Never in a million years did I think I would find a movie that was the perfect blend of Clue and an Agatha Christie novel, but alas Halina Rejin’s second feature, written by first time screenwriter Sarah DeLappe in Bodies Bodies Bodies which takes a brilliantly casted ensemble and delivers the modern age Clue. It is surely going to be a larger box office smash than the aforementioned cult classic, but everything in Bodies Bodies Bodies is brilliantly told, acted, and executed, this is the summer smash indie hit we’ve been waiting for that packs the punch and certainly brings forward the horror comedy.
The film centres around a group of friends and their significant others/random hookups, consisting of Sophie played by Amandla Stenberg, Bee Sophie’s girlfriend played by Maria Bakalova, Alice played by Rachel Sennott who’s with Greg played by Lee Pace, David played by Pete Davidson and Emma, whose David’s girlfriend played by Chase Sui Wonders, and lastly Jordan played by Myha’la Herrold. While they’re all gathered at David’s house for a hurricane party (what kind of dumb thing are these Gen Z’ers doing now?!?), Sophie and Bee show up shocking everyone else around as they were expected to not attend. Once the storm gets too much for them to stay outside, they go inside and decide to play a game of BODIES BODIES BODIES. The rules of the game are simple, one person is named the killer, the lights go out, they kill, and then when the body is discovered the discoverer yells BODIES BODIES BODIES, turns the lights on and the game of whodunnit is officially on its way. While tensions certainly are high throughout the night amongst all characters, for a variety of reasons, mostly steaming from jealousy and stupidity when one of them actually ends up dead, fingers get pointed, conspiracies get thrown out, and more bodies start to drop. Who is killing this group of friends and why? BODIES BODIES BODIES asks this question, while delivering some hilarity, sheer stupidity, and brilliance creates a tense 95 minutes filled by incredible performances.
The cast is marked with some benchmark performances from some incredible up and coming talent. Amandla Stenberg made her impact in The Hate U Give, while Maria Bakalova made her name in Borat Subsequent Movie Film and they both continue to deliver absolute brilliant performances. Amandla being the outsider friend whose trying to get things back together while getting cold shoulder from her friends, and Maria Bakalova as the outsider just trying to make sure her girlfriend is okay as well as trying to befriend her friends. Rachel Sennott, of Shiva Baby fame, steals every scene she is in with her over the top obnoxious parody of Gen Z-ers to a tee making her performance brilliant yet cringy. Pete Davidson dials back the persona everyone assume he has/plays and fits into this cast of terrible friends excellently, while Chase Sui Wonders and Myha’la Herroldbring their all to help create this perfectly cringy, outsider looking in, murder mystery based on the worst generation. Lee Pace playing the perfectly older character whose just trying to do his best Jeff Spicoli but modernized is perfection.
Everything in Bodies Bodies Bodies comes together to create arguably one of the most absurd, insane, hilarious whodunnits to bless screens in recent years. Yes, Knives Out is a masterpiece but Bodies Bodies Bodies and Knives Out are two different realms of whodunnit, letting Bodies Bodies Bodies cement itself in the same elite company of Clue. There truly is something for everyone in this film, whether it be comedy, horror, or even a good mystery, Bodies Bodies Bodies delivers the much needed independent punch this summer needed and will surely have audiences uproar in enjoyment. As Drowning Pool once sang, let the bodies hit the floor! As audience jaws will be on the floor throughout the entirety of Bodies Bodies Bodies.