What was it about Jennifer's Body that made it seem like it would be so worthless upon first glance? Was it due to the fact that it at its heart is a teen horror flick, or the fact that it was written by Diablo Cody, whose darling Juno I just didn't care for (I know, I know, blasphemy). Regardless of the reason, upon viewing Jennifer's Body, I can honestly say that it is a surprisingly good, funny, and even enjoyable flick that lampoons its high school setting as much as it celebrates it. Transformers beauty Megan Fox stars as the title character, who is the hottest girl in high school, and ends up falling prey to a devil-worshipping band (led by Adam Brody) who use her as a sacrifice. However, Jennifer ends up coming back to life as a demonic boy-devourer, and it's soon up to her unlikely BFF Needy (Amanda Seyfried) to save the day, and put an end to Jennifer's spree. While the film is a play on the sapphic relationships between teen females, there is enough hearty helpings of humor and gore for horror fans to eat up. Combine that with Diablo Cody's Juno-esque dialogue and surprisingly good turns by Fox and Seyfried, and Jennifer's Body ends up being surprisingly enjoyable. Give it a chance, you'll be pleasently surprised.
"Jennifer's Body" which cost around $22 million to make, earned around $33 million worldwide and has received mix ratings from a variety of critics but earning praise from Roger Ebert and Peter Travers of "Rolling Stone Magazine".
Now "Jennifer's Body: Unrated" is released on Blu-ray with a special unrated version which includes both the original theatrical version of the film and also an unrated version. The Blu-ray release also includes a digital copy of the film.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
"Jennifer's Body" is presented in 1080p High Definition (Widescreen 1:85:1) with AVC @ 26MBPS. Picture quality is pretty solid as you can see the detail in various surfaces around town. A lot of scenes featuring blood, dirt and grime on the characters which is quite detailed onscreen. There is a fine layer of grain, skin tones are natural and blacks are nice and deep.
The lossless audio is presented in English 5.1 DTS-HD MA and Spanish, French and Portuguese in Dolby Digital 5.1. The audio is dialogue and music driven, so most of the audio is coming from the front and center channels. There are some scenes that utilize the surround channels, from the slight sounds of a police siren, crowd ambiance and some of the action sequences. Some of the bass you hear from the film comes from the music but for the most part, the film is front and center channel driven.
Subtitles are featured in English SDH, Spanish, Portuguese, Cantonese, Mandarin and Thai.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
"Jennifer's Body: Unrated" comes with the following special features:
* Audio Commentary with Director Karyn Kusama and Writer Diablo Cody (Theatrical Version) An enjoyable commentary featuring director Kusama and writer Diablo Cody discussing the unique script and the structure of the film.
* Audio Commentary with Director Karyn Kusama (Extended Version) While watching the film, a red box will show up on the corner (indicating an extended scene) in which you can hear Karyn discussing the differences of the theatrical version from the extended version of the film and how the extended version of the film which is much more closer to the original script.
* Deleted Scenes (13:55) Six Deleted scenes which include the following deleted scenes: Dead Boys, Jennifer Check Is Gross, Needy Confronts Jennifer, Who's Cindy Crawford?, Needy Faces The Band, Ass, Gas or Grass...
* Gag Reel(4:55) Bloopers from "Jennifer's Body".
* Jennifer's Body: The Dead Pool (13:59) The cast and crew (including writer Diablo Cody, directory Karyn Kusama and the producers) talk about the concept of the film and working with the main talent of the film. And filming of the pool scene and the visual effects and make up effects involved.
* Video Diaries Video diaries from behind-the-scenes on the set of "Jennifer's Body" featuring Megan Fox and Johnny Simmons (12:49), Amanda Seyfried (10:23), Diablo Cody (7:05) and Dan Dubiecki (3:02).
* Megan Fox Is HOT (:53) A short special feature showcasing the sexy scenes of Megan Fox from the film.
* Megan Fox "Peer Pressure" PSA (:37) A naughty public service announcement for "Peer Pressure" (ala promotion for "Jennifer's Body").
* Fox Movie Channel Presents `Life After Film School' With Writer Diablo Cody (26:26) An interesting episode of "Life After Film School" with the three film students interview writer Diablo Cody about the film, her career, working with director Karyn Kusama, Megan Fox and more. Definitely love listening to Diablo Cody discuss her perspective of life and writing.
JUDGMENT CALL:
I suppose that there are horror fans who felt cheated that "Jennifer's Body" was less of a horror, teenage slasher film (despite it having horror elements) and was more of a film that was character driven and really focused on the relationships between Needy and Jennifer.
"Jennifer's Body" is quite interesting because Diablo Cody is pretty good of writing films, her way, her style and it's a carefree style of showing school popularity and the cruelness that happens amongst students. And what better way to take on the role of Jennifer than Megan Fox who has wanted to play this type of role.
But "Jennifer's Body" for the most part is not a great film nor is it the worst film ever made. I suppose it all comes down to the viewer and what they were expecting. Looking for a slasher/gory type of film, well "Jennifer's Body" has scenes that look quite disgusting but for the most part, it's not a scary film. In a way, "Jennifer's Body" plays more like a "Lost Boys" style of film with the music, dark groups of students in town where bad things happening. Also, the film manages to incorporate dark humor to the violence, teenage life and relationships.
