“Bodies Bodies Bodies” Review
(From Left) Amanda Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Chase Sui Wonders and Rachel Sennott star as young party-goers confronted with murder at a party gone wrong in “Bodies Bodies Bodies.”
I think it’s safe to say that the murder-mystery genre has become completely reviatlized in film. In fact, this year sees the release of four high-profile murder-mystery films: “Death on the Nile” back in February, “See How They Run” in September and “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” in December. Nestled between them is the recently released “Bodies Bodies Bodies” which not only was a fascinating whodunnit but also brilliantly satirized the youthful generation that stars in it.
It’s the day of a hurricane and a bunch of young people have gathered at a mansion to party through the night of substance-fueled debauchery. However, when a party game goes horribly awry, the group must figure out if one of them is a murderer in a dark, ominous house with no possible escape.
With a contained environment and few cast members, what makes this film work is its insanely clever writing and the marvelous cast. These actions have the challenging task of playing characters that you have to love watching but who are also insufferable. Not only does the film star talented Generation Z actors but it also brutally mocks the way this generation acts and communicates with each other.
Amandla Stenberg and Maria Bakalova are both incredible as a young couple named Sophie and Bee who are visiting the house to spend time with Sophie’s friends. However, being around Sophie’s narcissistic pals results in past demons being awoken which only gets worse when one of them turns up dead. The chemistry of Sophie and Bee is what kept me tied into these characters as everyone else is varying levels of terrible.
As a member of Generation Z, I can say that the filmmakers nailed it in their blunt satire. “Bodies Bodies Bodies” showcases amongst this suspenseful thriller the ways in which Gen. Z conduct themselves and communicate through online narcissism results in self-destruction. Maybe not in the way of a murder which results in a night of suspicion and further bloodshed, but horror has always been a great way to convey a message.
With elements of mystery and horror, “Bodies Bodies Bodies” is constantly engaging as a whodunnit which keeps you guessing the entire time. It’s never clear until the end who committed the first murder with twists that you don’t see coming. Director Halina Rejin never goes for the easy scares with something jumping out at you. It’s all about suspense and what you don’t see in the shadows. With the hurricane knocking out the power, lights are limited but you are still able to make out what’s going on which keeps suspense high.
What I wasn’t expecting was just how funny this film was going to be. If you love dark humor, “Bodies Bodies Bodies” is chock full of it whether it's through the brilliant parody of the young protagonists or how unprepared they are for the storm or each other. For those looking for a different kind of entertaining horror film, this is certainly worth looking at.
