Death to the Supermodels

Death to the Supermodels is a 2005 comedy and mystery film directed by Joel Silverman. The film stars Golden Globe-nominated actress Jaime Pressly, known for her role in My Name Is Earl, alongside Brooke Burns, known from Baywatch, Taylor Negron, renowned for his roles in various sitcoms, and Matt Winston, who's brought his charisma to countless TV shows and films.

The film moves through an intriguing blend of silliness and seriousness, providing the audience with a breather from heavy-loaded drama, offering instead an entertaining blend of laughter, suspense, and mystery. Death to the Supermodels has its roots firmly planted in the campy satirical soil, a distinct comedy where the humor is marked by broad parody and high exaggeration.

The story begins with a fast-rising supermodel casting agent and fashion magazine editor TJ. TJ, played by Jaime Pressly, has been entrusted with the task of finding the world's five hottest supermodels for her magazine's annual swimsuit issue. The assignment is a prestigious one, and TJ aims to put together an unforgettable photo shoot in a remote, beautiful, and exotic South Seas island. On the surface, it appears like business as usual, pitching five self-obsessed beauty queens against one another in an idyllic paradise setting.

Alongside TJ are Brooke Burns, Taylor Negron, and Matt Winston, each portraying eccentric, over-the-top supermodels, each blessed with their own quirks, flaws, and tendency to make a mess of things. The supermodels are brilliantly characterized, from their satirically accented personal makeup artist Gunther, played by Taylor Negron, to the tough-as-nails Evian, Brooke Burns' character who is known for her sharp tongue and fiery temper.

However, this seemingly perfect professional setup rapidly spirals into the realm of the weird and hilarious. The models start dropping dead one by one, resulting in panic among the remaining ones. They find themselves not just in a surreal tropical paradise but also in the midst of a mystery - who's causing the deaths and why? Pressly's character tries to get to the bottom of the murky affair, even while trying to hold the photo shoot together. The supermodels' fatal incidents range from bizarre to outrageous, yet they are delivered with such sidesplitting humor that the fear is replaced by guffaws.

The second part of the film revolves around the investigation, with the remaining models trotting around in their high fashion couture, trying to stay alive. It treads into the realm of the horror-comedy genre without losing its core satirical vibe.

Death to the Supermodels' comedy hinges on the over-the-top performances, cliche-ridden dialogue, shallow, narcissistic character portrayals, and the spoof of the fashion industry. It cashes in on its idea of an atypical setting for a murder mystery with attractive supermodels swapping roles between prey and predator, all presented in the most exaggeratedly humorous way possible.

Joel Silverman, the director, manages to keep the narrative fluid and the tempo high with well-timed laughs and cheeky humor. The eclectic star-cast performs with gusto, embracing their caricature-like roles with dedication. Pressly is delightful as always; her on-point comic timing retaining the narrative's light-hearted spirit. Negron's eccentric and humorous portrayal of the personal makeup artist employs slapstick comedy, and Burns delivered a solid performance as the feisty and tough supermodel, adding depth to the overall ensemble.

Despite its humorous and carefree exterior, the film takes a satirical look at the world of fashion, its superficiality, and the frills and fancies associated with it. It parodies the extreme narcissism and self-centered behavior often associated with the modeling industry and adds absurdity to it, making the film a hilarious caricature of the fashion world.

In a nutshell, Death to the Supermodels is a fun, ludicrous, satirical horror-comedy with memorable and amusing character portrayals, compelling narrative, and a murder mystery that keeps the audience engaged and entertained.