Doll Graveyard (2005) Movie Review
Written By: JEH
Edited By: Grave Reviews Staff
Film Information
Director: Charles Band
Producers: Charles Band
Writers: Charles Band (story), Domonic Muir (screenplay)
Date Released: October 11, 2005
Cast:
Jared Kusnitz as Guy Fillbrook
Gabrielle Lynn as Deedee Fillbrook
Kristyn Green as Olivia
Anna Alicia Brock as Terri
Brian Lloyd as Rich
Scott Seymour as Tom
Ken Lyle as Lester Fillbrook/Cyril
Hannah Marks as Sophia
Rating = 1.5 /5 Graves
***May contain some spoilers***
Synopsis
Sophia (Hannah Marks) accidentally dies in the hands of her father (Ken Lyle). He then buries her together with her four handmade dolls. Decades later, Guy Fillbrook (Jared Kusnitz) finds the dolls buried in their backyard. One night, his sister (Gabrielle Lynn) throws a party, where unexpected guests appear to harass Guy. Tied up, Guy is slowly becoming possessed by Sophia while the dolls start to hunt down those who wish to harm their master.
Gore Factor
For a movie about killer dolls, there’s not much gore to see in this movie. The practical effects are not impressive and are very amateur-ish. However, the cheap effects fit perfectly with the movie and add a certain charm. The death scenes are mild unless you cringe at the sight of eyeballs. One notable scene that might make male viewers look away is when a sharp object stabbed a male private part. But overall, the gore is tolerable and oftentimes cheesy.
The Grave Review
Doll Graveyard (2005) is one of the many Full Moon Features killer doll movies. Full Moon Features has had a lot of B-movie hits, but they also have misses that disappoint fans. Does Doll Graveyard (2005) count as a hit or a miss?
The plot is simple: dolls kill to seek revenge for their mistreated master. Undoubtedly, it is goofy, along with all the elements of the movie. The characters feel unnatural and their dialogues are awkward. When it comes to acting, it is underwhelming. Also, the flow of the story is convenient to put the characters in situations that don’t really happen. In the opening scene, Sophia accidentally falls into the hole that she dug. Her father does not even bother to check on her and automatically assumes that she’s dead and buries her. Father of the year award.
The sound effects are also awful. They do not blend in with whatever is happening on screen. One scene that stands out is when Rich (Brian Lloyd) gets slapped by Olivia (Kristyn Green) and it sounds like someone punched him. However, the background music, despite its cheesiness, fits the mood of the movie.
Of course, the dolls are the highlights of the film but do not expect impressive effects. Remember when you used to play with dolls or action figures and you had to shake them to imply action? That’s exactly how the dolls move in the movie, no visual effects whatsoever. But one thing to appreciate here is that you can differentiate the dolls according to their weapons and methods of killing.
Despite all the movie’s flaws, it is hella entertaining. Nothing makes sense and everything looks bad, but somehow it will keep you watching and maybe laughing. If you’re looking for a no-brainer cheesefest movie to watch in your free time, give it a try. But if you’ve been following Full Moon Features movies, this one might disappoint. The movie follows a recycle formula executed poorly.
Because of the foregoing reasons, Grave Reviews gives Doll Graveyard (2005) one and a half graves out of five graves.
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