[FrightFest Halloween '25] FILM REVIEW: Dolly

Dolly - FrightFest Halloween UK Premiere

Director: Rod Blackhurst

Starring: Fabianne Therese, Max the Impaler, Ethan Suplee, Sean William Scott

Written by: Rod Blackhurst, Brandon Weavil

Produced by: Rod Blackhurst, Joseph C. Grano, Noah Lang, Bryce McGuire, Ross O'Connor, Esteban Sanchez, Isaiah Smallman, Betty Tong

Cinematography by: Justin Derry

Original Score by: Nick Bohun

Synopsis:

Macy, a young woman, is abducted by a monstrous figure intent on raising her as their own child.

Thoughts:

When I know that a classic film is a heavy influence on a new movie, the director is walking a fine tight rope between “genius” or “painfully eye rolling”. We all have influences, but for some reason, horror changes the brains of young film makers and it’s a real hard thing to shake when they’re developing their own original film. Every horror film maker wants to make their 'Evil Dead' or their own surreal Lynchian epic, and while there’s a handful of good examples, it can be a real pitfall for film makers.

When going into 'Dolly', it’s very obvious that the director (Rod Blackhurst) was inspired by 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'; but thankfully, Blackhurst gives it enough of his own spin that it’s actually incredibly entertaining. 

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While 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre' is a clear influence, 'Dolly' actually has more in common with the 1973 film 'The Baby'. Thankfully not as disturbing, but it definitely reaches levels of uncomfortable you wouldn’t normally see in mainstream horror films. Blackhurst clearly has a love for the 70’s grindhouse era but doesn’t fall into the traps of ‘style over substance’. The pacing here is on point, never feeling like the story is dragging its heels or being rushed past important character beats.

Fabianne Therese, who plays our main character Macy, is excellent here and really does a lot of the emotional heavy lifting. The character must deal with a lot of physical and mental trauma and Therese plays the mix of pain just right. Max the Impaler as Dolly is also excellent, feeling like a truly imposing figure over of the characters he has to interact with. The characters of Macy and Dolly actually have amazing on-screen chemistry together, for a relationship that it vocally exclusively one sided. 

The practical effects in the film are really effective and at times, truly shocking. There’s a jaw dropping moment with Sean William Scott that must be seen to be believed. The film also features Ethan Suplee, so if you’re a big 'Evolution' head like myself, you’ll enjoy his reunion with Scott. The Dolly character wears a porcelain mask throughout the whole film and while I wouldn’t say it’s instantly iconic, it gets the job done and doesn’t feel like a mask that’s meant to be “spooky”. 

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I was very pleasantly surprised how much I loved 'Dolly'. It’s a perfect mix of horror and a 70’s aesthetic that I love, with a lean, mean script that wears it’s influences on its sleeve. The film's ending leaves it open for a sequel in a way, and I'd be very open to seeing more from Dolly and its director. 

Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

-Adam Neeson

'Dolly' received its UK Premiere at FrightFest Halloween '25 on November 1st