Bodies Bodies Bodies is a 2022 black comedy slasher film directed by Halina Reijn. It is only the 2nd film directed by the Amsterdam native, an accomplished actress turned director. The screenplay was a collective effort between Sarah DeLappe, Kristen Roupenian, Chloe Okuno, Josh Sharp, and Aaron Jackson. The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 14, 2022.

When a group of rich 20-somethings plan a hurricane party at a remote family mansion, a party game turns deadly in this fresh and funny look at backstabbing, fake friends, and one party gone very, very wrong.

The cast includes Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Pete Davidson, Rachel Sennott, Myha'la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders, and Lee Pace.

Bodies Bodies Bodies made its debut in theaters on August 12th, courtesy of A24.

THE GOOD

If you have been reading our reviews over the last several months, or for me specifically the last several years, you know that our obsession with can’t miss film production and distribution company A24 runs as deep as the Pacific Ocean. We just love these guys, and if a movie is coming out that they are involved with, we are usually fighting over who gets to review it. Whether you prefer horror, comedy, romantic dramas, or even coming-of-age films, they do it all. So when the trailer dropped for Bodies Bodies Bodies with the famed A24 logo appearing at the start of the trailer, I was giddy with anticipation. Plus, the dark comedy slasher genre is 110% right up my alley. Unfortunately, the film was a limited release to start, but once it made it over to my go-to theater I was all over it. So, did it stand up to the greatness I have come to expect from the holy grail? Keep reading to find out!

I absolutely enjoyed this movie, and even though I had very high expectations, I was not disappointed in the least. Now I had a few issues with the film which I will touch on later, but the good news is the positives far outweigh the negatives. Bodies Bodies Bodies is a unique and modern twist on dark comedy slashers with a bit of murder mystery mixed in, and the feel sucked me in right away. The writing is smart and edgy, putting the microscope on the social media generation that can’t put down their phones for two minutes to have an actual face-to-face conversation. Even though I am guilty myself, I honestly despise how reliant we are on our phones. The underlying theme for the film is how out of touch with reality technology has made us, while also making us more anxious and untrusting of one another. The characters consist of a group of close friends who have known each other for years, with a couple of outsiders brought in to mix things up a bit. What starts as a hurricane party, which is actually a real thing just much less interesting than what happens in the film, quickly takes a turn. The friends decide to play a game they refer to as Bodies Bodies Bodies, and let me just say the fun for the night ramps up to 1000 real fast.

My favorite part of the movie is definitely the stylish vibe that makes for one of the more engaging dark comedy slashers in recent memory. You could feel the tension between the characters as everything started to fall apart, and thanks to smart writing you are kept guessing right up until the very end. And speaking of the end of this movie, it was fan-fucking-tastic for so many reasons. Now you don’t have to have the most elaborate and thought-provoking ending to truly satisfy viewers, sometimes you just need that “whatttttttt I did not see that coming!!” ending to really seal the deal. It was just satisfying in a way that I can’t really explain without spoiling it, and I refuse to do that. Plus, the ending somehow found a way to rekindle that infectious energy the film had throughout even though we were winding down to what was clearly the end of the movie. After that final scene when we are finally treated to the Bodies Bodies Bodies title screen, I nearly jumped up and clapped. To be honest, I didn’t want to leave the theater, but as per usual I did have to pee. It was a business decision of course. But seriously, hats off to the team for an ending that reminded me why I was so damn excited for this movie in the first place.

I thought the cast for Bodies Bodies Bodies was perfect. First, I have to talk about what is the most recognizable name, which is none other than the pink sweatsuit-wearing ex-Kim Kardashian dating comedian Pete Davidson (too soon?). Davidson is always a welcome addition in my personal opinion, and I think the guy is really developing as an actor. Sure, he can’t help but be typecast but it allows him the opportunity to play to his strengths, and he is perfect for this role. Trust me when I say you wouldn’t mind giving him a big slap across the face. Amandla Stenberg, who absolutely knocked it out of the park in the 2018 drama The Hate U Give, leads the way as the films primary protagonist. I really like Stenberg a lot, who sort of reminds me of a young Stacey Dash, and I think she has a bright career ahead of her. She plays a complex character and remained believable throughout the film. Maria Bakalova, who many will recognize from Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, stars alongside Stenberg. I personally think the Bulgarian actress is beautiful, and I thought she was great as the girlfriend of Stenberg’s character and one of the two outsiders at the party.

