jennifer’s crosshairs, as well.

Fox makes for a wildly engaging lead, and truly sinks her teeth into the role. Jennifer owns her sexuality and, in the wrong hands, the character could have been painfully one-dimensional or stupid. Instead, Jennifer is as occasionally sweet as she is sinful, as tough as she is tender, and as deadly as she is desired. Seyfried is just as strong, though, going toe-to-toe with her co-lead and giving as good as she gets in all departments.

Cleverly sidestepping clichés and peppered with plenty of Cody’s trademark flourishes – snappy dialogue, one-step-ahead-of-you storytelling and colorful characters (J.K. Simmons’ overly empathetic, poorly coiffed and hook-handed teacher, a standout) – the movie clicks along at a nice pace, never really slowing down or stagnating. There’s a surprising lack of overall graphic gore, though there is plenty of blood running around, and Kusama makes sure the film is as steamy as it is scary. (The much ballyhooed makeout scene between Fox and Seyfried deserves every bally and hoo, btw.)

Having two women running the show behind the scenes elevates Jennifer’s Body above the standard-issue films in this genre, especially of late. It’s not torture porn, it’s not a lame slasher flick and at no point are any of the female characters onscreen victims. Not even close. Just the opposite, in fact: they’re fully in charge.

DVD NOTES

The DVD includes two commentary tracks, one by director Karyn Kusama and Diablo Cody, and Kusama also does a second, more techie commentary on the extended cut.