We’ve all had this experience at least once in our life, where we automatically assume that a movie will be completely awful before we have even watched the film. But once we muster up the courage to finally view the movie, we find ourselves actually enjoying it. For me, that experience happened with the horror movie “Jennifer’s Body.”
Like most people, I originally thought the film was just a cringy teen horror movie intended for the male audience, as its official trailer marketed it as just that. In actuality, “Jennifer’s Body” is the complete opposite. The film brings a female perspective to the horror genre that most films have yet to explore. Now, as many years have passed, several people are beginning to appreciate the film and its message. As a result, “Jennifer’s Body” has become a Halloween cult classic.
The film centers around two teenage girls. Jennifer Check (Megan Fox) is the queen bee of Devil’s Kettle High School but has a nerdy best friend, Anita “Needy” Lesnicki (Amanda Seyfried). The pair goes to a local bar to see the new up-and-coming rock band Low Shoulder. However, their fun night out turns into a nightmare when Jennifer changes into a hungry-eyed person who seeks out male human flesh to satisfy her new, unexpected craving. Noticing Jennifer’s heinous behavior, Needy tries to uncover what is happening to Jennifer and vows to end the carnage.
There are many reasons as to why this film has been resurrected from a “terrible” movie to an iconic one. For one, “Jennifer’s Body” was ahead of its time. The film tackled real-life issues such as toxic friendships, misogyny and rape that most people didn’t discuss or quite understand the significance of at the time. But now, as we have become more aware of feminism and the importance of women’s empowerment, the movie has become much more appreciated. From Jennifer’s character being the villain instead of the victim to boys being the sole targets, it brought a refreshing spin to the horror genre.
It’s also fair to say that “Jennifer’s Body” being set and filmed in the 2000s didn’t bring much admiration from the audience since they were living in the era at the time. However, as the years have gone by, viewers have begun to respect the film’s punk-rock soundtrack, early digital cinematography and signature 2000s fashion as the era has become more reminiscent for the audience. From the low-rise jeans to the rock-band-obsessed teens, you felt like you were back in your emo teen years.
Alongside the early 2000s sentiment and female perspective, the film itself tells a comedic, dark revenge story that is such a joy to watch every Halloween or even year round. Although the film has some flaws, such as demeaning language use, it also has many redeeming horror qualities that result in many viewers coming back for multiple rewatches. From the suspenseful plot twists and turns, eerie moments and jump scares, it has every element that most viewers look for in a horror movie. As a result, “Jennifer’s Body” has become one of Halloween’s cult classic films.
If you haven’t given “Jennifer’s Body” a watch or are looking to rewatch it again, the movie is available to stream on Max.