Customer Reviews

Jennifer's Body

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PLEASE NOTE: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE FILM "JENNIFER'S BODY". Thank you.

Just to make it clear: I have not yet seen Jennifer's Body. I was super-psyched to see it until it "bombed" at the box office, and like usual, if it bombs in the States, it's not worth releasing anywhere else; i.e. Australia. Here I am patiently waiting until late February when Amazon.co.uk has Jennifer's Body on Blu-Ray so I can finally see the film I was expecting to see last December (the US Blu-Ray is region-locked to Region A, I'm Region B).

This graphic novel (not comic book) delves deeper into the world revolving around Jennifer's Body, a film written by Diablo Cody of Juno-fame, starring Megan Fox and directed by Karyn Kasuma (Aeon Flux) but the book probably works better if you've actually seen the film on which it's based. Now, I will admit I've read the script. Don't ask me where I got it; I can't remember. It was hella funny. It was twisted and clever writing, but hardly scary. If anything has changed from this draft (dated 2007; prior to Juno's release), it's that they've added more of the horror element, judging from the trailers. However, compared to the original script, this, too, has a more horrific element.

This book is split into four chapters detailing one boy's journey to being digested in Jennifer's body, as well as a prologue and an epilogue. I'll review each chapter.

Chapter one focuses on Jennifer's first victim, a jock named Jonas who's having a few problems on the football team, mainly, his balls are shrinking from steroid use. Add to that his girlfriend is bumping uglies with his best friend, Craig. In a fit of rage, he fights Craig, then goes home, depressed. Next day, he finds out Craig has died in a bar fire. Bereaved, Jonas seems distant, even his walnut-sized brain can comprehend emotion and sadness and loss. Enter Jennifer Check, who seemed like she was going to comfort him, only to find a nasty surprise.

Chapter one's style is not one you'd see in a graphic novel. Perhaps in a children's comic book you can buy at your local newsagency, but not one you'd see in a - somewhat - sophisticated graphic novel. It's all harsh edges and vivid, sometimes garish, colours, with some interesting composition. It suits the character of Jonas, implying simplicity in Jonas' life, since he's a dumb football jock, but there is something brewing under the surface - SHOCK! - jocks have feelings! I enjoyed this chapter, because Jonas' priorities are amazingly out of whack, plus it was just fun to look at.

Chapter two focuses on Colin, seen in the trailers for the film, a so-far-in-touch-with-his-emotions-they-take-contol-of-him guy that goes all goth after his favourite record store closes, who has a secret crush on the hottest girl in school, Jennifer Check. He never took the chance at that one summer camp to talk to her, but after he hears her in chemistry, they're lab partners, you see, she's listening to Colin's favourite band, the Dwarves. It is here they hit it off as friends, finding more and more in common with each other. When he asks her out to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Bijou Theatre on a date (with Jennifer thinking he's talking about Rocky, claiming she "doesn't like boxing movies"), she gives him a second chance and invites him to watch a film he's never heard of called Aquamarine at Jennifer's house, to which Colin agrees. However, he's not meeting her at her house. And there's no mermaid chick-under-twelve-flick to be seen...

This chapter was a bit odd. Rick Spears, who wrote all the chapters, prologue and epilogue as well, really got in touch with Colin's emotions, helping him become even more realistic, however, he looks nothing like he does in the actual film, even after he goes all goth. The ending is abrupt and too short for my liking, and differs from the clip released prior to the film's release. I enjoyed the backstory of how he dug Jennifer Check at a younger age and never had the guts to talk to her (can anyone say, "Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt!"? I know I can...), but it just seemed, I don't know. It wasn't the one I felt was the best visually, either. It was sort of mediocre, it didn't stand out above the crowd.

Chapter three focuses on Ahmet from India, a character I found hilarious in the script. It chronicles his journey from India to the hole that is Devil's Kettle for a student-exchange program, where, after a lonely two months, he joins the baseball team after a killer pitch. After the game, however, his team-mates check out his johnson, and from then on, he was called stuff like "Squid", with his classmates saying "We want a pitcher to throw the ball, not a tentacle", stupid stuff like that kids actually say. Sad, Ahmet from India decides to go to a local club to listen to a band named Low Shoulder. Their music ignites a passion in him, reminding him of Bollywood, so much so he gets up and dances, with everyone joining in, until something catches light in the club, and the bar goes up in flames. Luckily escaping, Ahmet from India wanders around the streets of Devil's Kettle, until he sees another survivor, the gorgeous Jennifer Check. "Come with me. We'll find help." she claims. "We'll sort this out."

This one was interesting, giving a different viewpoint of America through the eyes of a foreigner, going so far as to say "America is horrible." This is the most depressing chapter in the book, because it seems Ahmet from India is so out-of-place, and so lonely, and homesick, it's almost alienating just reading it, let alone looking at the images. It does hit a high-point, however, when it goes all Bollywood on us, but when Jennifer actually sets down and begins chowing Ahmet from India up, he takes it, putting his energy into reincarnation. Not resisting, not even surprised that this is happening to him. It's quite sad, when you think about it.

The last chapter deals with Chip, the boyfriend of Needy (who is the best friend of Jennifer). This chapter chronicles Chip's depressing existence as boyfriend of the beautiful Needy, but getting caught jerking off by his mum, and then, the next day, caught evacuating the seamen from the Red October during class. Chip is then dumped by Needy, for his own protection, until the night of the school dance, where he bumps into Jennifer, who proclaims her love for him and tells him Needy's been bumping uglies with Colin, a goth at school, up until he died. Then it goes into an abridged version of events depicted in the film.

This chapter was pretty good, humourous. The artwork was soft, and easy on the eyes. This chapter, like Colin's chapter, had a too-abrupt-ending for my tastes. The ending leads into the epilogue, which shows Jennifer storming off, supposedly going home to where she'll meet up with Needy in her shocker of an opening to the movie.

The prologue and epilogue are two, three pages, and are just book-ends for the four chapters.

All in all, I did enjoy this read, but it wasn't anything groundbreaking. My favourite art was in the first chapter, depicting the simple world of Jonas the football jock, and in each chapter, there was at least one one-page-one-panel piece of art that was pretty cool, be it Jennifer bearing her gnashers, Ahmet from India leading the Low Shoulder Bollywood dance, or something like Needy and Jennifer in a hot fantasy shower, all naked and whatnot. I assume for those that dug the film, this would be a welcome addition to their Jennifer's Body experience, but those that either have not seen the film (and intend to) or didn't like the film, you probably shouldn't bother with this. It has some cool art, some humourous writing and some good nods to the film (or at least, the script) that it should make fans of the film happy. I didn't dig it as much as I thought I would, but I might dig it more after I finally see the movie.

I got this book because I love the movie. This book contains scenes of Jennifer Check of course but it mainly gives an in depth look at each of Jennifer's victims in the movie, Jonas, Colin, Ahmet from India, and Chip. The ending of this comic is actually completely different from the movie where some characters fates are not known. Overall it is pretty good and if you like the movie you should buy this too.