I had been waiting to see this one because I'm one of the rare people that actually liked Jennifer's Body when it came out and think it's only improved with time. The reviews were not encouraging but see previous statement. Content warning: blood, dismemberment, wormsLisa (Kathryn Newton) doesn't fit in. Not in her new school and not in her new blended family, despite the cheerful attempts of her step-sister, Taffy (Liza Soberano). Lisa would rather spend time in an abandoned graveyard for bachelors than hang out at the mall. A stray wish and a lightning storm sees one of the eligible dead brought back to life. The Creature (Cole Sprouse) can't speak but he and Lisa don't need words to express themselves: they have murder. And a slightly dodgy tanning bed. With every zap, The Creature comes back a little more. But is it enough to find love?
Diablo Cody excels at writing witty one-liners that believably sound like teen slang. Plot-wise, this is underdeveloped but seeing as it's parodying 80s teen comedies, that could be intentional. Something tells me it's not, though. Regardless, Cody has a gift for dialogue. This is also the directorial debut of Zelda Williams and it is a solid first outing. Could she have taken more risks? Probably. But it's her first feature with an original IP and that's pretty risky anyway.
Sprouse is the standout performer here. He is basically in pantomime the entire film, filling the Gen Z Edward Scissorhands/Benny & Joon silent heartthrob role without the problematic binge drinking. (I hope. Please, God, don't let Cole Sprouse secretly be a complete fuck-up.) Newton is fine, she is a pro, but I personally thought she did a better job playing younger in Abigail than here.
Your enjoyment of this film will vary, depending on your tolerance for Cody specifically, teen girls generally, and slightly gross, juvenile humor. I'll end up buying it because I think it'll age well but for now, it's streaming on Amazon Prime.
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