Backwoods killers is a robust subgenre that has been around for ages. Heck, my all-time favorite horror movie is a backwoods killer movie that’s over 50 years old – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. (or Chain Saw if you want to be screen accurate) But for every TCSM we get 10 or 20 awful films like Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III. So, when I read some positive buzz for Dolly I took that with a grain of salt but decided to keep it on my radar nonetheless. Now that I’m watching and reviewing at least 31 movies again this year, it’s time to clean out the old, dusty queues that get pretty bloated during the non-spooky (and, therefore, lame) months of the year. When I came across Dolly, I thought, “why the hell not?” I mean, I can’t go wrong with a movie from the writer of Night Swim, right? (uh oh) Let’s get into it, shall we?
Macy and Chase are a happy couple on a nice little hike when they come across some creepy dolls hanging from and/or nailed to trees. What seems like a bad omen turns out to be a really bad omen when they are attacked by a hulking figure, Dolly, in a babydoll dress and a doll mask. Chase is mangled and Macy is knocked unconscious. She wakes in the dilapidated cabin of Dolly who treats her like a baby and punishes her severely if she doesn’t play along. Macy hears another captive behind a locked door who gives her some information on how to escape. Now all she has to do is appease Dolly enough for her to lower her guard so she can rescue the captive and get them both out of there. Nothing really goes as she hopes it does, even when a potential rescuer shows up.
Despite the fact that TSCM (see above if you’re not familiar with the acronym) is my favorite movie, I don’t really seek out backwoods horror/slashers. I have liked quite a few though, Wolf Creek, Aja’s The Hills Have Eyes, Calvaire, and The Loved Ones are all great. And I love the sub-genre being turned on its head in Tucker and Dale Vs Evil! Dolly is a very solid entry into the somewhat crowded pool. (that’s actually a lot. maybe i should start seeking these movies out) Fabianne Therese is perfect as the terrified but bold and resourceful captive and Max the Impaler cuts a very imposing figure as Dolly. The violence and gore are well done and, more importantly, mostly practical! There are some genuinely awful scenes that will make even veteran horror aficionados wince. It’s a brutal, edge-of-your-seat ride that doesn’t pull its punches. I didn’t see Night Swim but now I’m thinking I should give it a shot!
The Final Cut: Dolly delivers the grimy brutality one expects from the better backwoods killer movies. Fabianne Therese and Max the Impaler crush their roles as bold captive and killer weirdo respectively
