Spoiler alert—I will be giving “Dolly” an F at the end of this review, and I’m certain the filmmakers would want or expect nothing else.
Courtesy of Witchcraft Motion Pictures Company, “Dolly” is the brainchild of filmmaker Rod Blackhurst who directed and wrote the 83-minute piece. The 2025 title is a Shudder original and based on Blackhurst’s 2022 short film called “Babygirl.”
Is that Stifler?
We follow a couple; Macy (Fabianne Therese) and Chase (Seann William Scott) as they embark on a camping trip. Macy is skeptical of the relationship. Chase plans to propose. It’s typical stuff.
In the woods, they discover creepy ass dolls hanging on trees. The filming location is oddly good, considering the quality of the film.
They quickly meet Dolly, an imposing figure (played by professional wrestler Max the Impaler) wearing a chilling mask and costume. Dolly is armed with a shovel. Cue the insanity.
What Works
I will offer two points of praise; the acting and the costume.
I enjoyed the performance of the lead, Fabianne Therese, who masters this impossible situation with a certain panache. She’s beautiful, she makes dumb decisions, and she can handle horror.
Max the Impaler plays the Dolly part with an unscripted creepiness that works. The character is a human, not a ghost or supernatural being. There’s a dark past and obvious mental health issues.
Dolly’s costume, specifically the mask, is a thing of genius. It’s scary in a realistic way and could rival Michael Myers or Ghostface if the caliber of the film were remotely close.
We even got a cameo from Ethan Suplee (“Boy Meets World,” “Remember the Titans”).
Pointless
“Dolly” is a slasher film. Its bloody, graphic, and pointless. I saw some photos of the cast and crew having fun on the set and it seemed appropriate.
I like the costume and the performances. But the rest plays out exactly as you would expect. As promised!
