I assure you’ll NOT see the ending coming.
In case you have not heard of it (but), Our bodies Our bodies Our bodies is a brand new horror movie from the wild people at A24, and it is mainly a whodunnit tailored for Gen Z…that additionally kinda makes enjoyable of Gen Z.
Directed by Halina Reijn, Our bodies Our bodies Our bodies stars Amandla Stenberg (The Starvation Video games), Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm), and an excellent supporting forged together with stars like Lee Tempo (The Hobbit trilogy), Pete Davidson (SNL), and up-and-comers Myha’la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders, and Rachel Sennott.
However earlier than we get going right here, be warned that there are some (gentle) spoilers forward!
So, the movie opens with Sophie (Amandla Stenberg) and her new girlfriend, Bee (Maria Bakalova). They’re younger, cute, in love, and on their method to a celebration at Sophie’s childhood good friend’s home.
The factor is, this is not your typical “enjoyable weekend simply chilling with associates” form of get together… It is a hurricane get together. Sure, fairly actually a celebration to trip out a hurricane.
Sophie and Bee are the final to reach on the get together — which Sophie’s associates low-key throw shade at her for (they did not suppose she’d ~really~ make it). And Sophie proceeds to introduce Bee to everybody…
There’s David (Pete Davidson), the wealthy good friend whose dad and mom personal the home they’re at:
His girlfriend, Emma (Chase Sui Wonders), a fledgling actor who David has been relationship for six years:
Alice (Rachel Sennott), a fun-loving get together lady who hosts a podcast and “lacks self-awareness”:
Alice’s fortysomething outdoorsy boyfriend, Greg (Lee Tempo), who she met on Tinder:
And Jordan (Myha’la Herrold), the lone “single particular person” of the good friend group who nonetheless has a factor for Sophie:
A lot of the group is not notably welcoming to Bee, and after the awkward introduction, some previous grudges are introduced up.
The temper takes a lighter, albeit temporary, flip as our Gen Z’ers (and one previous millennial) get together it up with consuming, dancing, and a dabble of medication.
By the point evening (and the storm) falls, the group decides to play one among their “previous favourite” video games: Our bodies Our bodies Our bodies.
The sport works like this: After drawing slips of paper, one participant is designated the “assassin,” and solely they know who they’re. The lights are turned off, and everybody runs off by the mansion. If somebody is “killed” by the assassin, they need to play lifeless, and an “X” is drawn on them. If somebody stumbles on the “lifeless” physique, they shout, “Our bodies, our bodies, our bodies,” and the lights are turned again on. The remaining gamers need to strive to determine who the killer is.
In fact, you see the place that is going…proper?
The primary time they play the sport it goes as deliberate, NBD. However as tensions develop, THE POWER GOES OUT (in fact), and the group decides to separate (by no means try this in a horror film, proper?!) for a bit.
And that is when one among them ACTUALLY turns up lifeless. I will not say *who* reveals up because the (first, sure, FIRST) lifeless physique, however suffice to say it is sufficient to ship everybody right into a frenzy.
Now, I am not going to spoil for you the way the remainder of the ~recreation~ performs out, however let’s simply say that because the homicide thriller unfolds, so does the difficult historical past of this good friend group’s lives. Jealousy, mendacity, paranoia, manipulation, and so many different poisonous traits slowly come to the floor as issues get extra intense (AND MESSY).
As director Reijn defined, “The movie depicts each the toxicity but in addition the seduction of a good friend group. All of us dwell in a world the place we’re not really taking a look at one another or seeing what is going on on. The characters within the movie, they’re not likely taking a look at what’s happening; they’re simply reacting, and that turns into nearly a hysteria. Beneath strain, we’re rather more pushed by our primal urges than we wish to suppose.”
TBH, as an ~older~ millennial, I used to be totally anticipating to be irritated by the very Gen Z qualities (and dialogue) of the characters. However, to Reijn’s credit score, there is a fairly clear self-awareness about all of it. Certain, stylish issues like TikTok dances come into play, however not to some extent the place you would be rolling your eyes.
Like all good whodunnit horrors, Our bodies Our bodies Our bodies makes wonderful use of its setting. As a result of, let’s be trustworthy, there’s nothing fairly as classically spooky as a large, unfamiliar mansion when the facility goes out. The filmmakers additionally experimented in intelligent methods with coloured flashlights, LEDs, iPhones, and glow sticks to be able to differentiate between characters, and all of it works very nicely.
As for the performing, Stenberg makes a robust and compelling lead, and it is enjoyable to see Bakalova stretching her performing expertise past comedy (as nice as she is at that), into one thing a bit of extra ~severe~. Nevertheless, if I am being trustworthy, Rachel Sennott is hilarious as Alice and a complete scene stealer all through the film.
General, the movie is a enjoyable trip full of snickers, scares, and a little bit of gore. And you may undoubtedly be guessing proper up till the very finish the way it’ll all play out. However the massive reveal on the finish — one which I assure you’ll not see coming — can have you laughing/screaming, “WOW, that is dumb.” (In a great way!)
