JENNIFER’S BODY

US, 2009, 102 minutes, Colour.
Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons, Adam Brody, J.K. Simmons.
Directed by Karyn Kusama.

Well, Megan Fox's anyway.

What may have been a tantalising idea for writer, Diablo Cody, who won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for her Juno, does not seem to have been translated effectively to the screen. When the opening line is 'Hell is a teenage girl', you expect the screenplay to carry on in this black-humoured, ironic vein. Sometimes it does, but Jennifer's Body is not directed or performed with this kind of irony (although Amanda Seyfried, the daughter from Mamma Mia, at times seems to be trying).

This is really 'High School Horrorshow'. Jennifer is the fille fatale of the school, self-consciously aware of her looks and her allure. But she is best friend with Needy (Seyfried), her almost exact opposite. So far, OK, although the film opened with the revelation that Needy was in a mental institution and prone to some nasty violence and tries to explain (and justify) it by explaining what happened to Jennifer and to her (which might make us wonder how much of the plot happened in reality and how much in Needy's mind).

When Jennifer and Needy go to a concert by a group called Low Shoulder and, in a Satanic sacrifice, they offer Jennifer as victim (somehow or other implausibly thinking she was a virgin – even Needy is not), Jennifer becomes imbued with superpowers and a literal taste for her victims' flesh. Some examples of this are provided but rather more po-facedly than may have been originally intended.

Needy clashes with Jennifer, wants to be protective of her gawky and not too credible hero, Chip (Johnny Simmons) and there is a gory climax. And Needy in the institution.

Of course, many of us could be missing something as it is film made from a female perspective. But, thinking about Juno again and Karyn Kusama's blunt Girlfight, this could have been a very clever film with some bite. (The literal bites are still there without the irony.)

1.The promotion of the film? Diablo Cody as writer (Oscar for Juno)? Megan Fox, actress and sex symbol? Amanda Seyfried from Mamma Mia?

2.The intentions of the writer, a high school horror show, horror for teenagers, serious? How humorous, how ironic? Did the director interpret these intentions?

3.The high school setting, the school itself, the classrooms, the hall, swimming pool? The contrast with homes and apartments? Jennifer’s, Needy’s? The musical score, songs?

4.The focus on Jennifer, Megan Fox and her appearance, the title? At school, her friendship with Needy? Her glamour, the response of the students, the boys? Her urging Needy to go to the concert by Living Shoulder? Her comments on Needy’s clothes? Going to the concert, the aftermath? Her being taken, the satanic sacrifice, virgin, her transformation, her attack on the young boy, the preparation for the attack on Chip? The confrontations with Needy, friendship, clashes, Needy and her wanting to confront Jennifer? The build-up to Jennifer’s revelations, her supernatural powers? The revelation of what she had done? The dance, luring Chip away, the abandoned pool, the attack on him? Needy coming to his rescue? The fight, her death?

5.Needy, the opening, the voice-over, her description of herself, the revelation that she was in an institution, the behaviour in the institution, the other women, the attendant and her violent kicking of her, her being put in solitary? The nastiness of this opening?

6.Needy, her mother, plain, nerdish? Her relationship with Chip, permissive? Her friendship with Jennifer, going to the concert, her dress? The discovery of what was happening, Jennifer’s revelation, the kiss, her taking a stance against her? Chip in danger, her keeping away from him, the photo of her dress with her family, at the dance, running to rescue Chip? The fight with Jennifer? The aftermath, her being in an institution, escaping, going to the Living Shoulder concert, the lift – and her vengeance? Mad all the time – and all this happening in her imagination or not?

7.Chip, gauche, relationship with Needy, suspicions of Jennifer? The dance, the photo, lured away by Jennifer’s lies, the attack, his fighting back, his death?

8.The background of the other students, attitudes towards Jennifer, towards Needy? The boys? Colin, Gothic, his approach to Jennifer, Needy persuading her to have a date, the empty house, his death?

9.The teacher, his appearance, hook hand, and J.K. Simmons playing it for deadpan humour? His behaviour in class, at the dance, the announcements?

10.The parents – generally absent, believing everything about their children?

11.The impact of the film, as a horror film, as a thriller, as comedy – the need for more irony for it to be a success?