It's not particularly original, but has some high level thrills, largely owing to Yancy Butler's contributions.
The Ex ticks a lot of entertainment boxes. The storyline we've seen before but there is a real commitment here to bring us an enjoyably fast paced thriller. Butler is the psycho, creepy, sinister ex of a husband whom she is obsessed with and can't let go of. Certainly she is out of control mentally, and a violent killer, but it's hard to dislike her. I felt I could relate with her character in some ways and her unpredictable and often times surprising actions are convincingly portrayed. Reminded me of Mia Goth and her unhinged character in Pearl and like Goth, Butler is excellent at showing different personas in quick transition.
The support cast is a bit ordinary but they do ok. I think they tried to make Butler's ex husband like Michael Douglas in Fatal Attraction, which doesn't quite work that great but enough is done to carry the story along. His new wife is pretty much a simple, goody-two-shoes type so she's a bit boring and by the numbers, but their young son is just creepy as. His eyes and expression look really spooky and I could see his mother's genealogy being passed on like she's feeding him through a drip.
Quite a decent little thriller, with plenty of gnarly kills albeit the script at times erring on the side of the old cliches, The Ex will probably entertain and please most viewers who enjoy simple but effective, target-hitting movies.
