Fans Of Ironic Slasher Flicks Should Definitely Check Out This New Addition To Netflix
Social satire at its best.
Summary
- On March 20, 2024, the Netflix movie library was replenished with an A24's horror comedy.
- The film was originally released in 2022, but became a box office flop and was overlooked by many viewers.
- However, those who have seen it say it's a great example of the genre, has an enjoyable satirical undertone, and is well worth your time.
A group of erratic teens/young adults gather in an isolated location to have fun, but end up in a horrible bloodbath situation fueled by dark comedy. Sounds familiar and something you'd watch?
The so-called teen horror comedy genre includes a few dozen movies that never get too high a rating, but always manage to bring excitement to their viewers' casual binge-watching sessions.
If you're a fan of movies like 2015's The Final Girls and 2017's Happy Death Day, Netflix just added a real treat for you, A24's Bodies Bodies Bodies.
What's the movie about?
As you might expect, Bodies Bodies Bodies tackles the most popular genre tropes. Bee, a working-class immigrant from Eastern Europe, and her friend Sophie, the troubled daughter of a rich family, join a group of Sophie's 20-something friends.
They gather at a secluded mansion owned by the family of one of them to party in the midst of a hurricane bearing down on that part of the country. Drinks, drugs and interpersonal drama flow freely. As the weather worsens, electricity and cell phone service are cut off, setting the stage for tragedy to strike. Naturally, it happens without delay.
After the friends' failed attempt to play the mafia-style game 'Bodies Bodies Bodies,' real-life events begin to unfold exactly as in the game. The body of one of them is found in the dark, and this triggers extreme panic mode. Who is the killer among them? That's what the characters have to figure out to survive. Or is it?
Is it any good?
Bodies Bodies Bodies was released in August 2022 and unfortunately became a box office flop, earning $13.9 million on a budget of $31 million. However, those who saw the film praised it for the ensemble cast's performances and the social satire, which made it stand out from similar projects.
Amandla Stenberg as Sophie and Maria Bakalova as Bee were joined by Myha'la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders, Rachel Sennott, Lee Pace, Conner O'Malley and Pete Davidson, all of whom gave believable yet satirical takes on their characters, privileged Gen Zers, who don't even try to really know anyone, no matter how long or close they've been together, can't survive without their phones, and are unable to utter a sentence without throwing in progressive social media jargon like 'gaslighting,' 'toxic,' and 'trigger.'
The mystery is suspenseful and has a hysterical final twist. But it's not about that. At least not for its participants, who are all too deep in their own heads and emotions to stop and look around. Aren't we all like that from time to time?