Burying the Ex (2014)
*** (out of 4)
Highly entertaining mix of horror, romance and comedy as horror fan Max (Anton Yelchin) wants to get rid of his girlfriend Evelyn (Ashley Greene) but minutes before he can do so she's killed in a tragic accident. However, due to a previous accidental wish, she ends up coming back from the dead to rekindle their love, which doesn't sit well with Max since he's moved onto Olivia (Alexandra Daddario) who shares his love of horror.
If you're a fan of director Joe Dante's work then you're really going to love this film, which is certainly a throwback to his earlier films like THE HOWLING in regards to how many winks there are to other horror movies. This film pretty much works on every level because it's funny. It's got some nice gory moments for horror fans. Even the love triangle works extremely well thanks in large part to the direction and the cast members being so great. Not to mention if you're a horror fan then you're going to get to have all sorts of cool treats including discussions about Bela Lugosi, the Halloween monster cereal and we even get clips from films like PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE and THE WIZARD OF GORE.
BURYING THE EX is a movie that will appeal to many but I think horror fans are going to get the biggest kick out of it. I'm sure a lot of people will look at the Max character and be able to relate to his love of movies, being stuck in a lifeless job and then there's the problem with the girlfriend who doesn't get him. All of this is brought to more life when he does get the girl who digs the stuff that he likes but that's when the zombie shows up to mess everything up. This is really a charming little date movie that manages to appeal to horror fans willing to add a little romance and comedy into their diet. This movie really is something truly funny and there's no question that Dante is able to mix all of these elements together into something really special.
There's no doubt that one of the biggest benefits is that the cast is so great. Yelchin has this laid back, dry approach that is just downright hilarious at times and especially during the scenes where he can grow a pair enough to tell the girl that he is done. Greene is simply divine in her performance because she's perfect at playing the annoying part but she also manages to make you feel bad for her because all she's really trying to do is keep the "romance" alive. She really makes for a memorable character. Even Daddario is excellent in her supporting role as is Oliver Cooper who plays the half brother who likes sex. Then there's the cameo by Dick Miller, which is just terrific.
BURYING THE EX works on many levels but I think its best aspect is simply its charm. All of the elements of the story work extremely well and if you're a horror fan you're going to get a kick out of them as well as the rest of the monster stuff that shows up.