I genuinely enjoyed Rachel Sennott’s character, as she played the girl that you either like or can’t stand. Chances are throughout the film you will feel all kinds of ways about her, which is a testament to how well she played her role. She was recently in the comedy Shiva Baby (full review here), which Andrew reviewed, and said it is absolutely worth checking out. That is currently streaming on HBO Max. Chase Sui Wonders plays Emma, the sweet but ultimately too trusting girlfriend of Pete Davidson’s character. I thought she did a nice job with the role she was given. Myha'la Herrold was really good in her role, and sort of had that Michonne from The Walking Dead confidence about her. From the start it was clear that if things go south, you better keep a close eye on her. Last but not least, one of my favorite characters who actually plays a very subtle yet impactful role, is actor Lee Pace. Tall dark and handsome as the ladies say, Pace is the other outsider who is brought in to the friend group by Sennot’s character, and half of the fun is trying to figure out what to make of him. He is very difficult to read as far as whether he is dangerous or harmless, which made his character that much more interesting. Plus, the jealousy Davidson’s character has for him is a big driving force for the overall story.

I touched on the direction and the writing a bit already, but I have to give a ton of credit to director Halina Reijn. I thought she did a fantastic job, and after reading an interview she did with Variety, I want to see the movie again even more than I already did. Without giving anything away, Reijn had a clear underlying theme in mind which she knocked out of the park, but she also left so much of the film open for interpretation which I personally like because I enjoy breaking things down. She more or less set the stage with a certain dynamic as far as the characters, and after reading her interview so much of what transpired made even more sense. As with any great movie, the second viewing is often that much better as the pieces of the puzzle fit together that much faster and you can pay more attention to certain details. Bottom line, Reijn proved herself a very creative and talented director who was able to work seamlessly with the writing team, consisting of a collaboration between Sarah DeLappe, Kristen Roupenian, Chloe Okuno, Josh Sharp, and Aaron Jackson. Kudos to all involved for crafting a damn good film.

In typical A24 fashion, the soundtrack for Bodies Bodies Bodies is absolute fire. Composer Disasterpeace, who previously did the 2014 horror It Follows, really gets the blood flowing, and the energy the music brings is a big reason why the film works as well as it does. The music gave me a bit of a club music vibe, and perfectly matched the dark yet vibrant cinematography, compliments of Jasper Wolf. Even though the setting takes place entirely outside and inside this massive house, I loved how they took full advantage of the hurricane outside and power outages. Viewers will feel as trapped and helpless as the characters, which is a testament to the technical elements of the film.

THE BAD

Bodies Bodies Bodies has a ton going for it, but it isn’t perfect. I talked about the fact that the tone of the film was a big strength, and it was, but it also contributed to a few of the low points. It was sort of a double-edged sword as far as the combination of the tone and the acting, which needed to work in tandem for the film itself to work, and even though it does, for the most part, the two clash at times. During the second act of the film as things are really taking a turn, at times the characters attack each other without the necessary buildup.

For example, a character might be at someone’s throat one second, and 10 seconds later seemingly on their side and going after someone else. I mean I get that this is in many ways by design considering we are talking about a bunch of anxiety-ridden, drunk, and coked-out twenty-somethings partying like it’s 1999, but the sometimes off-kilter feel took me out of the zone periodically. I also felt like the film did have some minimal pacing issues, but nothing too extreme. My issues with Bodies Bodies Bodies are overshadowed by what I loved about it, but they do keep it from becoming upper-echelon as far as A24 movies go. Although it comes close especially within its respective genre.

THE VERDICT

A smart, stylish, and visceral dark comedy slasher for the TikTok generation fueled by an electric soundtrack, Bodies Bodies Bodies is yet another A24 gem and a reason to keep a close eye on talented director Halina Reijn. This film checked all of the necessary boxes for me, and as I talked about in the review, the ending was fantastic and so satisfying. I need to see this movie again as soon as possible, and I know I will like it that much more the second time around. From the tone to the underlying message, the screenplay alone was worth the price of admission. As I talked about it wasn’t perfect, and sometimes the tone and the acting did teeter a bit and felt a little convoluted, but all in all things came together nicely for what I feel is a damn good movie with a ton of replay-ability. If Bodies Bodies Bodies is playing in a theater near you, do yourself a favor and check it out.