Considering how blatantly this movie imitates "Carrie", it's more entertaining than it really has any right to be. Key to its degree of success is the effectiveness of its protagonist and antagonist. You sympathize with our title character and are very put off by the cruelty of her nemesis. In fact, the acting is generally good, the filmmaking adequate. There is a certain amount of cheesiness on display, at least in the big finale where Jennifer unleashes Hell on her tormentors. Some of the special effects are pretty damn laughable.Lovely Lisa Pelikan plays Jennifer, a rural type who's earned a scholarship to a lavish private school. She lives with her widowed father Luke (legendary acting teacher and character actor Jeff Corey), a very religious pet store owner. At school her situation is dire, as snot nosed spoiled rotten jerks led by Sandra (Amy Johnston, "The Buddy Holly Story") ostracize Jennifer mostly just because she's not from their social circle. Fortunately for Jennifer she has an ability that will eventually serve her well: the ability to control deadly snakes.The cast of familiar faces includes Bert Convy as nice guy science teacher Jeff Reed, Nina Foch (who, like Corey, had success as both a performer and an acting teacher) as snooty headmistress Mrs. Calley, John Gavin ("Psycho" '60) as Sandras' politician father, Louise Hoven as overweight sad sack Jane Delano, Ray Underwood ("Massacre at Central High") as cruel jock Dayton, and Wesley Eure as "Pit", one of Sandras' and Daytons' friends. Pelikan as Jennifer is appealing, while Johnston is just so damn perfect - easily rivalling Nancy Allen in "Carrie" for vindictive, mean-spirited bitchiness - that the viewer relishes waiting for her comeuppance. Corey plays the role of the Bible thumping parent with a lot more subtlety than Piper Laurie did before him; he's good, but nowhere near as memorable. Only Eure tends to get under utilized.The movie comes complete with an unsubtle condemnation of upper crust types who think that they should be allowed to do anything that they want. It's all worth it just for that hilarious closing moment, as we hope to see *something* happen to a certain someone.Seven out of 10.

From a poor background, co-locating in a pet store with her depressed father, Mensa-grade intellect sees the beguiling Jennifer (Pelikan) given an opportunity to break free from her lower-class shackles amongst the well healed at a prestigious girl's school. But after prolonged bullying and passive subversion from the arrogant head mistress (Foch), Jennifer reveals her penchant for snakes, and her telepathic ability to command them to avenge her mistreatment.A strong cast (Bert Convy as a sympathetic teacher, John Gavin in one of his last film roles before taking up politics) and some effective special effects are the cornerstones of this blatant "Carrie" knock-off, the parallels so shameless (particularly in the characterisations) that if you removed the snake aspect, you'd be watching an inferior remake.Pelikan is capable and actually looks better than the material with which she's got to work, and Foch in particular is a strong, assured presence as the pompous principal, whose belief it is that only money and status can achieve worthy character. The giant snake head effects aren't bad, and you wonder how the actors feel about some giant puppet head clamping down on their skulls – not what they'd have anticipated at theatre school. But it's all about the audience, and it's cheesy and fun, so thumbs up.

Best Movie I have ever seen: ****Spoiler alert**** "Jennifer" shows revenge in all it's fun forms. Unlike "Carrie", who kills almost everyone, she only kills those who have it coming. I think every kid who has been picked upon understands Jennifer, and wishes he or she can pay them back. She has a nice friendship with Jane, and leads her on the right path-she avenges Janes' rape, with her consent. You see Janes' smile as her rapist is sent to the next world.We know it's wrong to seek revenge (something Jennifer neglects when she reads the Bible), but it's fun to see her pay them back. She is a nicer character than Carrie. She gets along well with her father. She has issues, but who doesn't?

I only saw the last half-hour of this film. I have been looking all over the four corners of the earth and finally found it available for order on the internet. When I see the whole thing, I'll make additional comments. I'm tired of maudlin films with reprehensible characters who get killed or suffer misfortune, only to have the other characters weeping or remorseful over the misfortune that character deserved to get. But that's not the case with Jennifer. It is uncompromising and doesn't pull any punches when exacting revenge on many of the film's vicious characters. Some of you have criticized the effects, but be understanding that without today's digital and computer effects, they were limited in what they could do. A good effort, with some reasonably well-known stars adding spice to the film.