Bodies, Bodies, Bodies Movie Review: A Murderous Satire Targeted at Gen Z

I have high baseline expectations for anything that A24 puts out. And while horror isn’t my genre of choice, I had to admit, a horror film from A24 had me intrigued. I knew that it would have to be a fresh take on the classic kids stuck in a house horror movie trope. Was it? Yes. Was it my cup of tea? Meh.

Bodies, Bodies, Bodies tells the story of a rich group of friends in their 20s who plan a hurricane party. They set up at a remote family mansion, and a party game goes horrifically wrong.

Bodies, Bodies, Bodies Movie Trailer:

Bodies, Bodies, Bodies Movie Review: What I Did and Didn’t Like

It’s been a minute since I’ve seen a film that I recognize is good, but I’m just not that into it. So it took me a little longer than usual to formulate my thoughts on this one.

Bodies, Bodies, Bodies is a smart and sharp horror satire. It’s packed with commentary on rich kids with privilege, Gen Z, and therapy-speak. It also doesn’t go lite on the stabs it takes at horror film clichés either.

And these are all things that I appreciate. I just think I’m personally too burnt out on these Gen Z clichés (in real life) to appreciate this film for sharp-witted murderous comedy that it is.

Acting

The characters are interesting roles for this cast to tackle, because they’re really playing a type more-so than a person. And each “type” is painfully self-aware, full of baggage, and living in their own reality.

There’s not a weak link in the cast, but Maria Bakalova’s performance stands out the most, she manages to maintain a feeling on innocence, despite the fact she makes some pretty horrifically rash choices early in the film – and clearly has something darker in her past.

I also enjoyed Pete Davidson’s performance here as well. Though, the more I see him on the big screen, the more I think he just takes on roles that are, essentially, him in real life. There’s no real stretch in performance there. His character, David, is no exception, they’re two peas in a pod.

Script

The script is the real star here. And depending on your generation, the script is either going to make you feel seen/attacked or you’re just going to find it hilarious.

From people talking about safe-space and feeling triggered to the rashness of decision making (and then the stupidity in trying to justify those decisions), this film does a great job at creating the ultimate Gen Z nightmare.

Bodies, Bodies, Bodies Movie Review: Overall Thoughts

Bodies, Bodies Bodies is a very of-the-moment satire. It’s full of clever twists and a surprisingly dark sense of humor. It’s not meant to be seen as a traditional horror film. It’s meant to make fun of those slasher movies in a bold and inventive way, and it succeeds in doing just that.

However, despite its clever moments and loaded social commentary on Gen Z (which is why I score it as I do below), it just wasn’t for me.