Jennifer's Body

While sitting in the theater and watching it all unfold on screen, there are moments when I started to think this movie could turn into a Rocky Horror Picture Show type cult favorite years from now if Megan Fox is willing to show up at midnight screenings when she is 50, three times divorced and completely renovated via plastic surgery from head to toe.

Amanda Seyfried stars as Needy - the nice girl with a cute, nerdy boyfriend, Chip (Johnny Simmons), and a bitchy, mean girl best friend forever, Jennifer (Megan Fox). Jennifer and Needy have stuck together in spite of Jennifer's constant putdowns, manipulations and outright rude behavior, but the friendship is about to be tested in ways that are much more daunting.

One evening, Jennifer convinces Needy to walk out on her boyfriend, head off to the local bar, and check out a new band. However, the night's festivities are interrupted when a mysterious and massive fire breaks out. Not many survive, and the evening gets even worse when the band takes Jennifer away, after slipping her some alcohol. When she returns, Jennifer appears to have become possessed, and starts to crave human blood and flesh.

Will Jennifer feed on her school chums?

Why is she behaving this way?

Who could stop her?

Surprisingly, Jennifer's Body is more than a dumb teen exploitation film relying completely on Fox's fame and promises of risqué behavior to sell tickets. While it will not be recognized as one of the best movies of the year, or even one of the best of this month, writer Diablo Cody and director Karyn Kusama have created a film which is part campy, part scary horror film and part female empowerment call to arms.

Fox is perfect in the role as she brings the right amounts sexpot, bitchiness, and empty-headedness. With her coquettish pout, eyes that can pierce armor, body built for sin, and baby doll voice, Fox makes you realize Jennifer was a man eater long before she became possessed, which is why we laugh as every guy falls for the same ruse, and finds himself becoming the demon's dinner. The woman is the walking, talking personification of sultry, and doesn't need to deliver anything else to become the center of attention every time she saunters onto the screen with those swiveling hips and luscious lips. Can Fox do more? We'll have to find out in another movie, because the real acting challenges in this movie are given to Seyfried.

Seyfried equally is perfect as the girl who lacks some confidence, suffers from a touch of naïvete, and has to find the power within herself to take action when the truth becomes apparent. It's the classic transformation from girl next door to booty kicking babe, and Seyfried wonderfully makes the audience feel her resentment, bewilderment and anger when it’s time to act. While this is called Jennifer's Body, Seyfried is the real lead, while Fox is a supporting player who ends up getting our attention because she looks like Megan Fox.

While not a wickedly funny movie, Cody does bring an entire vocabulary to Jennifer's Body that adds some style and fun to the dialogue, and helps show us how conceited Jennifer truly is as she creates her own catchphrases and descriptions for everything under the sun. I love characters with tart tongues, and, combined with some situations rife for mocking, Cody finds enough comedy to keep us laughing in between shocks.

Kusama needs to pick up the pace, but it's refreshing to see a movie where the gore is impactful, instead of full of throw away blood and guts like you get in so many horror films today.

Jennifer’s Body is rated R for sexuality, bloody violence, language and brief drug use.