Disney+ viewers are in for a treat as this “cult classic” that blends horror with comedy is available on the streaming platform. Jennifer’s Body was released in 2009 and follows a demonically possessed high school student who kills her male classmates and devours their flesh in order to survive.
Megan Fox stars as high school student in question, Jennifer Check. It’s up to her bookworm best friend Anita “Needy” Lesnicki, played by Amanda Seyfried, to find a way to end her friend’s killing spree.
The cast of Jennifer’s Body includes Adam Brody, Johnny Simmons and Chris Pratt among others.
The film’s synopsis reads: “Nerdy, reserved bookworm Needy Lesnicki, and arrogant, conceited cheerleader Jennifer Check are best friends, though they share little in common. They share even less in common when Jennifer mysteriously gains an appetite for human blood after a disastrous fire at a local bar. As Needy’s male classmates are steadily killed in gruesome attacks, the young girl must uncover the truth behind her friend’s transformation and find a way to stop the bloodthirsty rampage before it reaches her own boyfriend Chip.”
Jennifer’s Body premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2009, and was theatrically released a week later. The film was a commercial failure, grossing $31.6 million, and it received mixed reviews from critics. Its dialogue, emotional resonance, and performances of the cast were praised, while the narrative and tone were criticised.
It was later found that the film’s marketing campaign was not up to scratch due to the result of the studio’s desire to capitalize on Fox’s sex appeal and gear the film towards a younger male audience. Since then, Jennifer’s Body has undergone a critical reevaluation and is massively underrated, it has been now been described as a feminist cult classic.
Screen Rant listed it as number three on its 30 Most Underrated Movies of All Time ranking.
Fans of the film have described it as “the bloody crawl from box office bomb to cult classic”.
One reviewer on IMDb said: “I love it, and I feel like it is so different than many horrors.”
“I’m pleased to report that Jennifer’s Body was exactly the delightfully camp feminist black comedy I thought it would be – and also a wonderful snapshot of 2009 high school life.”
Jennifer’s Body is available to stream now on Disney+.