Horrific Inquiry: JENNIFER’S BODY (2009)

Welcome back to the scariest, and at times goriest, column here at Film Inquiry: Horrific Inquiry. Twice a month, I will be tackling all things horror, bringing two films back into the spotlight to terrify and frighten once more. And occasionally looking at those that could have pushed the envelope further. Join us as we dive deep into the heart of horror, but warning, there will be spoilers.

When Karyn Kusama‘s Jennifer’s Body was released in 2009, it was not a film that spiked my interest. Even years since its release, it has remained at the bottom of my watch list. So why now? To be honest, it is the fans of the film that have piqued my interest. Every once in and while, my Twitter feed floods with accolades of the film, giving it the sense of a beloved cult classic that needs to be experienced at least once. From its well-known images to its insane dialogue, including describing Aquamarine‘s protagonist as “a girl who’s like half sushi”, Jennifer’s Body is a film that refuses to stay under the radar.

After watching the film, I have come to understand the devotion Jennifer’s Body has garnered over the years, especially as the film gives off the same energy and ridiculous nature of personal favorite The Faculty. And while both tackle an intruder obtaining control of its host, Jennifer’s Body reaches beyond its influences to capture the deep blood connections that bind, all while tackling deteriorating friendships rooted in narcissism. It may not always hit the marks its sets, but Jennifer’s Body is definitely worth the experience.

“She’s actually evil. Not high school evil.”

While taking notes, every detail of the film seemed that it could have a purpose. Honestly, a third of the way through, I found myself noting that I had no idea where this movie was going. There are heavy influences, both subtle and in your face, of the horror genre woven throughout every fiber of the film. From Chucky to Invasion of the Body Snatches, from vampires to demonic possession, Jennifer’s Body seemed as though it wanted to tackle it all. These influences are compounded by the film’s commitment to a nonlinear storytelling style, giving just enough to amuse the audience before revealing the true nature behind the horror. At its core, Jennifer’s Body is both folklore and possession, playing on many of the common tropes of both the horror and young adult genres.

As the film opens, audiences are quickly introduced to both Jennifer (Megan Fox) and Anita, aka “Needy” (Amanda Seyfried). Where Jennifer is given the impression of being stalked, Needy’s introduction establishes her as the narrator of the story and the potential survivor of the events that are to follow. Yet, where the trailers and fan accolades of Needy over the years have presented her as the meekish friend of Jennifer, here, she is a force to be reckoned with. Between her narration and the visuals that accompany, audiences come to understand she is in a mental institution and the Needy we see now kicking orderlies and requiring isolation is not the person she use to be. As the moon shines through the window of her cell, Needy takes us back two months to when it all began.

“The whole country got a huge tragedy boner for Devil’s Kettle”

Jennifer’s Body begins by introducing the town of Devil’s Kettle, its only recognizable feature is a waterfall that flows into a hole that doesn’t seem to come out of anywhere. The idea of the rural town is quickly rooted in the film, the “everyone knows everyone” vibe is undeniable. This idea stays just below the surface throughout the film, giving an intimate nature to its story as it works through its massacres and catalyst. Settling back on the film’s leading ladies, Needy continues her narration, explaining the sandbox bond of friendship that has united Jennifer and Needy since childhood, no matter how different they seem to be from one another.

As Needy prepares to join Jennifer for a night at the local bar, audiences get the first true look into the relationship between the two girls, one that seems to be more of a one-sided abuse of power. As the film progresses, the narcissistic abuse of Jennifer towards Needy only grows deeper in its depiction. As the film moves beyond its early moments of introspection into their relationship, Jennifer and Needy arrive at the bar, Jennifer’s admirers each getting their moment. Yet, it is her current conquest, lead singer Nikolai (Adam Brody), that has her focus.

Up until this point, the pace of the film had been steady, yet seemingly dragging its feet, as though it was looking for a direction it was ready to commit to. Where the characters are developed in these early scenes, there are moments that feel like filler. Yet, as the fire rages to life in the bar, hysteria claiming the lives of those inside, it begins to take on a whole new shape. Needy and Jennifer are both able to escape, strangely met outside by the lead singer, whose crass nature, cool whiskey drink, and immediate presence feel out of place and unbelievable. As he leads Jennifer to his van because he is in “survival mode”, the darkness of Jennifer’s Body sets in, the screams and crackling fire behind Needy weeping the ominous feeling as she watches her friend taken away by the band. There is terror in the eyes of Needy as the van drives away when she finally makes it home, and as she discovers someone is in the house. There is no reprieve to the mental strain these scenes present Needy, heightening the film’s opening scenes and giving the film its first sense of continuity and believability. That is until we find Jennifer in the kitchen.

