Bodies Bodies Bodies: How TikTok Addiction Inspired a New Horror Movie

A24’s new horror film turns social media addiction into a bloody murder mystery with director Halina Reijn.TikTok was one of the major inspirations behind A24’s new horror film, Bodies Bodies Bodies. It follows a dysfunctional group of young adults as a hurricane traps them in the mansion of their friends including Maria Bakalova, Pete Davidson, Rachel Sennott, and Amandla Stenberg.

As the storm kills the power in the house, the long-time friends play a murder mystery game called Bodies Bodies Bodies to pass the time. As the game progresses, one of them ends up dead for real, and bloody chaos erupts.

Bodies Bodies Bodies’ characters are unmistakably Gen Z and heavily influenced by modern social media. It is almost impossible to watch the movie without seeing someone texting, recording a TikTok, or emphasizing the importance of the group chat. There are numerous hyper-modern slang terms used in abundance, such as “lit,” “canceled,” etc.

There is even a tagline in posters and ads for Bodies Bodies Bodies that says, “This is not a safe space.” So, it’s easy to see how Reijn and screenwriter Sarah DeLappe got the idea for the film.NBC News reports that Reijn wanted Bodies Bodies Bodies to examine how Gen-Zers use social media platforms such as TikTok to define themselves.

Almost every scene in her novel includes at least one smartphone, and the characters’ “animalistic” reactions to losing service and internet because of the storm reflect the risks associated with becoming so dependent on such devices. A biting satire premiered earlier this year at South By Southwest to rave reviews.

It was described as “marvelous” and “ludicrous” in the same sentence by critics, which only makes sense when you hear what Reijn wanted to say. It is largely a one-dimensional story with one-dimensional, self-indulgent, and shallow characters.

Their friendships with each other crumble at the first sign of trouble. Most of the horror is so ridiculous that it could have been avoided if these people had any sense or substance. All of this was meant to be intentional, as Reijn pointed out since there is a real lack of communication between everyone. Images and screens are more valuable than each other to everyone.

This fun ride asks viewers some disturbing questions under the surface, which shouldn’t surprise fans of A24. Having made Midsommar, Hereditary, and this year’s Men, this studio has a reputation for making horror movies about society at large that are both frightening and thought-provoking. It is merely the latest addition to a lineup that has already proven to be impressive.

Dakota Cameron

Dakota Cameron is a seasoned web content writer and covers the Hollywood movies for the MovieThop Website
Ms. Cameron began his professional life as a freelance blogger. Later, he worked for Witbe as a content writer for two years. His interests include blogging, reading, movies and travel.
Ms. Cameron graduated in Journalism and Mass Communication from University State of Georgia University. He is fluent in French, Spanish, and other languages.