“Bodies Bodies Bodies” seems to be simple on the surface. Yet, much like the mystery that is the centerpiece of the film, there is something deeper going on here.

Director Halina Reijn, working from a screenplay by Sarah DeLappe, has crafted a fun hybrid that uses elements of a thriller to serve as an acidic social satire that captures the angst of Generation Z.

“Bodies” tells the story of a group of rich 20-somethings who meet up for a hurricane party hosted by David (Pete Davidson) at his family’s remote mansion. The group includes Sophie (Amandla Stenberg) and new girlfriend Bee (Maria Bakalova), David’s girlfriend Emma (Chase Sui Wonders), an overly-opinionated podcaster named Alice (Rachel Sennott), Alice’s much older boyfriend Greg (Lee Pace) and Jordan (Myha’la Herrold) – who was previously in a relationship with Sophie.

The group decides to play a parlor game where one person is the “killer” with the object of the game for the rest of the group to figure out who the killer is before they are the next victim. The game takes a realistically dark turn when someone is actually killed, leaving everyone scrambling to literally fight for their lives amidst a sea of accusations and backstabbing.

DeLappe’s screenplay takes a calculated risk of making most of these characters quite insufferable – the kind of people you wouldn’t want to be trapped in a room with for five minutes, let alone a night. Bee is the one exception, serving as sort of the audience surrogate in these proceedings watching all of this unfold with the same shock and horror as moviegoers.

Bakalova tackles this role quite effectively and is part of a very talented cast that really brings it to their respective performances. Davidson continues his string of strong film work, while Sennott is the true standout – showing her great work in “Shiva Baby” only scratched the surface of her potential.

“Bodies” might appear to wander around in spots, creating an uncertainty on the direction of the script, but it all comes together for a payoff that is as satisfying as any film in 2022.

It’s proof that sometimes the journey is worth the wait when a filmmaker/screenwriter has something special up their sleeve. The ending of “Bodies” is just that, the kind of conclusion that doesn’t just make you question what you’ve seen before, but makes you want to go back and see it again (even if it means spending more time with this rather unlikable group).

Starring: Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova

Directed by: Halina Reijn

Rating: R for violence, bloody images, drug use, sexual references and pervasive language.

Playing at: Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Greenwood Mall Stadium 10

Grade: B