So, yeah, I recently picked this up on DVD after all the hype and publicity engaged me, and much championong from me on this very site. I know, so good with the timing right? Sadly that is mostly how I get to watch my horror, getting to the pictures is increasingly difficult along with many other things but I'm still picking up the DVD's as you'll hopefully see as I get to watch those, or hope to. If for some reason you are even later than me at watching this film do not read on if you do not want to be spoiled and have plot details revealed.
My general thoughts are that the film presents a highly stylised world. Initially this will immediately put a lot of people off and is akin to the likes of Aaron Sorkin or Joss Whedon on tv or the films of Tim Burton or any "hyper-reality" writers or directors. I'd heard that said about writer Diablo Cody's flair for language and it's true, it's quite good if overly phony sounding at times and always very styled if you know what I mean. I hadn't seen Juno so this was my first experience of that, when it worked it was great, sometimes naturalistic which weirdly jarred itself but on a couple of occasions horribly and distractingly bad.
Taking the movie chronologically we are thrown straight into the narrative and this world, the lives of these people and the way they are. It's quite uncomfortable and takes some adjusting to the tone which never seems to settle as a result at first. As we open we go straight from high school seen-it-a-thousand-times best friends, relationships etc "Dawson's Creek" stuff to a horrific scene of the local bar burning down. This is actually presented, not as drama or too realistic, but in an o.t.t stylised horror film sort of way, imagine being thrown from One Tree Hill or something into a scene directed by Sam Raimi. From there the movie's main plot kicks in. One thing here has now become obvious, Megan Fox looks good, and that's it. The person carrying the movie and the lead, despite the promotional material, is Amanda Seyfried, though not the face of the movie. She really does hold it too doing an excellent job at getting her character and drawing you into the movie's world through her, the only fleshed out person you can give a damn about. In fairness Fox gets two scenes in movie's middle and end which prove she probably can act if she tries but here the brief is arguably to act the vacuous botched bitch with extra demonic relish and never fail to give a sexy performance above all else.
As the murders progress the horror is obviously fairly tame, the film is only a 15 certificate, and might seem cliche to some as the nature of Jennifer's curse is revealed. I dug it, partly because it seems brave to do what might be construed as cheesy and I haven't seen much of it, plus it came across quite cool in the world established and seemed to fit. As Jennifer first returns from her, initially unseen, ordeal there is one of the scariest and creepiest scenes I have seen in a while as a bloodied Fox simply smiles through bared teeth, vacant stare in her eyes just facing down her friend through darkness. Then screams that sound truly otherworldy and some horror scenes which might surprise you with their effectiveness and how good they are. A true shudder moment.
The high school stuff is less successful, but as I said Seyfried's Needy keeps you on track, the mid-section of the film ticks along though remains unremarkable bar odd directorial or writing quirks that creep in (Why has J.K Simmons' teacher got a metal claw for example?).
The movie's final acts take us through the stereotypical lesbian sleepover, prom, boyfriend's heroic death and final confrontations but never seem laboured or like something we've seen before, even though we know most of it is. The final moments though of Jennifer's new "life" are genuinely affecting and heartbreaking and you may find yourself realising that, looking back, it was a hell of a fun ride and you actually enjoyed it. I'm not promising but as I said before I'm a forgiving audience.
The thing that does bother me is that if you try and take a message from the movie it's arguably that for a woman to find her power she has to become a sexualised "bad girl", naughtier type (as evidenced by Needy's deterioration in the mental hospital, the deleted scene of her whoring herself and her final bloody revenge). Needy kind of becomes Jennifer to survive, right down to the bloody slaughter, and even powers (though mercifully remains not evil). The alternative is an emasculation fantasy viewpoint. Personally that bothers me but I believe it was just written as a "punch the air" ending for the character of Needy and a kind of script or thematic poetic justice.
All told I was going to give the film a lower mark, I can see how many people will hate it, and the accusations of cliche, cheese, etc that will be levelled at it, perhaps fairly. As it's sat with me for a few days however I realise that I really dug the world it created and horror tale it spun me and I do want to watch again, and maybe see more of this world or others of it's ilk. A fun time, enjoyable viewing if not always easy, hooks you in and delivers what it should: thrills, occasional scares but mainly a fantasy escapist movie land where you can live a fight with a succubus through the protagonist's small town eyes. For me...
**** (4/5)
"I am going to eat you and shit out your soul Lesnicky! "
MM
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