Yet, the mental strain does not weigh on the audience. Jennifer’s Body is not afraid to lean into Jennifer’s changed persona, enhancing the underlying narcissism while embracing the gore head-on. From the vomit of blood in the kitchen to the brutal murders in the woods, viewers are front and center, witnesses to the demon Jennifer has become. By revealing the horrific nature surrounding Jennifer’s demonic possession, it further elevates the mystery of what she could be possessed by – and how she can be stopped.

“Hell is a Teenage Girl”

Through the slow, meticulous, and increasingly bloody reveal that Jennifer has been possessed by a demon – a succubus to be precise – Jennifer’s Body takes on a different means of perspective and understanding. Yet much of this is not obtained until the final moments of the film. It speaks to the full-circle horrific journey the film is able to achieve. As the credits role, there is the feeling that there was more to the film than just the cinematic depiction of folklore – something deeper to be understood. And I’m not just talking about my unresolved questions regarding J. K. Simmons‘ Mr. Wroblewski’s claw for a hand.

The film tackles the deteriorating relationship between Jennifer and Needy, a common occurrence as friends reach high school and begin to enter the world. This deterioration existed just below the surface, easily rationalized by the understanding of who each other is – specifically who Jennifer is. What is intriguing is how the film captures the duality of their friendship as it deteriorates and concludes. Firstly, Jennifer explains to Needy midway through the film the truth of what happened to her the night the bar burned down, revealing she has no idea why she was brought back. While it is initially revealed that if the sacrifice was not purely a demon takes over the body, the truth of Jennifer’s survival lies in the necklace she and Needy each where. Where they may be growing apart, they each need each other to survive.

In one of the flashbacks Jennifer’s Body gives viewers of the early days of childhood, Jennifer is shown with an injury to her hand, Needy subsequently sucking the blood away to prevent them from getting in trouble and to care for Jennifer. It is initially a strange inclusion, that at first seems to be the core basis for why Jennifer can not harm Needy. Yet, as Needy and Jennifer fight to the death by film’s end, Needy only finds she is able to overcome the powers of the demon and stab Jennifer in the heart after the cords that bind them are cut – their friendship necklaces. Jennifer’s Body tackles the deeply rooted nature of friendship, that blood is thicker than water. As Needy says in the beginning, they share a “sandbox love that will never die”. Jennifer and Needy are bound by blood, both literally and metaphorically. It is there love that allowed Jennifer’s body to remain viable to the demon and to draw her back. It is their bond that allows Needy to know when Jennifer is close or to know that Jennifer is preying on her boyfriend Chip (Johnny Simmons).

Until the connection is severed, it is impossible to move on and overcome. Until that bond is broken, each friend is in possession of the other. And possession is a good word to use, especially as Needy and Jennifer share a deeply rooted narcissistic relationship. As the friendship deteriorates, viewers come to understand that Needy had to “cut the cord”. While Jennifer was possessed by the demon succubus, so too was Needy of Jennifer. Everything was dictated by Jennifer, gaslighted by Jennifer, and controlled by Jennifer. Jennifer’s Body may capture the deterioration of a friendship, but it also captures the end of abuse. And it is not until Jennifer threatens the life of, and subsequently kills, Chip that Needy is finally empowered enough to fight back, to cut the ties that bind. Yet, we can never shake the influences of those who have been so deeply ingrained in our lives, their influences shaping and influencing the person we ultimately become. And, by the film’s end, Needy not only claims her influences, but her own self-being.

Conclusion:

Jennifer’s Body finds its deepest success in its dialogue. It is ridiculous, yet quotable. Diablo Cody reaches deep into the heart of youth to satirize every aspect, wrapping its story tightly within the horror of abuse and loss. Seyfried morphs through her Needy, while Fox flexes the power of beauty within the horror. And while not all elements of the film fail to come together as cohesively as others, Jennifer’s Body proves itself to be one wild, satirically horrific experience.

Watch Jennifer’s Body