By: Marlee Billiter

The dark comedy/horror film of 2009, Jennifer’s Body, hit it’s 13 year anniversary this Sunday, Sep 18, 2022. 

Starring America’s beautiful Megan Fox, Jennifer’s Body was pronounced a flop at the start. The dramatic acting, satanic plot, and sexual directing gave a soap opera-like vibe, turning off 21st-century viewers. However, the movie hit a resurgence in 2021 when female empowerment became the new societal discussion. 

One theme the film targets surrounds femininity and male hatred. At the film’s opening, a small indie band wanting to sell a soul for fame performs at an all-age bar and asks Jennifer (Megan Fox) and her best friend Needy if they’d like to come along with them after the show to an undisclosed location. While Jennifer agrees, Needy does not. An immediate wrong decision on Jen’s part. The boys end up questioning Jennifer about her virginity because the satanic spell they were conjuring required one. Fearing sexual assault, Jennifer claims she is a virgin in hopes they’d let up with their gag; however, based on the aesthetics of her character, it’s obvious she isn’t. In casting Megan Fox, a woman known for being attractive and a sex-icon, the boys were supposed to look stupid in assuming the hot girl they picked up from the bar was a virgin. It turns out that lies can come back to bite you, and after Jennifer’s cursed by a satanic spell gone wrong, she becomes a demon hell-bent on eating the men in town, while asserting her dominance over those who simply wanted to use her before. 

Jennifer is the OG maneater in literal terms, which, in my opinion, is hot because who needs men when they think the way they do. Jen eats those who sexualize her (as she should) because men who actively feel the need to show their sexual desires are disgusting. The same goes for anyone who openly sexualizes people; it’s proof of an immature and misogynistic individual.  It’s the same reason girls don’t go anywhere alone at night or are told to dress ‘respectably’, for the chances of being harmed by a man with the upper hand is always possible. Jennifer however channels what every woman wishes and tilts the scale of power, showing pig-headed men the consequences for being an a-hole to women.

While the movie primarily focuses on bloodsucking Jennifer and bending gender norms, there’s a hidden romance brewing that indie film fans were excited to point out. As Jen’s taking out her competition (men), she gives Needy a lot of attention. It seems like Jennifer’s getting attached to her best friend in many emotional ways. One scene shocks viewers as their relationship seems to surpass friendship. Jennifer goes into a long, drawn-out kiss with Needy, leaving the audience speechless and confused. What’s great about this film is that it hits yet another social point with one scene. 

The LGBTQ+ community wasn’t as appreciated 13-years-ago. They faced plentiful hate as society was still adjusting to modern beliefs. Jennifer’s Body decided to break 2009 norms. Perhaps the movie was set up to voice a few of America’s most important problems, and that’s why the negativity it faced back then has turned to love. We’re not great, but more people are open to new ideas and progression. Jennifer’s Body addressed issues relative to 2021, making the movie well ahead of its time.

As of 2021, Jennifer’s Body is viewed as an indie classic and teenage girls are here for it. In 2021, one of Jennifer’s iconic outfits–a pink y2k heart-design jacket and big heart earrings–became one of the top halloween costumes of the year. Jennifer’s bad-b attitude turned into an aesthetic as Tik-Tok blew up multiple lines from the movie. After years of being away from film, this resurgence coincidentally brought Megan Fox back into discussion and not just for news related to her fiance Machine Gun Kelly.