Most of you Fellow Fans know that, barring a few standouts, horror/comedies typically don’t do it for me; I suppose my hardheaded purism tends to override my open-mindedness to some extent on that topic.  Add to that the fact that both horror and comedy are areas where one fan may positively love a particular element, while another absolutely loathes it; attempting to combine two genres that each on their own are so very subjective is a tough line to toe, more often than not resulting in (to my sensibilities at least) cinematic disasters.  Thus, my usual response to them is careful but deliberate avoidance.  So, when I was approached to check out an indie film from MonsterBuster Entertainment, billed as a horror/comedy, I gotta admit I had a little trepidation…finding out it was called Invasion of the Undead and made for less than twenty grand, my heart sank a little more…I hate it when I have to write a less-than-favorable review…

 

…well, to writer/director Torey Haas and his cast and crew, I heartily apologize for my waaaaaaay off-target preconception.

Allison’s having a rough morning; recently moved in to the huge old family manse she’s inherited, her stuff is still mostly packed in boxes, and her mom is pestering her on the phone.

She’s had no luck finding a job, but that’s about to change:  she gets a call about an assistant manager’s position that sounds like a sure thing; all she’s gotta do is make a good impression at the interview.  Digging out her best dress from the boxes of assorted mess, she heads into her stately bathroom to get dolled up…but it looks like she’s gonna have to wait on the zombie currently occupying the bathroom to finish brushing her hair…

Of course, the realization of this sets in quickly, and Allison locks the fiery-eyed creature in the washroom and heads downstairs…to be met by little Ashley at the door, taking up donations for her girl scout group.  Undaunted by Allison’s unease, Ashley informs her that zombies aren’t that uncommon of an occurrence around these parts, and gives her the number of a local “paranormal exterminator” team, Desmond & Jake, whom Allison calls with a bit of disbelief.  The duo (consisting of brainy occult expert Jake and flirty wisenheimer Desmond) soon arrives and, using ancient techniques, dispatch the green-skinned creature that’s broken loose in the interim.

However, before they can collect their arbitrary thousand dollar fee (essentially for a little salt shaken about), it’s soon apparent that the hair-brushing beast was but the tip of the supernatural iceberg, and Jake senses great evil in the air…before the night is over, Allison’s old family secrets will cross paths with extradimensional evil, and it may be more than she and the swashbuckling pair of monster hunters can handle…

Now, it may well be the fact that I’m a nostalgic nerd with a soft-spot for this style of filmmaking, but I really liked this flick; it reminded me of the old live-action Sid & Marty Kroft Saturday morning shows like Dr. Shrinker or Wonderbug.  This isn’t to say that it was sub-par, by any means; the script was complex enough to eschew typical cinematic tropes to create it’s own universe, yet simple enough to be easy to follow.

Though some of the humor doesn’t work for me (does it ever all work?), the narrative still has an overall comedic flow  that doesn’t become tiresome; it certainly got some laughs out of me.  The cinematography was excellent, with the shots well set-up and framed, making intelligent use of angles and close-up, while also making the most of the action sequences without them seeming staged or wooden.  Production design was very good, with great monochromatic lighting choices lending to the feel of a comic-book type tale, in much the same vein as Romero’s work on Creepshow.  The acting was head-and-shoulders above what you’d expect from a seventeen-thousand dollar movie, with principals Marie Barker (Allison), Greg Garrison (Desmond), and D. Dylan Schettina (Jake) turning in performances that, while not always grounded in reality, certainly worked for the context of the flick.  The villain of the piece (dubbed “Guy Smiley”; other nerds out there like me will recognize the name), despite looking something like an anime version of the Joker, has the same vibe of perfectly fitting in to the world that’s created here.

Top all of this off with set pieces like actual choreographed swordplay (and by that, I mean it didn’t look choppy and fake; it actually looked pretty damned good) and old-school stop-motion monsters, all bathed in a cartoony, video-game feel; it adds great flavor to the entertainment.

If you’re looking for a scary movie, this isn’t it; if you’re looking for the next Shaun of the Dead or Scary Movie…well, this isn’t that, either.  As with any flick, this one won’t be for everyone, but I feel there’s definitely an audience out there for it.  That said, if you’re looking for a good time, with some genuine fun to be had without taking things too seriously, this little flick is a pretty fine choice.  For a first feature, shot on a teensy-weensy budget with passion and talent filling in for the lack of big studio dollars, I was impressed.

And remember, I’m not a big fan of horror comedies.

Two-hundredths of a buck lighter.

–Mouse