Editor’s note: We never reviewed Jennifer’s Body on c, vt, so as opposed to a mini review, we’re running a longer one for the Blu-ray release.

REVIEW:

Jennifer’s Body was a script that received a lot of attention when it first began circulating through Hollywood, though with good reason. For starters, it was Diablo Cody’s first script since she won an Oscar for Juno. It also revealed itself to be a hip ode to the brand of 80’s horror-comedy probably best represented by Sami Raimi’s work of the period. It also hinted at some interesting themes, chiefly having to do with teenage female relationships. The fact that it was funny and chock full of gore didn’t hurt its case either. All it needed was a good cast and a competent director, and one could easily imagine it becoming the next cult classic.

Fast forward four months from its theatrical release, and few would try to argue Jennifer’s Body as a crucial addition to the canon of horror-comedies. It’s easy to say why –  the movie turned out to be a moderately entertaining film that didn’t have any glaring lows, but also failed to hit any cinematic highs. It’s got a semblance of good energy, but never really finds its stride. It certainly understands the genre, but fails to bring anything notably new to the table or improve on the old formula in a significant way. Put simply, it’s an acceptably diverting movie that has all the right ingredients to be special — strong themes, great visuals, a good story — but never gets them to pop.

What’s harder to say is why the movie never comes together. The cast does a surprisingly wonderful job. Megan Fox, for all the hoopla that’s made about her looks, actually turns in a solid performance. She clearly knows how to be sexy, but she handles sassy and biting with equal deftness, owning her lines whether its teen snark or stinging cut-downs. Amanda Seyfried easily shines as the main character of the film, and the most readily apparent sign of her talent is the fact that she manages to more than hold her own opposite Fox (who, regardless of whether or not you actually like her, has considerable screen presence). The supporting cast does a terrific job, too, with J.K. Simmons, Johnny Simmons, and Adam Brody all turning in noteworthy performances.

So where does it go wrong then? Though Cody’s script was probably not as polished as it initially seemed, the bulk of the blame ultimately falls on director Karyn Kusama. While perfectly capable, she does as many things wrong as she does right. Kusama tones down some areas of the script that were too overdone, honing it into a more focused entity. She tries for atmospheric horror more often than easy jump-scares, a smart and bold choice given the fact that the story is really just a high school monster flick. But the horror is never really that scary; the comedy never really that funny. It lacks punch through and through, and though the movie is noble in trying to explore the complicated relationship between Fox’s Jennifer and Seyfried’s Needy (as well as the underlying dynamics of high school female relationships), all of these elements get lost in the shuffle. There are simply too many disparate ideas working against each other. As a result, the film never becomes any of the things it promises to be, and all we have in the end is a somewhat fun but unfortunately straightforward story about a girl who gets possessed by a demon and starts eating the boys at her school. Nothing less, and certainly nothing more.

The film does have its charm, though, and if nothing else, it’s worth watching for Fox and Seyfried. Just don’t expect to be especially moved by the experience. Jennifer’s Body won’t be entering the canon of unmissable horror flicks anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth catching on an idle evening in.

Technical Breakdown:

VISUAL: The film is presented in its native 1.78:1 widescreen format, and the DTS 5.1 HD transfer is pretty spectacular. The colors pop, skin tone looks fantastic, and the black levels are great. Several scenes rely on shadows and darkness playing a key role, and the image delivers. I didn’t notice any bugs or other issues. Contrast is great, and the overall picture quality is quite exceptional.

AUDIO: The 5.1 mix is also very well done. The film only has a couple of big set pieces, but the surround sound really kicks in those sequences. Dialogue-heavy scenes are well done as well, with everything sounding crisp and well balanced.

EXTRAS: Probably the most disappointing area of the disc. Here’s the breakdown:

• Original theatrical cut
• Extended director’s cut (unrated)
• Commentary by director Karyn Kusama and screenwriter Daiblo Cody (theatrical cut only)
• Commentary by director Karyn Kusama (extended cut only)
• 6 Deleted Scenes
• Gag Reel
• “Jennifer’s Body: The Dead Pool” Featurette
• 3 Video Diaries (Megan Fox and Johnny Simmons, Diablo Cody, Producer Dan Dubiecki)
• “Megan Fox is Hot” Featurette
• Megan Fox Peer Pressure PSA
• “Fox Movie Channel Presents: Life After Film School with Diablo Cody”
• 3 Trailers

Theatrical vs. Extended Cut:
The extended cut runs about 5 minutes longer, but also rearranges some of the scenes from the theatrical cut, most notably the opening sequence. The added content does improve the movie a bit, but isn’t a game changer. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, there’s no extra nudity or gore.

Commentary:
Kusama’s commentary with Cody is lively and occasionally amusing. The two share a pleasant rapport. They discuss themes of the film, the process of making it, and even dive into some of the differences with the director’s cut. Worth catching for the film’s fans, though it does also provide an interesting look at how Cody and a collaborator evaluate the screenwriter’s work.
Kusama flies solo on the commentary for the director’s cut, but mostly provides background on the process of filming certain scenes or discusses the differences between the director’s cut and the theatrical cut, explaining why certain editorial choices were made.

Deleted Scenes (13:55 total):
Most of these are just extended versions of scenes in the movie, and though some are interesting, they were cut with good reason. “Needy confronts Jennifer” is a completely new scene and decent enough on its own, but the movie plays better without it.

Gag Reel (4:55):
Disappointing as far as gag reels go. Most of the gags aren’t particularly amusing, and the second half of this supposed “gag reel” is just a musical montage made up mostly of scenes from the film.

“Jennifer’s Body: The Dead Pool” Featurette (14:00):
A look at the filming of the climactic pool scene, examining everything from the location selection to the effects work involved. Pretty engaging stuff, if you’re into the filmmaking process, and a good peek behind the scenes.

3 Video Diaries (12:51 total):
Fox and Simmons’ video diary, as well as Dubiecki’s, are shorter but mostly disposable. You can watch cast and crew interacting but they’re both fairly forgettable. Cody’s gives a more comprehensive look at life on the set, and is the most worthwhile of the bunch.

“Megan Fox is Hot” Featurette (0:56):
A complete head-scratcher of an inclusion. A short and uncomfortable musical montage of some of Fox’s sexier scenes from the movie. Assumedly produced for promotional purposes at some point, but utterly unfitting to be included on the Blu-ray release.

Megan Fox Peer Pressure PSA (0:40):
This brief clip showed up on the internet before the film’s theatrical release. Short and modestly amusing.

“Fox Movie Channel Presents: Life After Film School with Diablo Cody” (26:26):
Three film students interview Diablo Cody about how she got started, her process, and working in the industry. The best featurette of the bunch, as Cody is an engaging interviewee and she gives some great insight into being a working screenwriter.

Trailers (4:15 total):
Trailers for (500) Days of Summer, Family Guy: Something Something Something Darkside, and Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead.

Tags: Adam Brody, Amanda Seyfried, Blu-Ray, Diablo Cody, J.K. Simmons, Jennifer's Body, Johnny Simmons, Karyn Kusama, Megan Fox