A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
very little
Considering that one character becomes a demonic killing machine and another goes on a killing rampage to avenge her, it's hard to find any positive messages here.
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Positive Role Models
very little
With its cast of murderous rock stars, sex-machine killing demons, and vengeful girl warriors, there are no truly positive role models in the film (though an argument could be made for the movie promoting a form of "girl power").
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Violence & Scariness
a lot
Gory violence: A young woman is stabbed to death as part of a satanic ritual; several people are devoured in bloody fashion by a demon that has possessed a young woman, with shredding of flesh, blood, etc. A fire at a bar kills several people; also stabbings, punches, kicks, and self-mutilation. Dead bodies are seen in crime-scene footage.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
a lot
Lots of sex. Teens have consensual, safe sex; male and female nudity, reference to condom use. Nude female buttocks. Two young women make out in an extended scene. Plenty of naughty talk about sex and virginity -- "I'm not even a backdoor virgin," for example, and much more. Talk of flashing breasts to get served alcohol.
See AlsoJennifer & NeedyDid you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
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Language
a lot
Constant strong language, including (but in no way limited to) "f--k," "motherf--ker," "s--t," "hell," "ass," "t-ts," "damn," "dick," "dillhole," "goddamn," "retarded," "porking," and much, much more.
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Products & Purchases
a little
Many products/brands are mentioned by name -- including (but not limited to) Vagisil, Monastat, MySpace, Chevy, The Cheesecake Factory, and many more -- but more as a way to make the dialogue sound cool/up-to-date than in a particularly promotional/salesy manner.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
some
Teens drink hard liquor and beer, sometimes to excess; characters smoke cigarettes; references to peyote; cocaine use is implied in photographs.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that while teens will be clamoring to see this darkly funny horror movie -- which stars Transformers' Megan Fox and was written by Juno's Diablo Cody -- it's full of gory demonic violence, sex (including partial nudity, same-sex kissing, and a pervasive tone of sex as a game, a competition, and even a prelude to murder), constant strong language (from "f--k" to "s--t" and more), teen drinking, and more. Teens who watch expecting an offbeat screwball comedy like Juno will be in for a huge shock. Parents also need to know that this review is for the rated version of the film. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
In a small town, Jennifer (Megan Fox) and "Needy" (Amanda Seyfried) are unlikely best friends. Then Jennifer is murdered in a Satanic ritual by a rock band whose members hope that sacrificing her will give them the big break they need. But a flaw in the ceremony -- turns out, when the instructions say "sacrifice a virgin," you can't get away with any substitutions -- means that Jennifer is now posessed by a hungry demonic spirit bent on murder. Can Needy stop her best friend's killing rampage?
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the film's mingling of sex and violence/death -- why do so many horror films make this link? Does the film use Fox's pin-up girl image for dramatic effect?
What is the movie saying about sexual competitiveness between girls? Why do these issues get fought out in this way? What motivates girls to fight, and fight the way they do, in close friendships?
Why do you think so many horror films take place in or around high school? What does that say about being a teenager?
Movie Details
- In theaters: September 18, 2009
- On DVD or streaming: December 29, 2009
- Cast: Amanda Seyfried, J.K. Simmons, Megan Fox
- Director: Karyn Kusama
- Inclusion Information: Female directors, Asian directors, Female actors, Bisexual actors
- Studio: Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre: Horror
- Run time: 102 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: sexuality, bloody violence, language and brief drug use
- Last updated: April 5, 2023
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