“Dolly” follows Macy, who is abducted by a monstrous figure in a porcelain mask while on a hike with her boyfriend Chase.
A Simple But Effective Horror Villain
A physical presence and a creepy mask. It really doesn’t take much to create a terrifying horror villain. And that’s exactly what “Dolly” does.
Right from the start, “Dolly” is the essence of creepy. It’s quiet – the lingering kind where you can’t tell what’s lurking around the corner. It’s also soaked with blood and gore. An old-school, grainy aesthetic tops it all off, adding to the isolated nature of the woodsy setting.
There isn’t much of a story inside “Dolly.” In fact, it’s only 82 minutes long. The relationship between Macy and Chase sits at the heart of the film – but that’s not really the audience’s priority. Nor the movie’s, for that matter.
“Dolly” is all about the scares. And it delivers plenty. Director of photography Justin Derry plays a big role in this. The camera is constantly moving, with side pans, shaky cam and wide-angle shots all contributing. When the killer enters the frame, the camera rarely settles. This generates a consistent barrage of fear, keeping viewers on edge.
Fans of carnage candy will likely be satisfied, as “Dolly” features solid practical effects. The gore may not be wide-ranging, but it’s plentiful.
Little Story, Little Runtime
Despite its successes, “Dolly” isn’t able to fire on all cylinders.
Even with such a short runtime, it often feels like there isn’t enough story to tell. With a non-verbal villain and such a simplistic plot, very few words are spoken. This leaves the movie silent more often than not – forcing the audience to wait almost non-stop for what comes next.
And what does come? Not a whole lot. Blood is shed in “Dolly,” but most of the developments are formulaic. The movie doesn’t do enough to distinguish itself from similar films, resulting in many reveals that are easy to telegraph. On top of this, character decisions ultimately lead to an abundance of sitting and waiting rather than running.
While viewers are always required to suspend disbelief in horror films, “Dolly” pushes this to the limit.
The movie is also split into seven chapters. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it does leave you questioning… why? With no major time jumps in “Dolly,” the constant breaks (almost every 10 minutes) grow repetitive quickly. It ends up feeling more like a gimmick to pad the length ever so slightly.
Performances and a Creepy Atmosphere
Fabianne Therese (Macy) leads the film. She drives much of the movie’s dialogue and largely succeeds. Therese is required to sell fear, and she does so through crying and screaming alike. While the emotional angle to her character doesn’t always land, that isn’t necessarily her fault.
Seann William Scott (Chase), Ethan Suplee (Tobe) and Max the Impaler (Dolly) round out the ensemble.
While never speaking, Max the Impaler brings physicality to the antagonist. Add the mask plus subtle crying baby sounds, and this becomes one of the creepiest recent horror villains.
Co-writer and director Rod Blackhurst manages to keep “Dolly” engaging even with a minimalistic approach. And he doesn’t waste much time hooking the audience, delivering ample unsettling dolls along the way.
“Dolly” isn’t breaking barriers in the genre. But it’s creepy. And creepy deserves credit. The film combines a terrifying villain with a retro aesthetic to remain chilling from beginning to end.
Rating: 3 out of 5
