One night, Jennifer finds herself getting into a van - described by Needy as a “white molester van with no windows” - and comes back a changed woman. The film revolves around a complex, implicitly queer relationship between the geeky Anita “Needy” (Amanda Seyfried) and cheerleader Jennifer Check (Megan Fox). It was conveniently easy to criticize: Megan Fox’s main character role was apparently too sexualized, too trashy - it was “‘Twilight’ for boys.” The LA Times called it “self-conscious splatter over a sorely lackluster scare flick.” Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 45 percent rating.
When “Jennifer’s Body” was released in 2009, critics panned the movie.
Her unignorable yet fading status as a sex symbol is a case study in how female bodies and narratives are commodified and appropriated to serve male interests in Hollywood. Having publicly addressed her objectification, bisexual identity and her experience with sexual assault in the entertainment industry, her name is routinely featured in conversations about womanhood and sexuality. In an industry where complicity is the norm, Megan Fox has continually challenged her popular perceptions as a sex symbol.