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RATING:  
SINGAPORE : So in one unfortunate night, your best friend goes from gorgeous mean queen man-eater to, well, literally a gorgeous mean queen man-eater - all because some stupid rock star wannabe's virgin sacrifice plan goes wrong.
What's a BFF like Amanda Seyfried to do but bludgeon, lesbian-lip-lock and fight back like a Diablo Cody teen heroine would?
The NC-16 sophomore attempt of the Oscar-winning screenwriter is no "Juno". But "Jennifer's Body" is a fun, over-the-top, schlock horror twist on the usual girl-in-distress scenario. It never takes itself too seriously - and simply because of that, the film just about works.
There is something strangely intoxicating about watching Megan Fox as smouldering jailbait act all insecure high-school tramp one moment, and hungrily feeding on teen boys the next. You know, typical teenage girl behaviour.
But even with Cody's sarcastic script laced with hip, pop-culture slang, the satire of the vicious nature of teen-girl-best-friend relationships feels strangely undercooked. Perhaps it's the indolent direction of Karyn Kusama ("Aeon Flux") that lacks the energy to give it the kick it needs.
Or maybe it's trying too hard to emulate the ultimate teen dark comedy of all time - "Heathers"? Or perhaps Fox's rather wooden performance of what is supposed to be the ultimate teen vixen never quite translates?
Overall, "Jennifer's Body" just never quite connects the dots in the way that "Heathers", "Ginger Snaps" or even "Carrie" did.
But it is still purposefully hokey and self-aware enough to make it an enjoyable guilty pleasure for both randy boys and (hungry) feminist girls alike.
- TODAY/rs
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