Film Review: OVER YOUR DEAD BODY (2026): A Horror/Comedy That is Absurdly Entertaining

Over Your Dead Body Review

Over Your Dead Body (2026) Film Review, a movie directed by Jorma Taccone, written by Tommy Wirkola, Nick Ball and John Niven and starring Samara Weaving, Jason Segel, Timothy Olyphant, Juliette Lewis, Keith Jardine, Nikolai Kinski, Kayla Radomski, Paul Guilfoyle, Danusia Samal, Jake Curran, Bill Jones, Robert Goodman, Andy Cohen, Iina Kuustonen, Andre Eriksen and Ilkka Villi.

Filmmaker Jorma Taccone’s sharper than sharp satire, Over Your Dead Body, opens with a commercial that director, Dan (Jason Segel), is working on. Dan is a former film director who is making a living, but unhappy with his wife, Lisa (Samara Weaving), who he has supported throughout their marriage in various ways. When they go to a hideaway cabin, both of them plan to kill the other one and the result is a madly entertaining thriller that holds the viewer’s interest despite wildly offbeat plot twists that don’t always serve the mechanics of the story satisfactorily.

Segel’s character is something of a jerk at times, but Lisa is no saint either. When Dan goes to cover Lisa’s mouth from behind in order to put an end to her existence, she turns around and uses a taser gun to ultimately get Dan tied up. This couple is about to confront all the things they hate about each other and the wicked nature of the material provides for some satisfying dialogue exchanges between Segel and Weaving’s characters that makes the film a curiously intriguing dramatic thriller.

Dan had enlisted the help of Henry (Jake Curran) to hit Lisa over the head with a hammer. In a hilarious scene, Dan tells Henry, “It’s hammer time,” but Henry fails to take the cue and do what is expected of him. It turns out the life insurance that would be obtained if either Lisa or Dan died is the motivation for each of them to want to kill the other, but now, Henry wants a piece of the pie as well, further complicating an already awkward situation.

The plot thickens as a couple of escaped convicts (Timothy Olyphant and Keith Jardine) and the officer who helped them escape (played by Juliette Lewis) are hiding in the cabin as well. These intense criminals are ready to do what they have to do to get rid of Dan and Lisa who are going to have to use their wits to survive. Could this feuding pair fall in love again given their newfound effort to fight for their survival?

Over Your Dead Body has fun with its basic premise. Segel and Weaving are convincing when they discuss what makes their characters hate each other. It’s great to see Olyphant and Lewis working again and at least one of the bad guys here will get shot in the face by the time the movie ends and a big hole will be left in that said face as well. This movie gets creative with its story line and goes back in time occasionally to show how the characters arrived at their current situation. This is a Tarantino-esque plot device that pays off here interestingly well.

Segel has fun on-screen and shows a more serious side to his character when the plot demands him to, as well. Weaving may have the showier role, but Segel is right behind her with his solid performance. As two of the convicts, Olyphant and Lewis come up aces with some of the best work either of them have done in years. They both play these roles in an over-the-top way that works well for the film. It’s true that the plot here is a bit absurd at times and that fact does detract from the realism of all the situations occurring on-screen. Who goes to a film like this for realism, though? It’s an enjoyable story peppered with action scenes and nail-biting suspense.

Over Your Dead Body may make a minor misstep with its unexpectedly humorous ending. The resolve here seems a bit too pat for the complicated situations that the movie attempts to tackle. However, it’s definitely a unique choice to end the film the way it ultimately concludes. There is another side character who makes an appearance to try to help Segel and Weaving’s characters out towards the end, but this review has already given way too much of the movie’s plot away.

Over Your Dead Body works as a horror movie, a comedy and an action movie all rolled up into one. It sets the audience up for one type of movie and delivers a different type of film by the time the end credits come up. However, the surprises make it all worthwhile. What this film lacks in realism, it more than makes up for in sheer entertainment value. Segel and Weaving have a good time together in this film and the audience will enjoy the movie’s twisty plot developments as a result.

Rating: 7/10

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