We’ve all been to a party that didn’t quite hit the mark but it’s normally down to cringey company, mince music or frightful food, not people turning up dead every 10 minutes.
But that’s the general gist of Bodies Bodies Bodies as a group of rich 20-somethings’ get-together is ruined by a hurricane and the guests’ inability to stay alive.
Dutch director Halina Reijn’s second film is like a Gen Z version of Agatha Christie complete with glow sticks, booze and a whodunnit mystery at its core.
A storm is brewing, figuratively and literally, as the worsening weather traps everyone in the single mansion location and tempers and mistrust very quickly boil over.
There are only eight cast members in total and no-one is especially likeable. While this ensures everyone is a potential suspect, it makes it difficult to root for anybody as you wouldn’t mind if they all perish.
Maria Bakalova’s Bee is the closest we get to a protagonist, Lee Pace’s Greg is so chilled out he would’ve been as well spending the movie in bed, and a risible Pete Davidson ( David ) continues to make his former relationship with Kim Kardashian completely inexplicable.
Much of the dialogue in Sarah DeLappe’s screenplay, based on a story by Kristen Roupenian, is caustic and cutting and no-one gets off without a public dressing-down.
Reijn doesn’t hold back on the blood, though, with a few grisly kills and utilises victims’ point-of-view shots and off-camera deaths to keep the mystery going.
Truthfully, however, I saw the final twist coming and it made the reveal quite underwhelming, although in general it is a welcome deviation from the genre norm.
A black comedy-horror with a little too much bite, Bodies Bodies Bodies will keep you entertained for an hour-and-a-half but you’ll be quickly grabbing your coat afterwards as you won’t want to stick around any longer.
● Pop me an email at ian.bunting@reachplc.com and I will pass on any movie or TV show recommendations you have to your fellow readers.
Jonathan Benson got in touch to say: “I didn’t think I would enjoy Wednesday on Netflix but it is really good fun.
“As a fan of The Addams Family, it respects, and expands on, the characters.”
● Bodies Bodies Bodies is available to own on DVD now.
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