There is never really a rote or dry moment in this rain and blood-soaked thriller as wealthy young friends gather for a weekend party during a hurricane in the middle of nowhere. The amount of wokeness and stupidity in this movie is so thick that one could drizzle it on pancakes for days. Not to say that both those elements go hand-in-hand together, but in the realm of this film and its young characters, they are peas in a pod as toxic people create toxic environments with less than an ounce of fuel for that fire - much like social media. And as Reijn's camera captures these people grappling with their own flaws and others, the film creates its own unique take on the horror genre with hilarious effects.
Bodies Bodies Bodies opens with Sophie (Amandla Stenberg) taking her new girlfriend Bee (Maria Bakalova from Borat 2) to a hurricane party at her friend David's (Pete Davidson) parent's mansion. David's girlfriend Emma (Chase Sui Wonders) and their friends Jordan Myha'la Herrold) and Alice (Rachel Sennott from Shiva Baby) are not exactly excited that Sophie has shown up with her new friend. The only person who seems to be having a great time is Alice's new boyfriend Greg (Lee Pace), who is the Matthew McConaughey of the group and several years older than anyone else.
Everyone settles in for a night of thunderstorms and games, but not the typical fun and friendly game. No, this game that the group plays is sick, twisted, and brutal that consists of hitting each other in the face, shots of alcohol, and a faux murder mystery whodunit in the vein of the board game Clue. Once a real dead body turns up, it's John Carpenter's The Thing all over again as everyone's trust is thrown down the gutter and more dead bodies start piling up.
With their neon glowing bling around their necks as warning signs, each character is hell-bent on being the most woke and the smartest person in their group. They are quick to unfold at the drop of a hat and believe anything anyone says. It even goes so far as these people not owning up to something they just did that everybody witnessed, which is an element so true in the digital age of social media. When Reijn adds in that horror genre, the sky is the limit for absurdity, stupidity, and excitement, which is exactly what Bodies Bodies Bodies bring to the table.
The performances by everyone are exquisite as these actresses and actors pull themselves through the limit of anger and entitlement, which works perfectly in this story. Lee Pace and Pete Davidson are more or less versions of themselves who come across as comedic in nature. Reijn's camera adds those horror tropes from slasher films throughout the film as each character navigates their way to survival. And by the end, which is perhaps the best reveal and ending to a movie in recent memory, it will make everyone want to watch the movie all over again. It's that good.
Bodies Bodies Bodies doesn't change the horror game at all, but it acts as a wonderful and energetic satire on the turbulent social media environment these days and entitled young people who are quick to call someone out without looking at themselves. With a stellar cast and one hell of an ending, Bodies Bodies Bodies is Recommended!
