Although it has been two years since the movie’s initial release on March 14, 2022, the horror/comedy “Bodies Bodies Bodies” has been trending recently thanks to a new sound on TikTok. So, it was time for me to rewatch.
The film, starring rising actress Rachel Sennott, comedian Pete Davidson and Myha’la Herrold, who recently starred in the Netflix original “Leave the World Behind,” is a comedic take on how Gen Z would handle a murder mystery.
Set in a remote mansion, “Bodies Bodies Bodies” follows a group of friends in their early twenties as they navigate a hurricane and a blackout while drinking and partying. During their seemingly harmless game night, one of the seven friends is found dead outside the mansion.
With no access to the internet and forced to consider which of their friends is capable of murder, they begin to find any reason to place blame for the crime. The group delivers iconic Gen Z buzzwords such as “trigger,” “gaslight,” and “toxic,” and the audience gets more details on the group’s dynamic through their arguments, accusations and more murders.
The first to be accused is outsider Greg, who recently started dating a longtime member of the friend group, Alice. She slowly realizes she may have jumped into a relationship with a killer… but it doesn’t really make sense for it to be him because “He’s a libra moon, and that says a lot!” A classic move for a Gen Z girl to live her life by horoscopes and star signs.
As the paranoia gets the best of them, this is when we get the funniest lines of the film. Sennott’s character, Alice, flawlessly delivered the aforementioned famous TikTok sound, “You’re the murderer. I knew it! I knew it! You’re such a bitch! You’re such a fucking bitch!”
The remaining members take drastic measures to ensure they’re the last alive. I won’t give too much away, but from the remaining six only two survive until the next morning.
Enter one of the funniest and most creative twists to a movie ending that I’ve seen in a while. If you’re intrigued and want to watch the film, I advise you to stop here and watch the movie to discover the twist on your own.
Otherwise…
This is when the body of the first friend killed (David) is finally seen in daylight. Sitting next to David’s body is his phone, where a video of him accidentally stabbing himself with a sword while attempting a TikTok dance is playing on a loop.
The entire film is then brought into perspective as we realize the “murderer” was actually David himself, and every death after was a result of intense paranoia and a group of friends attempting to diagnose each other. I think it was executed brilliantly.
Not only were there constant references to the language of Gen Z, but it was also a commentary on how our generation would survive if we were cut off from the world. The blackout only lasted a few hours but resulted in five murders, with the very first “murder” committed by a TikTok dance. How fitting.
Although some critics believe the film was making fun of Gen Z, I personally think it was a compliment. Not only is Gen Z the most authentically ourselves, but we can find humor in anything — even in death.
Overall I rate the film a 9/10. The beginning of the film impersonated Gen Z a little too much, which ultimately just made it seem like an older person’s attempt to poke fun at a generation they might be slightly jealous of. However, as the film progressed, they redeemed themselves by accurately portraying the syntax, diction and mannerisms of a Gen Z conversation.
Throughout the entire film, I was on the edge of my seat, whether I was doubled over in laughter or anxious to see who would be accused of murder next.
What other generation could make us genuinely laugh when we are supposed to be scared?
