Anna Peterson ‘25
Staff Writer
Bodies, Bodies, Bodies, A24’s hit horror film of the summer, provided me with my favorite elements of the scary movie genre while also delivering one of the most superficial critiques of young people I’ve seen to date.
The story follows the lives of couple Sophie (Amandla Stenberg) and Bee (Maria Bakalova). After spending a romantic afternoon together, they travel to childhood friend David’s (Pete Davidson) home for the most anticipated party event of the year: a massive hurricane. Upon arrival, we meet some of the wackiest rich kids that Hollywood can paint: Emma (Chase Sui Wonders), Alice (Rachel Sennott), and Jordan (Myha’la Herrold). Unlike the rest of the college-aged crew, Alice’s boyfriend, Greg (Lee Pace), is roughly ten years older and is a stranger to the rest of the group, immediately positioning himself as suspect numero uno.
Following their arrival and the onset of a hurricane no one seems concerned about, the group begins to indulge themselves in all the necessities of a good party: a marijuana-laced chocolate cake, glow sticks, and a game of, you guessed it, Bodies, Bodies, Bodies. Each person draws a slip of paper, indicating one player as the killer. However, the game quickly devolves as tensions arise, fights erupt, and the characters, for the first time, start to address the literal hurricane threatening their safety. Oh, and in typical slasher style, one by one, each character faces their demise in some sick twist to this game of fucked-up Clue.
While I have plenty to say about director Halina Reijn’s half-assed commentary on my generation, I first want to address all the things I did like about the movie. This film embodies the same campy suspense and horror film fanatics that made me love the genre in the first place. It elevates and modernizes the cliche teen slasher into something new and palatable to young audiences. Additionally, the casting and writing choices for the characters were brilliant. The film does a fantastic job curating an authentic sense of youth without misusing outdated buzzwords or capitalizing on the media’s perception of trendy. I could even imagine meeting these characters in real life and likely sharing some pseudo-intellectual conversation with them at a 5C party. The beauty of this film is in its ability to satirize and accurately capture the niche reality of being a twenty-something trust fund baby.
On a technical level, I would also like to give props to the musical direction this film takes. With features by Charli XCX, Azealia Banks, and Slayyyter, it was hard not to feel like one of the girls. It elicited the same feeling of getting ready in your dorm room before a big Saturday night with an unbridled sense of enthusiasm.
With complete transparency, I found this movie super fun and mostly on target for relaying a story about Generation Z up until the last ten minutes. The ending left me thinking “Really? That’s all you could come up with?” which ruined all the truthful, exciting aspects leading up to it. Reijn runs with this ironic narrative about young people, but the conclusion falls flat. The film’s progression warrants an intense final moment or, at least, a sincere reflection of the harm social media can cause. Alternatively, the audience receives a simplification of what could have been an innovative plot line.
If you’re in the mood for an upbeat, girl’s night-esque take on the classic horror movie, I wouldn’t shy away from this film. Just be ready to encounter a bitter disappointment at the end. My recommendation: stop three-fourths of the way through.
Image Source: Variety