But everything comes full circle at the end of the film and I really dig how "Jennifer's Body" ends so rock n' roll but with tragedy. A possible sequel in the future? Who knows.
Megan Fox did a fine job, this may not be the role that utilizes her in a non-sex kitten serious role but for Amanda Seyfried, she really shined in "Jennifer's Body" portraying a variety of emotions from anger, fear, sadness, you name it. It was really good to see her play the character of Needy since her previous films tend to showcase her in a more ditsy type of role. So, it was good to see her utilized in the film emotionally in a variety of ways.
If you enjoyed the film "Jennifer's Body: Unrated" comes with a good amount of special features and you get both the theatrical and extended versions of the film and a digital copy. But I really enjoyed how the Blu-ray release also gives us a much more in-depth glimpse of the writer Diablo Cody and her involvement in film. You don't get to see her shown all that much, so it was really cool to see several features with her.
Personally, for "Jennifer's Body: Unrated", it all comes down to the viewer. If you are a guy who wants to see Megan Fox, you'll dig the film. If you are a big Diablo Cody fan, you'll dig this Blu-ray release. If you're wanting to see the film for a scare, well... "Jennifer's Body" is not exactly that scary. But if you are wanting a popcorn flick that has elements of your favorite teen film and horror elements, you may find the extended version included on this Blu-ray release of "Jennifer's Body: Unrated" more to your liking.
Buy Jennifer's Body (2009) Now
The author of Juno, the star of Mamma Mia and the movie world's frequently voted sexiest woman, all rolled up into one movie, and about the supernatural. What could be more zeitgeist..? And yet, alas, this is a pretty woeful mixture of a movie.. told with polish in places, perhaps, but still a mess.Jennifer (Megan Fox) is the most popular girl in town, her best friend is the geek (and hehehe... she's called Needy gettit? What a laugh..). Jennifer is not shy hormonally driven, one might say, and known to exploit her looks. However, she bites off more than she can chew when she falls fowl of Adam Brody's rock band, who turn out to be minor students of witchcraft. She ends up possessed, and needs human flesh to keep her looks. Can Needy handle the situation and bring an end to the series of deaths in town..?
The tone clearly wants to be this decades Heathers [Blu-ray], but fails miserably in nailing the subtle black humour of that movie. Here, the language, which likes to dwell on descriptions of body parts and functions, in a way that is normally best left unspoken and for good reason, sits uneasy with the attempt at some sinister and almost Gothic goings on in the town of Devil's Kettle. The visuals are not bad, admittedly, in places.. but it can't save a lurching storyline with poorly drawn characters, and soundtrack which strives for smooth and hip but only manages jarring and out of place.
Overall, interesting idea, which could have been a quirky and trendy teen Gothic horror with black comedy overtones.. but only manages to raise laughs for the wrong reasons, with the only horror the discovery that Juno really must have been a one off for Diablo Cody's writing talents. Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried have done nothing to further their career by being in this unholy mess.
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While FOX promotes all the other movies on its roster, the movie at the bottom of their agenda, may have been the one that should have been at the top. Don't get me wrong, it was a bad year for FOX, but JENNIFER'S BODY, while it may not be intellecual or have top known actors in it, it is, for all intensive purposes, sheer fun and constantly interesting.Dismally promoted, JENNIFER'S BODY was shrugged off by its studio as a disappointment, but in the end, JENNIFER'S BODY will probably be one of the movies where, in a few years, or a few months, people will still be watching it. People will still have to get it off the shelf and check it out again and again, because its fun. It isn't all that scary, although it has some scary stuff in it. It's more along the line of 80s movies like NIGHT OF THE CREEPS. It's fun. It's eye candy. It's plain and simple, entertaining.
Amanda Seyfried and Megan Fox are two of the hottest actresses in hollywood right now, and I don't mean HOT as in HAAATTT! I mean HOT as in, getting jobs and getting good jobs and continuing to deliver time after time. Especially Seyfried who is fast becoming one of my favorite actresses. She preys on the audiences natural reaction to find her adorable and cute and then does things either sexy or shocking and it works in JENNIFER'S BODY like a charm. She plays Needy, a nerdy girl who everybody thinks is a lesbo, except for her, who watches the world around her, including her friend Jennifer, become stranger and stranger as dead bodies keep popping up. Is she crazy? or is she just a gulible friend?
JENNIFER'S BODY has everything it needs and more to be a movie that will stand the test of time, despite the poor promotion it received from its studio. Unlike most movies that are forgotten as soon as the credits hit, BODY is a repeat viewer and a fun trip with two actresses who will be around for a long long time.
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So I will admit I bought this movie just for Megan Fox eye candy plus it was like $12 bucks, and it sat unopened on my bluray collection for about 3 months until I had nothing else to watch and I was in the mood for a thinkless horror movie but I must say I was rather pleasantly surprised at the movie as a whole, I actually laughed out loud a couple of times and enjoyed the story but just when I started to get a little bored the Megan Fox/Amanda Seyfried Kiss (OMG!!!) this is the best reason to buy this movie on BluRay and watch on your HDTV, it is pure movie magic.Save 35% Off
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