Not long after she rose to prominence thanks to her role in 2007’s Transformers, Megan Fox starred in what is widely regarded as one of the most important feminist horror films of all time, Jennifer’s Body. After becoming possessed by a demon when a rock group tries to sacrifice her in exchange for fame and fortune, Fox’s Jennifer Check uses her sexuality to lure unsuspecting high school boys into her clutches so that she can eat their flesh. It’s a film that’s flush with themes of female empowerment, friendship, bodily autonomy, sexual freedom, and now you can stream it for free on Tubi.
Directed by Karyn Kasuma from a script by Diablo Cody, Jennifer’s Body also stars Amanda Seyfried as Anita “Needy” Lesnicki, Fox’s best friend who serves as narrator of the film, recounting Check’s gruesome actions right up until the very end. Produced on a budget of just $16 million, the film failed to make an impact at the box office, earning just $31.6 million in receipts. It wasn’t exactly a hit with critics at the time, either, though some – such as Roger Ebert – recognized its brilliance, noting in his review that the movie “isn’t your assembly-line teen horror thriller.”
Over the last 15 years, however, Jennifer’s Body has become a cult favorite among feminists and horror aficionados, who, like Ebert, have since realized that it’s more than just your garden-variety slasher film. Thanks to cultural events, including the resurgence of the #MeToo movement in 2017, many have taken a second look at the movie, its subtext, and Cody’s script – which brings to light how women are often viewed as nothing more than meat in the eyes of men, put on earth to service their own needs and desires. By centering on a woman who uses her sex appeal to fight back against the patriarchy – albeit with her teeth – Jennifer’s Body turns the tables on conventional horror tropes to deliver a film that was ahead of its time in many ways, and one that would surely find greater success if it were made today.
History Repeats Itself for Megan Fox
Fox is back in a familiar position in 2024, starring in the sci-fi thriller Subservience as Alice, an AI fembot whose responsibility it is to be at the beck and call of a man in need of a housekeeper after his wife becomes sick. Of course, she eventually becomes self-aware. Heaven forbid he does the laundry himself, right? As with her 2009 horror movie, Fox’s new film isn’t being well received by critics. Though many are praising her performance (as they did with Jennifer’s Body), they’re also calling the film a predictable outing that adds nothing new to the genre. Sound familiar? It should, because much the same was said 15 years ago about her now-classic feminist feature.
It definitely seems as if history is repeating itself for Megan Fox, though only time will tell if Subservience will get the same treatment down the line in retrospective reviews that herald it as another feminist classic that puts a spotlight on what evil lies in the hearts of men, only for the tables to be turned on their dark urges. For now, check out Megan Fox in Jennifer’s Body, which is streaming for free on Tubi.
