Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!
Plot Summary: The ghost of a ventriloquist haunts a town and seeks revenge on the ancestors of those that killed her.
Review: Of all the overlooked horror movies out there, this has got to be the best of them. Not only is this movie incredibly scary but has a solid story while keeping it simple and straightforward. This film comes from some of the crew that worked on the "Saw" films just as many of the better recent horror films, like "Insidious," have been from the numerous crew members from the "Saw" franchise. Unlike those films, this one managed to fall through the cracks probably because it was marketed weird, and because, at first glance, dolls don't seem too scary. Well, let's face it, most movies about dolls pretty much fucking suck, but thankfully the real source of the scares comes from the ghost that owned the dolls, Mary Shaw, played nightmarishly by Judith Roberts. Mary Shaw is freakish looking with one of the most disturbing makeup applications I have ever seen; she was supposed to have doll features added to her body after death according to her will. I assure you, Mary Shaw will leave a lasting impression on you even when the movie is over even if it's the only thing you remember afterward. She's just flat out scary as hell and there are multiple sequences that highlight this fact. However, I should mention there are moments when Mary Shaw goes CGI and of course that sucks ass. The dolls are not completely outdone as there are still times they shine and even creepily add a few scares of their own such as the case with the clown doll. But when you have Mary Shaw coming after you, the last thing you'd be worried about is some little dolly turning its head when you look away. I should mention Mary Shaw's approach to killing is to rip out your tongue and this lets her absorb your voice to mess with others later. The focus of Mary Shaw's attention is on the main character, Jamie Ashen, and the Ashen family for that matter, since his family and others killed the crazy bitch. Apparently Mary Shaw's revenge won't be complete until she's killed the entire families of those involved in her death which is close to completion by the time of the movie. We don't get a great feel on the Jamie character except that he's a rich kid sent away from the town, called Ravens Fair, when one of the dolls is delivered to his apartment and Mary Shaw kills his girlfriend. I will say this, while Jamie comes off as a dumbass, he sure is brave as hell or is he brave because he's too stupid to be afraid? The other main character is detective Lipton, played hilariously by Donnie Wahlberg, who is following Jamie because he doesn't believe dolls killed the girlfriend (who would?). I wish so much he was named after his "Saw" character because that would have been amazing, but, anyway, what's up with Mr. Wahlberg playing a cop in virtually every role?! There are a few other background characters used for fodder, like a mortician, while we come to learn Mary Shaw's ghost lives through her, more than a hundred, dolls; therefore, you have to destroy the dolls to end the curse. Oh, there's one little catch to our dear Ms. Shaw, you have to scream for her to be able to kill you; think the shenanigans of "Darkness Falls" where you had to look at her face. So Jamie burns Mary Shaw's doll collection, discovers the body of his relative that set the story in motion when he made Mary Shaw mad, Lipton gets killed during the escape, and we learn that Ms. Shaw killed Jamie's girlfriend because she was pregnant! After destroying Mary Shaw's favorite doll he left at his father's mansion, Jamie uncovers the final twist to the film, that his father had been dead all along and was being used like a dummy by his newest stepmother who is, somehow, Mary Shaw's greatest creation: a living doll. Eh, I love the dad being a dummy part, but the stepmom thing was farfetched and mostly unexplained. Overall, the story plays like a twisted fairy tale while keeping the pacing steady with lots of genuine fright and not just jump scares. The makeup effects are among the best, the music is effectively haunting, and there was a great deal of creativity even if not entirely original. The twists and turns to the story were cool even if the ending leaves you a bit perplexed. I highly recommend this as it's one of my favorite horror movies and because there's a strong possibility you haven't watched this one yet. Seeing Mary Shaw is reason enough to give this one a try and you will probably get the little nursery rhyme surrounding her stuck in your head!
Notable Moment: Although not the most scary moment, when Mary Shaw emerges from behind the corpse of Michael Ashen. It is a powerful shot, and that look on her face as she appears to sit up from nowhere is creepy.
Final Rating: 8/10
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