Jennifer's Body

a movie that was ahead of it's time

credit: 20th Century Fox

The 2009 comedy-horror film ‘Jennifer’s Body’ was ahead of its time and I think we owe it an apology. This campy, feminist, fun, queer movie was deemed a failure when it first released. They marketed the film towards young men because of it’s lead actress Megan Fox. Unsurprisingly, this audience who were just there to see this woman who had been pigeon-holed as a “sex icon”, hated the actual film. Years later, it’s been reclaimed as a cult classic by the audience it should have been marketed towards all along: young women and the queer community.

People wrote the film off as a “horror flick about a demonic cheerleader” when it’s actually a story about female relationships, the coming-of-age high school experience, death of innocence and how people react to tragedy. I rewatched it very recently and I forgot how brilliant it truly is.

credit: 20th Century Fox

The core of the story is the relationship between Jennifer and Needy. On the surface they seem to just be unlikely childhood friends. Jennifer is the cheerleader “hot girl” and Needy is the nerdier, more nervous one. However, there’s so much more beneath the surface. It’s clear these two are not “just friends”. This is most obvious in the scene where they kiss, which is far more romantic than any scene between Needy and her boyfriend Chip, but those feelings are there the whole time. For example, Needy and Jennifer hold hands in the concert, Needy’s gaze focused on Jennifer whilst Jennifer just stares at the lead singer. When we cut back to Needy we see a look of disappointment on her face that Jennifer isn’t looking at her too. Needy also spends the entire film thinking about Jennifer, especially when she’s with Chip. For Needy, Chip is second to Jennifer and I don’t think either of them were ready to accept that, even if they both seemingly know it. The film never punishes either character for the fact they seem to have feelings for each other, except for one comment made by a fellow student in the film’s opening scene, their constant pull towards each other and their underlying feelings are presented in a truthful and honest way.

credit: 20th Century Fox

The film’s title is of course, ‘Jennifer’s Body’ and the film spends a lot of time examining women’s bodies and who has control over them. Despite Demon-Jennifer providing us with lots of horror moments, she is far from the scariest part of the film. The most terrifying scene is when the fame-hungry indie rock band Low Shoulder kidnap Jennifer. They sacrifice her body for a Satanic ritual that they hope will provide them with the fame they’ve always wanted. Aside for one band member, who questions what they are doing (but still goes along with it), they perform the ritual with smiles on their faces and with no remorse for the young woman in front of them.

However, unlike most horror films that have the stereotype of killing off any women who are viewed as sexual beings, in this case, Jennifer’s sexuality is actually what saves her. This stereotype existed as a way of punishing women and teaching them a lesson, but this movie flips this reductive trope on it’s head. Jennifer, who was at first the victim of men trying to take her body for their own gain, now has her own power and is able to get revenge. Her demon transformation is rewarding to see as an audience. Despite the fact she is presented as a “villain” for most of the film, it’s easy to sympathise with her. We all know the true villains are men like those in Low Shoulder.

credit: 20th Century Fox

In conclusion, yes this film is a fun and campy high school horror movie filled with many iconic moments and quotable dialogue but it’s genius is so much more nuanced than what we see on the surface. It’s a brilliant portrayal of female relationships, women’s bodies and the death of innocence.

‘Jennifer’s Body’ you deserved better.

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the best line in the film