By 
Creepy dolls, buzzing flies, and a broken music box welcome us into the world of DOLLY, setting the stage for one of 2025’s bloodiest and most unsettling horror offerings. Director Rod Blackhurst leans into classic Grindhouse with a gritty aesthetic and explicit gore, at the same time twisting that nostalgia into something disturbingly fresh.
Chase (Sean William Scott) and Macy (Fabianne Therese) set off for a romantic camping trip in the picturesque, remote woods. Just as Chase is about to propose, he hears something nearby and decides to investigate. This choice sets off a brutal slaughter as he meets “Dolly,” a hulking, supernaturally strong mother figure with a terrifying doll mask and a singular goal: to replace her lost child.
Incapacitating Chase and kidnapping Macy, Dolly forces our heroine into a frilly dress and diaper, feeding her a myriad of quease-inducing offerings, and punishing her with slaps, punches, and more if Macy disobeys. Her only way out is to trust another stranger locked within Dolly’s fairy tale house – hoping that if they work together, they can take the monster down.
The casting is SUPERB, with lead actress Therese earning a solid Scream Queen crown, and Sean William Scott truly doing the most with his role. Dolly herself (Max the Impaler) is nightmare fuel: a silent figure who feels both uncanny and primal. Every appearance of her drips with dread, because you know she’s impossible to escape.
And oh, the gore. DOLLY is unapologetically violent: throats torn open, bodies mangled, blood splattering everywhere. It’s all framed within an atmosphere of mounting dread, amplified by a haunting score.
It’s a messy and mean love letter to the golden age of slashers, with enough shocks to leave even seasoned horror fans squirming in their seats.
Stay tuned for the prequel, which is already in production! We’ll learn more about Dolly’s origins in that one.
DOLLY is currently playing at Fantastic Fest in Austin, TX.
I Love Splatter! 