Bodies Bodies Bodies shares similarities to the 2021 comedy horror film Werewolves Within. It has a handful of characters trying to solve a mystery, the group suspects someone in their party is the wolf (or killer), and the supporting characters keep making their own circumstances worse instead of the wolf itself.
While the likeness to that film can be distracting, Bodies Bodies Bodies finds an interesting spin on this idea. Director Halina Reijn has found a satirical angle on this whodunit approach to horror. And it will most likely ruffle some feathers with Generation Z.
Should you watch Bodies Bodies Bodies in theaters? Here is our full review of the A24 horror movie.
The film centers on a group of teens who decide to throw a party during a hurricane. The location is secluded, the alcohol is flowing, and the emotional immaturity is sky high. What could go wrong?
The story involves Sophie (Amandla Stenberg) reuniting with her friends at this getaway. One of these friends is her ex-girlfriend Jordan (Myha’la Herrold). And Jordan gets a shock as Sophie has brought a new love interest Bee (Maria Bakalova) with her. Throughout Bodies Bodies Bodies, Bee is the central audience surrogate and outlier of the group. In a house full of snobby Gen Z kids, she is the most reserved and grounded of the bunch. Because of this, when things go wrong, she is the most suspicious character.
Pete Davidson (SNL) and Lee Pace (Guardians of the Galaxy) play supporting roles in this film as idiot boyfriends. Davidson’s role of David is the insecure idiot that feels threatened by the attractive older male in the group. This character Greg (Pace) is a ripped 40-year-old meathead that dates way below his age range. And his presence makes David feel small.
Gen Z’s gets Bodied
Then there are the insecurities among the other women including a podcaster named Alice (Rachel Sennott) and an actress named Emma (Chase Sui Wonders). Slap these personalities together and throw in a possible murder, and the result is as bloody as a Twitter feud.
As the storm begins to rage, the group of Gen Z’s and the immature 40-year-old play a game called Bodies Bodies Bodies. The game involves a group of players drawing pieces of paper and one of which says an individual person is the killer. After the killer and the other players are chosen at random, the lights go out and the killer goes around pretending to murder. The victims play dead until discovered, then the group discusses who did it. And it’s all fun and games until it becomes real, and someone actually ends up dead.
From here Bodies Bodies Bodies becomes a delicious blend of Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil and Scream. Murders are transpiring but at the same time, so are some massive misunderstandings that lead to more fatalities. And the more the misunderstandings escalate, the more hilarious it becomes.
Even though it’s labeled as horror, Bodies Bodies Bodies is not technically scary. It plays more like a fun mystery/thriller than straight-up horror. That being said, there are some fun jump scares sprinkled throughout the experience.
What might surprise viewers is Bodies Bodies Bodies has a brain for being about stupid kids in a mansion. The film is a small-scale horror satire about cultural panic among Gen Z and millennials. It’s like a disgruntled older man overheard a conversation among today’s youth and decided to kill them in a script. At one point a character says, “feelings are facts,” and a character claps back appropriately with how wrong they are on every level. The themes are not very subtle in these moments but suitable given the rest of the film’s tone.
One cannot finish this review without mentioning Maria Bakalova. She was a huge surprise in the Borat sequel and stole the film from Sacha Baron Cohen. Here, Bakalova continues a strong career in the role of Bee. She is such a different presence in this film, bringing a subtle mysterious intensity. We are calling it right now, she will hold an Oscar one day.
Should you watch Bodies Bodies Bodies in theaters?
This might offend some Generation Z and millennials. It is roasting that demographic with extremely hilarious prejudice. But for those who do not mind, Bodies Bodies Bodies is a comedic thrill ride.
It has a lot of commonalities with films like Werewolves Within and Clue. And it gets somewhat heavy-handed on the themes and social commentary. Still, Bodies Bodies Bodies is fun, unpredictable, and hysterical.
Plus, in a sea of reboots, remakes, and sequels, it does not hurt to bet on an original investment from A24.
Readers seeking more reviews can check out our coverage of Bullet Train, Nope, and Don’t Make Me Go.
Bodies Bodies Bodies is now in theaters.